IA Magazine

Big ‘I’ Members Recognized in 2025 Agent for the Future Awards

Liberty Mutual awarded four Big “I” members for embracing innovative technologies, bringing value to their customers and empowering their employees.

Posted: Dec 17, 2025

Trump Takes Aim at State Regulation of AI

President Donald Trump issued an executive order that seeks to restrict states’ ability to regulate artificial intelligence (AI).

Posted: Dec 17, 2025

What Employers Can Expect: State Requirements for Paid Leave and Time Off

Many states have regulations that require employers to offer employees paid time off or paid leaves of absence in some form. Here is an overview of applicable regulations.

Posted: Dec 16, 2025

Top 10 Most-Read Online Articles in Independent Agent in 2025 

Throughout the year, the Big “I” and Independent Agent magazine have been hard at work, examining emerging market trends and helping you be there for your clients with the latest insights.

Posted: Dec 16, 2025

5 Predictions for the Insurance Industry in 2026

From artificial intelligence (AI)-driven operational shifts and dynamic climate modeling to heightened cyber and privacy risks, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of transformation for the insurance industry.

Posted: Dec 16, 2025

WTW to Acquire Newfront in $1.3 Billion Deal  

WTW has agreed to buy the San Francisco-based broker Newfront, in a move to expand its high-growth reach in the U.S.

Posted: Dec 14, 2025

The Hill Names Big ‘I’ Leader Among Top Lobbyists for 2025

Charles Symington, Big “I” president & CEO, has once again been named among the top trade association lobbyists in the nation’s capital this year.

Posted: Dec 10, 2025

Q3 Property Claim Severity Among Highest on Record as Volume Drops

2025 is on track to be the lowest claim volume year in recent history, yet cost management remains critical as severity trends continue to increase, according to Verisk.

Posted: Dec 10, 2025

AM Best Revises Homeowners Insurance Market Outlook to Stable

The homeowners market outlook joins the rest of the U.S. personal lines as stable, with AM Best citing stronger catastrophe risk management, steadier reinsurance market conditions and gradually improving pricing adequacy.

Posted: Dec 07, 2025

Baldwin Group to Buy CAC Group for $1 Billion

The Baldwin Group and CAC Group have agreed to merge, which will create one of the largest independent insurance advisory and distribution platforms in the U.S.

Posted: Dec 03, 2025

2025 Hurricane Season: Storms Steer Clear of US but Undergo ‘Rapid Intensification’

While storms may not make landfall in the U.S., they are becoming increasingly unpredictable and intensify rapidly, warns the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Posted: Dec 02, 2025

Health Care Costs Projected to Rise 10% in 2026

Health care costs are predicted to rise 9.6% in the U.S. in 2026, according to WTW’s “2026 Global Medical Trends” report. While next year’s increase will be slightly less than the 9.7% rise in health care costs experienced this year, it will be signi...

Posted: Nov 23, 2025

Legislation to Curtail Third-Party Litigation Funding Advances

Now awaiting action in the U.S. House, the bill addresses the current system that allows outside investors, including foreign governments, to secretly finance lawsuits for profit.

Posted: Nov 19, 2025

Severe Convective Storms Lead Concerns for Insurers

The vast majority of insurance company executives view severe convective storms (SCS) as the leading threat to their balance sheets, according to a Demex survey.

Posted: Nov 18, 2025

Consumers Agree Legal System Abuse Drives Up Insurance Costs, Prompting Demand for Reform

A new survey of consumers from the Big “I” reveals growing concern that excessive and abusive litigation is driving up costs for consumers and reforms are needed.

Posted: Nov 18, 2025

Government Shutdown Ends as NFIP Retroactively Reauthorized  

The continuing resolution (CR) funds the federal government through Jan. 30, 2026, and includes a retroactive reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for the period that the program lapsed.

Posted: Nov 12, 2025

Public Insurance Broker Performance Trends and the Impact on M&A 

2025 has told a tale of two very different market realities for public brokers. Here’s what that means for agency mergers & acquisitions.

Posted: Nov 11, 2025

Privacy Litigation Risk Grows ‘Substantially,’ According to Coalition Report

Lawsuits over how businesses collect and use data have surged, driven largely by aggressive plaintiff’s attorneys leveraging decades-old privacy laws in modern contexts.

Posted: Nov 11, 2025

InsurPac Hits $1 Million and Has Sights Set on a Record Year

As of Oct. 27, more than 2,300 agents and brokers nationwide have invested in InsurPac, the Big “I” political action committee (PAC), helping to surpass the $1 million mark toward its $1.3 million goal for the 2025 calendar year.

Posted: Oct 29, 2025

Auto Insurance Rates Decline but Satisfaction Remains Strained 

While many insurers have filed for rate decreases in 2025, many customers have yet to feel the effects of those decreases, with 44% of auto insurance claimants reporting a price increase in the past 12 months.

Posted: Oct 28, 2025

Independent Insurance Agency M&A Activity Slows Through Third Quarter 

Mergers and acquisitions insurance sector deals declined through third quarter 2025, a 7% decline on prior year to date.

Posted: Oct 26, 2025

Fix Our Forest Act Edges Closer to Law

The “Fix Our Forests Act of 2025,” which will improve forest management, reduce wildfire risk and protect critical infrastructure, was passed out of a U.S. Senate committee.

Posted: Oct 22, 2025

Fix Our Forests Act Edges Closer to Law

The “Fix Our Forests Act of 2025,” which will improve forest management, reduce wildfire risk and protect critical infrastructure, was passed out of a U.S. Senate committee.

Posted: Oct 22, 2025

 Rising Homeowners Coverage Gaps Underscore Agents’ Expanding Role

As homeowners contend with inflation, extreme weather and increasingly complex coverage needs, new reports from Nationwide and The Hanover reveal widening gaps in insurance coverage—and an expanding role for agents helping clients navigate today’s ri...

Posted: Oct 21, 2025

Marsh McLennan to Rebrand as Marsh

Marsh McLennan announced is changing its brand to Marsh, effective January 2026. The company has also created a new unit to centralize investments in operations, data, artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics.

Posted: Oct 15, 2025