Rough Notes
TAKING CARE OF THE CAREGIVERS What is the role for benefit plans?     “Employers are becoming more flexible on work schedules and offering more paid family leave.” —Jason Resendez The post
Posted: Jul 05, 2023
THE FINE ART OF CONTRACT ANALYSIS Understanding policies is an important value-added service for clients     [E]very insurance contract needs to be reviewed in its totality each and every The post
Posted: Jul 05, 2023
CONTRACTOR MATH: SOLVING FOR CERTS Using AI and machine learning to automate certificates of insurance management processes By Lori Widmer “I would encourage others in our industry to really embrace The post
Posted: Jul 05, 2023
BUILDING AGENCY CAPACITY: HOW TO DO MORE WITH LESS If you can’t find the people, maximize the ones you’ve got It has been predicted that half the industry’s workforce The post
Posted: Jul 05, 2023
SERVICE, SUPPORT AND STANDARDS A solution-based approach to reducing risk and insurance costs is driving success at a growing brokerage By Michael Dollar Our industry is increasingly opting for automation The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
Agency of the Year winners (from left): Brandon Ream and Grant Botma, Stewardship, Gilbert, Arizona; Randy Hulett and Mike Stansbury, Elite Insurance Solutions, Franklin, Tennessee; Heather Smyrl, Highpoint Insurance Group, The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
CONSISTENCY AND RESILIENCY Miami young pro begins “new era” with new agency By Christopher W. Cook When I was young, I had a part-time job delivering the local newspaper. It The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
A UNIQUE POSITION IN INSURANCE Gamma Iota Sigma serves as an access point for recruiting and understanding next-gen talent By Christopher W. Cook How have things been going the past The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
Agency of the month The Hitchings Insurance Agency team outside their Findlay, Ohio, office. PEOPLE OVER POLICIES Ohio agency focuses on empathy for everyone’s situation By Dennis H. Pillsbury There’s The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK: WAITING ON THE COMEBACK Housing demand on the rebound from higher interest rates, inflation By Alan Ferguson Homeownership is an American dream. It’s also a key driver of The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
DEVELOPING INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS AND CLIENTS How can you find a superhero team to achieve common goals? By Jeremy T. Wittenbaum I had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
SURETY’S EVOLUTION Not taking the surety bond market seriously is a costly mistake many agents and brokers make By Lori Widmer “Surety is a very hot place to be right The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
  SOCCER, FOOD AND FAITH Mother-daughter team goes international to win the 2022 Rough Notes Community Service Award By Alice Ashby Roettger “It is [all] for the children! Kids are The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
LIFE INSURANCE Voluntary supplemental life takes on new social value after pandemic By Len Strazewski For decades, life insurance benefits were last in line during open enrollment. Stuck at a The post
Posted: Jun 30, 2023
FIVE STEPS TO DE-ESCALATE AN IRATE CALLER From listening to following through, it’s possible to diffuse most situations with the proper action Most angry callers are angry because they feel The post
Posted: Jun 29, 2023
  FULFILLING THE COVERAGE YOU SELL Consistent coverage interpretations and claim resolutions will promote consumer confidence at both ends of the insurance transaction It’s taken awhile, but regulations governing the The post
Posted: Jun 21, 2023
DOUBLE DOWN ON LOSS CONTROL TO HELP COMMERCIAL AUTO INSUREDS Rising rates have been and will continue to be a sore spot in the industry Telematics is a hot trend The post
Posted: Jun 07, 2023
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Ring my chimes Current and former employees of Ring-Central participated in RingCentral’s employee welfare benefits plan. The plan participated in the
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS No third-party beneficiary Chris LaBarbera hired Richard Knight, d/b/a Knight Construction, to remodel a house pursuant to a contract that provided Th...
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Knockout punch Interpreting the abuse and mole-station exclusion through the lens of an objectively reasonable insured, “physical abuse” applies “to a
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS Bad day for Backis Diane Backis was a Cargill employee for several decades at a grain facility that Cargill operated in The post
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASES Digested from case reports published online COURT DECISIONS A seedy deal Almost two decades prior to this decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court handed down Farmland Mutual Insurance Co. v. The post
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
NAVIGATING THE BUMPY COMMERCIAL AUTO ROAD Best practices independent agents can share with policyholders to reduce claims By Mike Zdrojewski The commercial auto market is similar to a time-worn highway. The post
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
THE FIVE PILLARS OF YOUNG AGENT SUCCESS Building your foundation for long-term success By Mitch Gibson Just as in the building of a house, when the structure requires a solid The post
Posted: Jun 01, 2023
MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS Providing guidance and support to younger colleagues benefits both mentors as well as organizations By Maura C. Ciccarelli Thinking back, Laura Henderson sees the positive impact a few The post
Posted: Jun 01, 2023