Rough Notes
Considerations for planning and common mistakes to avoid By Carey Wallace Independent insurance agencies face unique challenges in today’s competitive marketplace. From managing client relationships, employee needs, and carrier relationships to the n...
Posted: Oct 31, 2025
Founded in 1925, the Merrill Insurance team acknowledges its “century of service” outside its office in Eustis, Florida. Florida agency celebrates a century in business thanks to hard work and faith in God By Dennis H. PillsburyPhotography by Arturo...
Posted: Oct 31, 2025
A look inside one insurance advisory firm’s strategic shift to a flexible marketing model By Lanie Raphael Insurance advisory firms are continually challenged with how to set themselves apart within the industry while staying client-focused, producin...
Posted: Oct 31, 2025
Applications being accepted for independent agents, brokers, and their firms By Robert N. Kretzmer, CIC More than two dozen years ago, I sat down with Walt Gdowski, owner of The Rough Notes Company, at the firm’s headquarters to discuss what I perce...
Posted: Oct 31, 2025
Risk management and insurance under renewed scrutiny of operations By Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU Americans seem to love our nation’s nonprofit organizations. According to Independent Sector, an organization devoted to promoting the interests and best...
Posted: Oct 31, 2025
Understanding how litigation trends filter directly into liability underwriting decisions To stay not just competitive but indeed relevant, producers need to understand that liability coverage requires legal literacy. By Michael Wayne For commercial...
Posted: Oct 23, 2025
Water damage provisions confound an insured’s search for recovery [T]he appeals court noted that “ambiguity does not exist merely because the parties disagree on the interpretation of the language” or based on “the insured’s uninformed expectations...
Posted: Oct 16, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Occupancy requirement doesn’t thwart public policy Jason Rahimzadeh was on his bicycle when he was struck by a vehicle, suffering serious injuries. The owner of t...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Non-owned truck used for business On April 26, 2018, Martin Montano Jr., an employee of Casas Custom Floor Care, LLC, was running late to an assignment due to fee...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Arbitrator umpire’s action was authorized In April 2018, Le’Onsha Scott sustained severe injuries in a car accident with Ellen Cahill. The latter, who admitted th...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
INSURANCE-RELATED COURT CASESDigested from case reports published onlineCOURT DECISIONS Sorry, you’re bound by the appraisal Mesco Manufacturing, LLC, (Mesco) filed a claim under its business insurance policy that was issued by Motorists Mutual Insur...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
A prevention-first guide for advisors to protect clients from contractual coverage gaps Without contractual obligations that clearly define coverage, endorsements, and duration, a COI is meaningless. By Randy Boss, CRM, CIC, SPHR In my work with cont...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
Must-have skills for the new world of work There is no doubt that AI will replace humans. Humans who understand how to leverage AI’s strengths and weaknesses and effectively position themselves will replace humans who don’t. By Kimberly Paterson, CEC...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
Renewal and relationship are not one and the same [We] must frame our conversations with clients in a way that supports the agency’s service model as a differentiator separate and distinct from the insurance contract. By Scott Naugle The annual renew...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
High-leverage moves to finish the year strong and “plant seeds” for a successful spring If you’re not proactively checking in with your clients before the year wraps, you’re leaving relationship capital—and likely revenue—on the table. By Carolyn Smi...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
The power of local philanthropy for independent agents [You] do not need a huge platform or a million-dollar budget to make a difference. It can start with one dollar, one hour or simply the effort to spread awareness around a cause. By Sarah Stephen...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
Planning, measuring, recruiting, getting organized, communicating Why be intentional about retention? It starts with caring about clients and results in profitability. By Cheryl Koch, CPCU, ARM, AAI, ACSR, AFIS, and Mary Belka, CPCU, ARM, ARe, RPLU...
Posted: Oct 02, 2025
Vertical vs. wide growth [T]rue agency strength comes not from how many clients you have, but how well you serve the right ones. By Kari Glennon Not all growth is equal, particularly when revenue growth is involved. Increasingly, we have deep concern...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
“Arising out of” or “directly caused by”: That is the question By Paul Broussard In today’s cyber risk landscape, invoice manipulation has emerged as a common exposure that sits at the intersection of cybersecurity, social engineering, and third-part...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
A seasonal guide for insurance agents By Christopher Reid As trusted advisors, insurance agents play a critical role in helping clients protect their homes from seasonal risks. Since 2020, purchases of secondary and vacation properties have surged in...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
Left: Rollo Insurance Group has truly been a “family” endeavor. Co-owners B.J. and Jason Rollo (in doorway) with their four children from left, Jackson (with his wife, Kate, and their children), Jenna, Julia, and Josiah (with his wife, Nikki, and the...
Posted: Oct 01, 2025
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