Agency Management

The hard market for financial institutions' insurance is unlikely to last through to the end of 2010, according to the latest Willis FI Index from insurance broker Willis Group Holdings.

As nearly every sector has struggled in this rocky economy, one recurring thread that has tied them together is the value of good strategic partnerships.

As we approach the end of 2009, many agents and brokers are focusing on business and strategic planning for 2010 and beyond.

Four consumer groups are blasting the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York for their threat to sue the state insurance department over proposed compensation disclosure regulations.

A pair of pricing surveys clashed last week over whether commercial insurance rates have stabilized and are heading up slightly on average, or are in fact continuing to decline in a persistently soft market.

The recession is putting a strain on the earnings produced by the employee benefits business of independent agents and brokers.