Agent & Broker

Instead of going it alone, more agencies are looking at ways to combine forces through "clustering" or aggregating--pooling their resources to combine volume without giving up autonomy or ownership.

According to a recent report by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) in San Diego, there were 656 data breaches reported in 2008. This represented a significant increase over the 446 breaches

Three pension funds are asking the government trustees overseeing the U.S. loan to American International Group to withhold their support for one of the AIG board members who served on the company's compensation committee.

We are all well aware of the hard economic times our country faces. Unemployment is up, credit availability and auto sales are down, and businesses are scaling back. For our industry, fewer car and

Insurance Services Office in Jersey City, N.J., announced they are offering a new facility so insurers can report title data for total loss vehicles to comply with federal law aimed at preventing sales of stolen and salvaged motor vehicles.

Erie, Pa.-based auto insurer Erie Indemnity Company said Marcia A. Dall is its new chief financial officer, replacing Philip A. Garcia, who is leaving the company after 28 years of service.

A reinsurance brokerage said net income for the European reinsurers it follows dropped $22.4 billion year-over-year to a loss of $7.5 billion for full-year 2008.

Moody's Investors Service lowered the financial strength rating and credit ratings of The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. citing continued weakness in earnings and investment losses.