Profiles In Courage

Its easy to sell risk management in a hard market. But when premiums start to plummet and capacity is plentiful, it takes a truly dedicated, disciplined and even courageous independent agency to walk away from prospects who only want quotes for the lowest price, and dont share a commitment to loss control, safety and lowering the overall cost of risk. Such fortitude is largely what set this years finalists apart from the pack in the sixth annual National Underwriter Commercial Insurance Agency of the Year award program.

We dont peddle policies and get in bidding wars, emphasized David Becker, president of Cottingham & Butler, 2007s champion, which managed to build a growing national brokerage business (complete with some impressive captive programs) out of its modest headquarters in Dubuque, Iowa. (Click here to read C&B’s profile.)