Rough Notes
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Ambiguous policy language defeats insurer Sistersville Tank Works since 1984 had been a family-owned and -operated West Virginia corporation. The name “Sistersv...
Posted: Feb 29, 2024
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Plaintiffs challenge “wilderness exclusion” In early 2016, P.E.L. experienced severe mental health symptoms requiring inpatient hospitalization. After her relea...
Posted: Feb 29, 2024
Know the answers to these questions that your clients or prospects will likely ask You won’t always have the answers, but prospects and your clients will expect that you do. … [A]lways ensure you take the time to provide accurate responses. By Micha...
Posted: Feb 13, 2024
Another state supreme court finds coverage under a CGL [T]he court reasoned that, by applying dictionary definitions to certain terms not defined in the policy, inadvertent construction defects can accidentally cause property damage and thus qualify...
Posted: Feb 13, 2024
Focused opportunity programs exist for insurance and risk management education in high schools and post-secondary education [W]hen students begin to learn how insurance … impacts their life and their families’ lives and the good jobs and compensatio...
Posted: Feb 02, 2024
How ADR programs can be a valuable tool By Matthew Jones While workers compensation coverage serves an important role in the construction industry, some fundamental flaws in the design of these programs can lead to higher costs. Construction in New Y...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Key strategies to implement now By Dustin Lemick Property and casualty (P-C) insurance agents and brokers have faced significant challenges in the past few years. This has forced industry leaders to adapt to new ways of doing business and has impacte...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Adaptability, communication, learning can drive success in a tough market By Stephen Hicks It seems that the start of every new year brings new challenges and opportunities and, so far, 2024 has proven no different. We continue to navigate a hard mar...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Investing in training and development of talent leads to retention and thus a successful agency According to a recent Accenture study, every dollar spent on training generates a return of approximately $4.53. That’s a 353% ROI! By Brent Kelly I have...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Seven steps to “mastering” mastery Mastery is one of the best and most successful ways to differentiate your agency. Yes, there is work and discipline involved, but the rewards are many. By Cheryl Koch, CPCU, ARM, AAI, ACSR, AFIS, and Mary Belka, CPC...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Meeting potential industry employees where they are Whether your agency has an internship program in place or is considering launching one, it can be valuable to understand what students seek in one. By Grace Grant Word is getting out that Gen Z’s ca...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Small-town agency “bucks” the system and pushes boundaries By staying attuned to your clients, carriers, industry trends, and emerging technologies, you can position your agency to identify and fill gaps in the market with unique and valuable service...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Ideas for leveraging your unique strengths Since we are likely quicker to spot and even glamorize the outgoing extroverted leaders, it’s easy for introverts to either look to avoid those opportunities or be overlooked. By Meg Mckeen, CIC I recently c...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Comulate takes automated direct billing to the next level “[P]artners who once didn’t believe us are now asking if we can help them automate other workflows they struggle with.” —Jordan Katz CEO and Co-founder Comulate By Lori Widmer One of the most...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Stacking of UIM benefits challenged Kay Franklin’s mother died in an automobile accident caused by a negligent driver. After collecting the per-person liability...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Unhappy motorist On February 3, 2018, Teresa Rose was injured when the vehicle she was driving was struck by an underinsured motorist. Rose was commuting to her...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
The keys to getting better at reaching the goals you set for yourself While good at keeping commitments to clients, colleagues and business partners, it seems that we lack that same rigor when it comes to keeping commitments to ourselves. By Kimberly...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Partners of Árachas Group, LLC. From left: Erin Kelly, Bill Sullivan, Dallas Peters, Kevin Lesch, Greg Mattingly, and Brian Dolewski. (Not pictured: Valeria Mogildea) With a vision built around “working as one,” this Illinois agency is experiencing e...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
While not new, industry professionals struggle to mitigate the problem By Tom Rea Social inflation continues to be a hot topic across the insurance industry, as increasing claims severity remains an ongoing threat to long-term profitability and indus...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Texas-based young pro shows that second-generation leaders are more than the owners’ offspring 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 in...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Snellings Walters Insurance Agency By Dave Willis, CPIA The votes are in. Past cover agents and brokers have spoken. And we have a winner. Selected from the cast of amazing candidates, the 2023 Rough Notes Agency of the Year is Snellings Walters Insu...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Achieve greater operational efficiency and build stronger customer relationships By Jason Keck Insurtech spending in the U.K. and the U.S. is expected to increase by over 25% between 2022 and 2026, according to an Insider Intelligence article. And as...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Insider tips and tricks for asking clients to share their agency experience By Samanta Ulita Research reveals that 95% of your customers will read online reviews before buying a product or service—maybe yours—and that 49% trust those reviews as much...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
Crafting a perpetuation plan for your agency By Carey Wallace As an independent insurance agency owner, planning for the future of your agency’s ongoing operation is a responsibility that is critically important to your family, staff, and customers....
Posted: Jan 31, 2024
A hard market brings new challenges By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU No news is good news, in some circumstances. When assessing today’s market for insurance agent and broker errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, what stands out is what’s not there...
Posted: Jan 31, 2024