Employment figures for agents and brokers are headedtoward a prior peak set in July 2007.

There were 2,400 more agents and brokers employed in July 2013versus June. In June the agents and brokers subsector added 1,500jobs to reverse six months of declining employment figures.

Agent and broker employment is now at 665,800 and headed for thehigh of 679,300 set in July 2007.

In an analysis of the latest U.S. Labor Department's Bureau ofLabor Statistics figures, InsuranceInformation Institute President Robert Hartwig says job growfor agents and brokers is “fairly typical” in July. Job growth wasseen in this segment in 16 or 24 Julys starting in 1990, and felljust 5 times, he notes.

Overall insurance-related employment was up 4,100 jobs to2,357,100 in July compared to June.

P&C carrier employment was down 300 to 523,800. July isunpredictable, remarks Hartwig. He says the following three monthsshare the same characteristic. In August, September and Octoberemployment fell 10 times and increased 10 times during the 10-yearperiod 2003-2012, he adds.

Two hundred more people were employed in the reinsurance sectorin July, compared to June.

However, job for claims adjusters decreased 1,000 to 50,800 overthe same time period. Hartwig says, “This is the first big drop forthis segment. Claims adjustment employment had been at or above51,000 continuously since August 2011 except for April and May2013.”