Agent & Broker

AN ISSUE I've long heard discussed by new producers and veterans alike is when and why to walk away from a prospect. I'd like to share with you some key factors to consider when making this often-difficult decision, and also suggest

MOST agency owners agree that now is a great time to be in business. That's not to say that running an agency is easy, but the results have never been better. Agency revenues, including contingencies, are at an all-time high, as are profits. The

In 2000, a man was involved in an auto collision in Georgia in which a couple were injured. They filed suit not only against the man but also his employer, a tree surgery service, claiming that the man was acting within the scope of his employment at

WELCOME TO MAY, the month of one of America's great traditional races. As they might say at Indy, "Gentlemen and ladies, start your classifications!" Ah, general liability, thy heart is classification. Or at least it should be. I

Scandals involving financial improprieties at such firms as WorldCom, Enron and Arthur Andersen have drawn attention to the corporate governance of for-profit and nonprofit organizations alike. Consider also that the number of nonprofit entities has

OVER THE last decade, Vanner Insurance Agency has grown steadily as a result of specialization. The agency's principals--Ralph Vanner Sr., Ralph Vanner Jr., Thomas Vanner, Bradley Hall and William Quinn--sell perhaps 75% of the agency's

Take a deep breath. An optional federal charter for insurers--or any other legislation impinging on state regulation--will not be enacted this year. Beyond that, in this election year, it is unclear

"We would be glad to support a good unified position," said Mr. Stiglitz, noting that without such unity federal legislators will not listen to the industry. He also noted that given the industry's su