Agency Operations

Post-Disaster Readiness: The Psychology of Downed Trees

Following a horrific natural disaster, agents must plan on receiving calls from angry insureds. Knowing the angry calls are coming is the first step toward managing them. Storm victims need to feel some level of control to move through and past the “inventory” / “reaction” stage. Knowledge allows a feeling of control. Provide clients as…

Disgruntled and Gruntled Clients

Agents live and work in a wondrous world. Everyday offers opportunities, some taken, and some missed. But the most entertaining part of any agent’s day is their interactions with their clients. Without clients, you have no business; likewise, without clients we would have nothing to laugh about.

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State Laws Affecting Insurance

Insurance policies promulgated advisory organizations and other independent bureaus serve to establish consistency in policy wording. Even when a carrier creates and uses a proprietary form, that form generally contains much of the same policy wording promulgated by these advisory organizations. However, state laws can alter HOW policy wording, even consistent policy wording, is applied…

Change in Policy Terms – Agency Responsibility

What is the agency’s responsibility if the insurance carrier alters coverage at renewal? Most state statutes require the insurance carrier to notify the insured – not the agent. But should the agent undertake any action.

CLUE Property Report Facts for Agents

CLUE Reports are a common underwriting tool. According to research, more than 80 percent of consumers are unaware these even exist. Further, those who do know they exist likely don’t know much about them. This article provides basic information necessary to educate your clients.

The Underwriting Period

Every state and the District of Columbia grants insurance carriers an “underwriting period.” Insurance carriers are granted broad authority to cancel a newly-written policy during this statutorily-limited period.

11 Requirements for Management Success

Employees are your greatest expense, but they are also your most valuable asset. The loss of great or even just a “good” employee has a tremendous effect on the agency. How do you manage employees according to their style while giving them a sense of place and accomplishment? Follow these rules of management success.

Understanding the Statutory Requirements of Conditional Renewals

When there are changes in policy conditions related to coverage, price or other terms and conditions, most states require the insurance carrier to notify the insured a specified amount of time before renewal. These are known as conditional renewal guidelines. All but four states address this in statute.

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The Holy Grail

For as long as I have been in the insurance business agents have sought ways to promote themselves to their marketplace to get people to know them. The agents believe that if they were allowed access to prospects, the sales would follow. The obvious fact is that many agents are not salespeople. This is evidenced…

Man on a mountain peak. Eagle flies above clouds.