A small independent agency bases its success on customer service and employee education.

Agents are facing the softest market since 1933 and many are scrambling to find growth anywhere they can. Some agents are truly scared, and when a person is scared, emotions often trump logic. Quick fixes, even if illogical, become irresistible.

There has long been a prevailing theory in the disability income (DI) industry that during recessionary economic times, it is easier for consumers to see the real impact of a loss of income.

Merger and acquisition activity among insurance brokerages in 2009 dropped 40 percent over the previous year due to a generally tough economic environment and other factors, an investment banker reported.