Rough Notes
It doesn’t matter our job title; we all can be leaders By Carey Wallace Leadership in its simplest form is the ability of an individual to influence and guide others. That sounds pretty straightforward, but in actuality it is not. There is a reason w...
Posted: May 01, 2024
Indiana young pro creates agency division dedicated to the beauty industry By Christopher W. Cook In the insurance industry, certain dedicated young professionals stand out among their peers and are members of an elite squad of individuals. These are...
Posted: May 01, 2024
The importance of crisis communications for insurance agents and brokers By Thomas Mustac In the insurance industry, building and maintaining trust with clients is the foundation of success. A crisis—whether caused by internal missteps or external ev...
Posted: May 01, 2024
Two agency principals share U.S. Army experiences and insights on veterans joining the insurance industry By Christopher W. Cook As in previous May issues of Rough Notes, to sync with the Memorial Day holiday, we’re sharing the stories of two veteran...
Posted: May 01, 2024
Stop loss executives foresee strong growth By Thomas A. McCoy The importance of having relevant data in making decisions rises in proportion to the amount of money at stake. Thus, when their health benefits costs rise to a certain point, employers be...
Posted: May 01, 2024
  Two-year-old Kansas agency has an 80-plus-year history By Dennis H. Pillsbury On January 1, 2022, Iron Insurance Partners was formed with its headquarters centrally located  in Salina, Kansas. The new agency was the result of a merger of...
Posted: Apr 30, 2024
What to do as your emotions run the gamut [I]f your new organization is competent, someone is working to get you the answers you want and need. Bear in mind, the reality may be that there are no definitive answers that can be given and your superio...
Posted: Apr 25, 2024
Accessory dwelling units will test agents’ ingenuity As “dwellings within dwellings” or “households within households, ” ADU arrangements produce countless complexities that agents and brokers must be prepared to address … . By Joseph S. Harri...
Posted: Apr 18, 2024
Providing context and feedback is critical [Real-time feedback] facilitates learning and enables one to improve and adjust one’s performance in the moment, rather than having to address problems after the fact. By Kari Glennon Personally and professi...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Is there such a thing as too high a level of growth and retention? It is important to define acceptable levels of growth and retention … . Metrics matter; be sure to define your goals, and how each staff member will contribute. By Cheryl Koch, CPCU,...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Creating a profile and posting a few times per week is no longer enough By Jacklyn Lavoie Social media is a great way for independent insurance agents and brokers to connect with people and generate new business leads. Perhaps it should come as no su...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
MākuSafe has taken safety programs out of reactionary mode and into proactive, data-rich prevention and planning “If you and I are on a jobsite, … what we’ve experienced, even though we were just ten feet apart from each other, is completely unique f...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Is it a great idea or a pitfall? While promoting the top producer to a leadership position might seem obvious, it is essential to consider the broader skills required for successful management. By Carolyn Smith, APR, TRA In many agencies, a common p...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Strategies to safeguard a business from submerged threats [T]he key to success is not just weathering the storm but avoiding it altogether. By Randy Boss, CRM, MWCA, SHRM-SCP A business managing risks can be compared to navigating treacherous waters...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Get below the surface and find people’s real potential A landmark study of 20,000 new hires conducted by Leadership IQ revealed that 46% of newly hired employees fail within 18 months, while only 19% will achieve unequivocal success. By Kimberly Pat...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Skilled insurance producers and risk managers need to understand the different factors when educating their clients Armed with the facts … skilled adjusters and attorneys look at their position in the liability claim and ask themselves a sobering que...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
WHEN LEADERSHIP ISN’T IN YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION Shifting your mindset from one of an individual contributor to one of a leader is an important one … but you don’t have to wait for the title to start making this shift. By Meg McKeen, CIC Feeling both ea...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Insured prevails in coverage dispute This dispute arose out of environmental cleanup and remediation work at two Superfund sites in Bronson, Michigan. The affec...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Injured motorist prevails Brian M. Wood was driving through an intersection in Auburn, Alabama, when his vehicle was T-boned by a vehicle being driven by Mark S...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
“We firmly believe that an educated customer is in a better position to evaluate the services we provide … . They have learned to trust us.” —Elisha Cavanaugh Founder and President Sound Pacific Insurance Self-professed insurance nerd creates agency...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
Amid challenges, administrators strive to innovate, adapt, and find new ways to meet evolving client and partner needs By Elisabeth Boone, CPCU Data show that 2022 was a banner year for program administrators. According to the Target Markets Program...
Posted: Mar 28, 2024
The five (or at least four) tenets of a popular feedback model may fall short for motivating mentees [M]entors, even managers, who sandwich criticism between positive nuggets think they’re providing a black pearl in the heart of an oyster. In realit...
Posted: Mar 26, 2024
As rates continue to rise, how much is enough? With clients paying more to renew their existing auto insurance, how can producers induce them to acquire even higher limits needed to keep pace with the very factors driving up the cost of coverage? By...
Posted: Mar 21, 2024
How great would your agency be if 100% of your team did 100% of what they said they’d do? [P]romise making and keeping is two-way street. And that’s what great teams are all about—giving and taking to ensure success for all. By Roger Sitkins Have...
Posted: Feb 29, 2024
Blending the old and the new [K]eep your eye on what is changing in your environment, how educating the next generation of service professionals is best done, and fighting to protect the quality of customer service that your agency provides. By Paul...
Posted: Feb 29, 2024