Rough Notes

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY IN A PANDEMIC

SPECIALTY LINES MARKETS PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY IN A PANDEMIC Agents should help clients manage risk during these extraordinary times By Lori Widmer It’s2020, a year in which there are few surprises The post

Posted: Oct 27, 2020

UPDATING DUE TO UPGRADING

Young Professionals UPDATING DUE TO UPGRADING Stay on top of clients’ lifestyle changes that would require additional homeowners coverage By Christopher W. Cook “Some people hit the bottle. Some people The post

Posted: Oct 27, 2020

SECURITY SERVICES

SECURITY SERVICES Pandemic conditions disrupt a market experiencing a surge in demand By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU In a bitter irony, the lockdown of our nation’s economy provided a surge The post

Posted: Oct 27, 2020

REMAINING STRONG AND RESILIENT EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC

REMAINING STRONG AND RESILIENT EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC Seeing ahead and preparing are key By Paul Mallen The global pandemic is testing the world in unprecedented ways. Businesses, here and The post

Posted: Oct 27, 2020

MAKING SPECIALTY MARKETS SHINE

MAKING SPECIALTY MARKETS SHINE Persistence and partnership drive new opportunity for agents and brokers By Lori Widmer George Nordhaus has been trying single-handedly for years to change the insurance industry The post

Posted: Oct 27, 2020

THANKSGIVING 2020 … GRATITUDE IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19

Beyond Insurance By F. Scott Addis, CPCU, CRA, CBWA, TRA, ASA THANKSGIVING 2020 … GRATITUDE IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19 Is the glass half-full or half-empty? [G]ratitude shifts your focus The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM HOME: NO LONGER A PERK

Customer Service Focus By Mary Katherine Henderson, CIC, CPIA CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM HOME: NO LONGER A PERK CSRs were equipped for this long before the pandemic hit Few would argue The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

2020: A RISK ODYSSEY

Public Policy Analysis & Opinion By Kevin P. Hennosy 2020: A RISK ODYSSEY Have producers reached a John Henry moment, and does the NAIC care? Late this summer, the always The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

FIVE KEY MISTAKES AGENCY LEADERS MAKE

Winning Strategies By Brent Kelly FIVE KEY MISTAKES AGENCY LEADERS MAKE Are you mistaking busyness for accomplishment? Mistakes are inevitable. In fact, the only way not to make a mistake The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

NURTURING THE NETWORKS

NURTURING THE NETWORKS How three women are leading their respective networks—and insurance—toward a stronger, more collaborative industry approach By Lori Widmer In the beginning, Rene Swan was one of very The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

AGENTS, NETWORKS, AND CARRIERS: A PARTNERSHIP FOR GROWTH

AGENTS, NETWORKS, AND CARRIERS: A PARTNERSHIP FOR GROWTH Helping industry organizations derive value greater than the sum of their parts By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU “Two’s company; three’s a crowd,” The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

Fork over the photos

Fork over the photos James Simmons owned a residence that was insured under a homeowners policy issued by Avatar Property & Casualty Insurance Company. After damages to his residence, Simmons The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

Say nope to dope

Say nope to dope James and Maria Mosley owned a house that Pacific Specialty Insurance Company (PSIC) insured under a homeowners policy whose term was between April 2016 and April The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

Condo chaos

Condo chaos Wiley Verstappen entered into a contract with Robert Saavedra and his construction company, R.S. Homes, LLC, to perform construction renovations throughout her condominium. The initial estimated cost of The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

AGENCY NETWORKS MUST—AND DO—ADD VALUE

AGENCY NETWORKS MUST—AND DO—ADD VALUE More than just a premium pass-through, networks drive agency growth and more By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU Since they originated nearly 50 years ago, independent The post

Posted: Oct 26, 2020

A FLOOD OF INFORMATION ON FLOODING

While the National Flood Insurance Program still provides more than 90% of residential flood coverage, recent years have seen a growth in carriers offering private flood insurance. Will online flood The post

Posted: Oct 22, 2020

TOP 5 THINGS 2020 HAS MADE ME MORE APPRECIATIVE ABOUT

It would be easy enough to list the top five reasons why 2021 needs to get here already. Instead, our writer takes a different approach and shares what he appreciates The post

Posted: Oct 22, 2020

Partnership & Profitability

Partnership & Profitability: How The Insurance Provider You Choose to Work With Impacts Your Business and Bottom Line By Edward Partridge, CPCU, RPLU, ARe, AINS Determining which insurance provider(s) you The post

Posted: Oct 08, 2020

FROM KITCHEN BROKER…

AGENCY OF THE MONTH FROM KITCHEN  BROKER… … to risk management powerhouse with global reach By Dennis H. Pillsbury Risk management has certainly jumped to the top of nearly everyone’s The post

Posted: Sep 30, 2020

TECHNOLOGY AND SMALL BUSINESS

Agency Partners TECHNOLOGY AND SMALL BUSINESS Flexibility and digital options help agents meet their customers’ changing needs By Lori Widmer Michael Keane believes it’s both a unique and challenging time The post

Posted: Sep 30, 2020

ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLLUTION INSURANCE

ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLLUTION INSURANCE Contractual requirements and concern for reputations drive steady demand By Joseph S. Harrington. CPCU In most years, changes in environ-mental and pollution insurance would be big The post

Posted: Sep 30, 2020

FROM MAILROOM TO MANAGEMENT

BROKEN GLASS FROM MAILROOM TO MANAGEMENT Energetic, enthusiastic, and focused, this young agent is working to become a third-generation owner By Elisabeth Boone, CPCU With my youth a tiny dot The post

Posted: Sep 30, 2020

HONORING PANDEMIC HELPERS

HONORING PANDEMIC HELPERS Applications being accepted for independent agents, brokers and their firms for the annual Rough Notes Community Service Award By Robert N. Kretzmer, CIC Have you helped your The post

Posted: Sep 30, 2020

HOSPITAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE

HOSPITAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE Employer and worker interest in this employee benefit continues to grow By Len Strazewski In New York, public health officials briefly turned the giant Javits Center into The post

Posted: Sep 29, 2020

NO INDIRECT COVERAGE WITHOUT DIRECT DAMAGE

No Indirect Coverage Without Direct Damage The owner of a car dealership was frustrated with their insurer due to a couple of incidents that occurred after an area snowstorm. The The post

Posted: Sep 28, 2020