Rough Notes
First row, left to right: Brian O’Reilly, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer; John Glomb, President and CEO; John Doyle, Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer Second row, left to right: Bob Pottle, Executive Vice P...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
The science behind a healthy sales pipeline By Ryan Smith Some say “sales is a numbers game.” While it is to an extent, there’s a lot going on behind those numbers, and better understanding them can show you where to focus on improving. You probably...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Arkansas young pro begins second term as Big “I” National Emerging Leaders Chair 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. The...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Sam Berman (left) presenting The Rough Notes Community Service Award to Clay Snellings, CPCU, principal and chairman of the board of Snellings Walters, and Vicki Nix, associate director, Georgia chapter, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Helping Cystic Fib...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Five common mistakes to correct with the right mindset and strategy By Brandon Aguirre There is no shortage of advice for new insurance producers. Much of it sounds good in theory, but after spending time in the trenches myself as a producer, working...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Conference sessions discuss workers compensation/employers liability and agritainment By Christopher W. Cook It’s that time of year again. Harvest time. Disclaimer: I know we’re all in a hurry, but please give farmers room on the road. As I mentioned...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
It’s generally a pretty stable line, but here comes artificial intelligence By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU If the market for professional liability insurance were a body of water, you could say it was one of strong currents but few tempests. From time...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Product responds to needs and advances in care and more By Len Strazewski Twenty-five years or so ago, hospital indemnity insurance was a throw-in benefit, an inexpensive supplemental insurance that paid per diem cash benefits to hospitalized employe...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Being ready as industry reactions affect commercial clients’ cost and access to capacity More and more, this is business by science, not gut feeling. Quoting is increasingly tied to quantified engineering and survey evidence rather than generic clas...
Posted: Sep 25, 2025
A federal court lets a CGL insurer settle a case on its own terms In North Carolina, an insured under a CGL policy recently learned the hard way how a high deductible combined with the insurer’s discretion regarding settlements can severely reduce c...
Posted: Sep 17, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS You violated our privacy! Mullins Food Products, Inc., an Illinois-based company that manufactured food ingredients, was sued under a state act regarding informat...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Separate endorsements for separate vehicles Kepali Group owned multiple vehicles. The company used Brown & Brown to handle its automobile insurance needs, whi...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS There may be fraud, but there are no damages This is a dispute that centers upon whether possible fraud on one party’s part results in a legitimate claim for dama...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
While E&O doesn’t address every concern for a contractor, it does speak to many common ones At some point, an honest mistake could prove to be too large for an out-of-pocket fix. By Marc McNulty, CIC, CRM Like many others in the independent insur...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
For outsized growth in this industry, M&As are critical The talent and relationships gained through quality acquisitions could take decades to develop organically. By James Graham, CVA The increasing volume of insurance broker transactions is a...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
Retirement security may depend on it “[T]he public is becoming aware that Medicaid benefits are going to be cut.” —Jesse Slome Executive Director The American Association of Long-Term Care Insurance By Thomas A. McCoy, CLU In retirement planning disc...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
It’s 2025, not 2015 [O]ne day you’re reviewing a routine renewal … and the next, you’re scrambling to explain a risk no one saw coming. By Carolyn Smith, APR, TRA As we head into the final stretch of 2025—the last quarter of the first quarter of a br...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
Eight key elements to create the ultimate independent agency [We] have discovered [that] eight key business practices … will enable any agency to create and sustain an extraordinary organization. By Cheryl Koch, CPCU, ARM, AAI, ACSR, AFIS, and Mary B...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
Federal proposal to ban state actions to regulate AI defeated The states hold limited and contingent authority over insurance. The arrangement could end tomorrow. By Kevin P. Hennosy If artificial intelligence (AI) triggers feelings of menace and u...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
Companies should be certain of their rationale for using private data Considering the legal risks that accompany the use of private data, it is important to create, vet and publish privacy statements that are clear, accurate and in compliance with ap...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
Success doesn’t depend exclusively on strategy, resources and talent, but also on thinking bigger [Successful business owners] simply don’t indulge the voice of internal doubt that produces self-limiting behaviors. By Brent Kelly In working with the...
Posted: Sep 05, 2025
Natalie Stone takes the helm at Illinois agency founded by her great grandmother “Our team learns from one another constantly, enabling us to craft tailored risk mitigation strategies for each client. Everyone here knows our clients and deeply unders...
Posted: Sep 02, 2025
More memories of a difference maker In May, we lost our boss and friend, Walt Gdowski. Since then, we’ve received condolence notes and calls from so many of you. We’ve exchanged great stories among our internal team and others with whom we’ve engaged...
Posted: Sep 02, 2025
AI helps create deeply consultative conversations leading to client loyalty By Elad Tsur In the dynamic world of independent insurance agencies, competition is fierce, and customer expectations are constantly evolving. Technology has always been a co...
Posted: Sep 02, 2025
Considerations when making a significant but necessary tech investment By Nicole Farley Adopting a technology solution to streamline your workflow is a daunting step in the growth plan of any agency. However, it’s also a necessary one. You may have...
Posted: Sep 02, 2025