The reductions in U.S. property and casualty insurance rates, which had been slowing, sped downward again last month, MarketScout reported.

Although most agents and brokers understand that their duties and obligations to an insured are limited, and they do not generally have a duty to volunteer to an insured that the client should procure additional or different insurance coverage.

By sharing rent and overhead, businesses reduce costs and burdens. But agents and brokers can foresee that sharing space also creates new risks, which may be otherwise unknown to insureds.

Three independent agencies that stuck to their core missions of proactive client service and managing the cost of risk not only kept their heads above water but maintained a growing bottom line.