It's 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 don't share a commitment to loss control, safety and lowering the overall cost of risk.

Such fortitude is largely what set this year's finalists apart from the pack in the sixth annual National Underwriter Commercial Insurance Agency of the Year award program.

"We don't peddle policies and get in bidding wars," emphasized David Becker, president of Cottingham & Butler, 2007′s champion, which managed to build a growing national brokerage business (complete with some impressive captive programs) out of its modest headquarters in Dubuque, Iowa.

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