Articles by Dave Thomas

Agents Will Blossom in Washington

They will descend on Washington, D.C. from all corners of the country. No, not John Kerry’s supporters or those looking to oust the current President, but independent insurance agents, who will gather for the the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers …

West Virginia Gets Insurance Fraud Bureau Later This Year

Having put pen to paper, West Virginia Governor Bob Wise recently signed the state’s first insurance fraud bureau into law, ushering in a new era of stepped-up crackdowns on industry fraud. State Insurance Commissioner Jane Cline told Insurance Journal Southeast …

Bringing Steady Leadership to Mississippi for Several Decades

With continued service to the state of Mississippi since the mid-70’s, Insurance Commissioner George Dale has been a steadying influence for the industry in the Magnolia State. When Dale was elected commissioner in 1975, he became the youngest insurance commissioner …

Florida OIR Charges Ahead with Credit Score Workshop

Give the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) credit, it has been a good listener when it comes to questions and concerns on the role of credit scoring. During a rule development workshop last month in Tallahassee, the OIR listened …

Getting Technical with Agents

It isn’t the most earth-shattering news in the world; in fact you will have to work your way down our Newsbriefs section on page 10 to find the tidbits. State insurance departments in Alabama and Kentucky have upgraded their respective …

Alabama P/C Market Gaining Momentum

Walter Bell With signs of improvement on the horizon for the property/casualty market in Alabama, Insurance Commissioner Walter Bell recently set aside time to talk with Insurance Journal Southeast about conditions in the State’s insurance market and other topics of …

Workers’ Comp Amidst the Casinos

I recently spent a weekend in Las Vegas and still could not escape the insurance world. When I boarded the plane for the flight over there, I figured some 48 hours without thoughts of insurance policies, mergers and acquisitions, ratings, …

Tennessee Workers’ Comp Market Looks for Answers

As agents search for the best way to market workers’ compensation coverage in Tennessee, several with industry expertise on the subject, spoke with Insurance Journal Southeast on what needs to be done to make for a competitive and healthy market …

Florida Agents, Residents Grow; Workers’ Comp System Seeing Reforms

With both agents and residents flocking to Florida, the Sunshine State is on the move. Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, who oversees insurance matters in the state, recently set aside time to talk with Insurance Journal Southeast regarding some …

Florida Agents, Residents on the Rise

With both agents and residents flocking to Florida, the Sunshine State is on the move. Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, who oversees insurance matters in the state, recently set aside time to talk with Insurance Journal Southeast regarding some …