Rough Notes
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS No joy for surviving spouse Alan Stroud bought a 20-year term life policy with a $60,000 death benefit from Ozark National Life Insurance Company agent Gene Spoon...
Posted: May 02, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Liberal interpretation of pollution exclusion Seventeen-year-old Josiah Wheeler rented a cabin in Tok, Alaska, that was owned by Deborah Overly and Terry Summers....
Posted: May 02, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Good news for roofer Thomas Napolitano, a roofing business owner, sought a judgment declaring that Ace American Insurance Company, a workers compensation carrier,...
Posted: May 02, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Appraisal outcome freezes compensation 50 Exchange Terrace LLC sought to collect under a property policy with Mount Vernon Specialty Insurance Company (Mount Vern...
Posted: May 02, 2025
These include age, credit history, education level, gender, marital status, and more “[T]he term ‘proxy factors’ refers to information about customers that insurers might use in setting auto insurance premiums but that … may not seem directly rel...
Posted: May 01, 2025
People pleasing: the good and the bad [P]eople pleasing [is] defined by Merriam-Webster as “having an emotional need to please others often at the expense of his or her own needs or desires.” By Meg McKeen, CIC This edition of “Let’s Lead” was insp...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Are they simpler than commercial lines? [U]rge your clients not to skimp on the water backup limit of insurance, as restoration contractors can quickly eat away that limit as part of the drying out process. By Marc McNulty, CIC, CRM Our last “Mind th...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Finding your unique edge in a competitive market If you want to win, niche down. Stop being “just another agent” and become the agent—the one who owns an industry, speaks its language, and becomes the go-to expert. By Carolyn Smith, APR, TRA Many...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Tips for executing acquisitions efficiently By Bradley Flowers When it comes to growth in the insurance industry, many small, independent agencies focus on organic strategies such as adding one customer at a time. However, there is another path to sc...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Modern approaches to building stronger long-term client relationships Agents who modernize their approach while remaining authentic and value-driven won’t just survive this generational shift—they will thrive in it … . By Noelle Codispoti, CPCU, AR...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Stay ahead of the competition with prompt website lead response [L]eads are 21 times more likely to convert when contacted within five minutes as opposed to 30 minutes. By Chris Paradiso In today’s digital world, speed is everything. The time it take...
Posted: May 01, 2025
The agency business—like college football—is changing on almost a daily basis What happens in your business or job when there is a “win”? Do all employees and clients cheer? Do all those involved in your business share the excitement of winning?...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Lightspeed Voice offers tech solutions beyond a VoIP service By Christopher W. Cook Could you imagine moving 299,792,458 meters per second? And I thought the lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a two-seater IndyCar going close to 180 mph wa...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Project 55’s resources and training can help individuals support co-workers struggling with mental health challenges By Maura C. Ciccarelli The following story mentions mental health struggles and suicidal ideation. Reader discretion is advised Insur...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Doing what’s right is the watch-phrase for this women-owned agency By Dennis H. Pillsbury In 1950, Ed and Eleanor “Ellie” Boniakowski started EA Boniakowski Insurance Services in recognition of the need for reputable insurance products and service th...
Posted: May 01, 2025
The growing gap between the two By Carey Wallace There is no shortage of buyers in today’s insurance marketplace. In fact, for any given agency looking to sell, there may be 30-plus potential buyers interested. But not all buyers are the same and eve...
Posted: May 01, 2025
How insurance agencies can hire and retain top talent By Kellie Lail Success in business starts with a strong team, and every agency owner knows that the right people can make all the difference. In today’s competitive market, expanding your team mig...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Protecting the protectors when something goes wrong By Frank Huver Houses of worship are not immune to the rising phenomenon of violence that plagues our society. In fact, a recent report by the Family Research Council (FRC) indicates that hostile ac...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Insurance—an industry of opportunity— offers flexibility and possibility for a new generation of women By Rajni Kapur I moved from India to the United States in 1999. In the 25-plus years since then, the insurance industry—an industry that I, like so...
Posted: May 01, 2025
As the market softens four principles to help develop a renewed foundation built on trust By Jack Calabrese Did the longest hard market in recent years put a strain on your carrier relationships? Unfortunately, if you’re like many agents and produc...
Posted: May 01, 2025
How to build leaders and reap the rewards By Matt Naimoli Many insurance agency owners find themselves stuck in dual roles as producers and operational managers. While they may have staff members handling day-to-day tasks, they often lack a true lead...
Posted: May 01, 2025
The cost of risk and insurance weighs heavily on a vital sector By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU Just about every class of insured is struggling to find adequate, affordable property and liability coverage in the current hard market. But is it a “crisis...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Reports show that dental care use is on the rise, along with the cost of that care By Len Strazewski Dentists used to have neighborhood offices—sometimes above a local drug store—and patients would climb the stairs when a tooth began to hurt. After s...
Posted: May 01, 2025
Expertise, education and other strategies come into play [C]lients love a superhero who swoops in after the fact to save them from a crisis. They think even more highly of a superhero who ensures they’re always ready. By Michael Wayne From Augus...
Posted: Apr 23, 2025
The effect of rulings that came down just as Los Angeles area residents were recovering from the devastating 2025 wildfires A California trial court ruled for the insurance company, reasoning that the wildfire residue that had been literally wiped aw...
Posted: Apr 17, 2025