Agency Management

An agent's association said it believes certain insurance companies are demanding confidential information about independent agents' books of business so it can bypass them on sales.

The world's two major insurance brokers earned a 100 percent positive rating on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Willis Group Holdings Ltd. said it has completed its acquisition of Herzfeld Willis S.A. (retail operation) and Willis S.A. (reinsurance operation) in Argentina. Terms of the deal were not released.

Many European firms are unaware that under the European Union Environmental Liability Directive they face giant cleanup costs for environmental pollution incidents, Aon brokerage is cautioning businesses.

While recent comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggest the nearly two-year-long recession may be nearing an end, the economic downturn is likely to remain a force behind additional and potentially uninsured risks for a long time.

Low pricing conditions are expected to continue into next year as more capital begins flowing back into the insurance market and the economy improves, Guy Carpenter's chief economist said.