American Agent & Broker November 2009
Cover Story
2009 gores agent M&As
After years of robust M&A insurance activity, the number of deals completed in 2009 will probably cause this year's deal totals to be the lowest in several years.
Features
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Invest beyond financial protection
For many in the insurance industry, the Resolution Trust Corp. (RTC) was a mere footnote in the history books.
Columns
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Sounding Board- Sustainability in an uncertain time
The ability of insurance professionals to sustain future business profitability requires examining operating principles and practices at the core of an enterprise able to capitalize on the opportunities of a changing world.
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Agency Technology- VoIP: Can you see me now?
Do you remember the 1964 World's Fair in New York City? I remember being a wide-eyed 10-year-old boy walking through the many different pavilions with images of "The Jetsons" dancing in my head.
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Down to Cases- False expertise claims can cost millions
Although most agents and brokers understand that their duties and obligations to an insured are limited, and they do not generally have a duty to volunteer to an insured that the client should procure additional or different insurance coverage.
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Editorial: Will the M&A bull charge again?
After years of contraction, the agency-brokerage mergers and acquisition market could be on the verge of a comeback.
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For the Manager- Cash flow underwriting frustrates agents
Agents are boiling over with frustration at carriers who are focused entirely on growth regardless of loss ratio.
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The Last Word- It's the capacity, stupid
In the professional lines arena of the insurance industry, numerous forces at work affect the market between the ebb and flow of the hard and soft cycles.
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Strictly Sales- Follow steps to logical process of qualifying
In September's article, I challenged you to create 60 or so questions to use as basic preparation tools for beginning the sales process.
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Policy Issues- Guide separation of insureds, WOS in contractor minefield
Welcome to the month of November, a time of Thanksgiving gatherings and minefields. Minefields?
Departments
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Legislative Roundup- Midterm elections could mix familiar with unpredictable
For those who enjoy their politics wild and unpredictable, 2010 will be a great year.
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Getting Personal- Decommoditize personal lines
Now that the personal lines industry is finally seeing some relief with upward rate adjustments after a prolonged soft market, the time has never been better to align the agency workforce toward the power of consultative selling.
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Industry IQ: Workers' comp state funds gaining market share
Workers' comp state funds now control a quarter of the insured workers' comp market, despite the fact they only write in 25 states, according to a new study by Conning Research and Consulting.
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Industry IQ: Top 10 ways insurers are non-compliant
Missing claims deadlines, improper policy termination and failure to pay claims properly top the list of reasons why property-casualty insurers are out of compliance during market conduct exam.
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Industry IQ: J.D. Power: Consumer satisfaction with homeowners' insurance surges in 2009
For the first time in 5 years, consumer satisfaction with homeowner insurance policies surged in 2009, according to an annual survey by J.D. Power and Assocs.
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Industry IQ: Aon study shows employers changing 2010 medical programs
As employees flip through their open enrollment packets, they may notice substantial changes to their medical plans for 2010.
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Agency Success Story- It's a "whole other agency"
Tyler, Texas, located 100 miles southeast of Dallas, boasts picturesque antique shops, mom-and-pop specialty stores and charming brick streets.
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Industry IQ: Census ranks major U.S. cities with health insurance coverage
Honolulu enjoys the most extensive health insurance coverage of any major American city, with only 5.25 percent of its residents without coverage, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
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Avoiding E&O- Learn strategies for avoiding the blame game
In recent years, the blame game has become very popular. The object of the game is to find somebody to blame; it does not really make any difference who this is, as long as it is not the person looking for a victim to blame.
