Agency Management

Homeowner health complaints related to Chinese drywall products point up a need for contractors to obtain enhanced insurance coverage, but such protection may not be available, according to a brokerage expert.

Producers and carriers searching for opportunities to develop new clients may find ample opportunities through social networking over the Internet--but there are challenges as well.

Larger insurance brokers are expected to see improvements in earnings as the market cycle begins to turn, but middle-market intermediaries may still suffer from the effects of the economic downturn, according to a financial analyst's report.

The Real Time/Download campaign has increased the number of its webinar offerings to help bring more participants on board.

The sale of AIG's auto unit to Zurich's Farmers Group subsidiary will not alter the personal auto landscape, but will allow Farmers to develop an East Coast presence and become a competitor in the direct writer market, experts and analysts said.

Insurers bracing for potential losses from the installation of defective Chinese drywall in homes in the Southeast may find themselves named directly in lawsuits, according to legal experts.

The dollar value of merger and acquisition activity for the U.S. property-casualty sector grew last year by just under $2.7 million, but for all types of insurers worldwide the monetary worth of mergers declined, a consulting firm reported.

Independent agents are getting hit with a double whammy these days--still suffering from commission losses as a result of the persistently soft market, while simultaneously dealing with the fallout of a severe recession.