Independent agents face a major battle ahead over federal regulatory reform and what shape that will take, the chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America said.

Little insurance coverage is available to protect business against fallout from the swine flu outbreak, and risk managers need to be aware of how to minimize potential infections among staff and compensate if the worst-case scenario comes to pass.

A group of insurance industry chief executives expressed major concerns here during a panel discussion that the Obama administration's recovery plan will spawn inflation over the next few years.

Insurance professionals seeking to make their industry more diverse should consider not just race but all minority groups, the president of an insurance association said in a talk here.

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Past-President Alex Soto received the Woodworth Memorial Award today for his contributions to the independent insurance agent system.

Independent agents at a conference here heard Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., voiced strong support for state insurance regulation today while Republican legislative speakers discussing health care, said reforms should avoid overregulation.

U.S. federal securities class action suits in 2008 rose 29 percent over the previous year fueled by the global financial crisis, according to a consulting firm report released recently.

While there are plenty of programs available for experienced customer service representatives to receive advanced instructions for specific insurance lines, programs for those new to the field have been in short supply.