Swan Song
This is my swan song to you. In just a few days I’ll begin a new job with a new set of challenges. In just a few weeks I’ll be married and beginning a new life. It’s been quite a …
Agents at the Capitol
There were about 11 of them in the House insurance committee hearing room. These 11 Allstate “independent contractor” agents had left San Antonio that morning just after 7 a.m. They were joined by a few State Farm agents at the …
Don’t Call Me…
When my credit card company calls me at work, I make a point of dropping whatever I’m doing. There could be some crazed spender out there racking up purchases with my credit card number and they are calling to thwart …
Homeowner MAP Barely Breathing
In September of 1994, a busload of insurance industry members, legislators and business folks toured some of inner city Houston to see what Democratic Sen. Rodney Ellis saw in his district. Insurable houses. That’s what he wanted them to see, …
Fireworks at the Capitol
Commercial auto deregulation was supposed to be a yawner for the 77th Legislature. Sure, there was opposition, but with the Texas Department of Insurance backing the measure, no one could have expected the fireworks display of emotion that heated up …
Low Cost Solutions
The seminar I was attending was “Low Cost Automation Solutions for Small Agencies”, but it might as well have been entitled “Agency Owners: Get Your Butts in Gear.” The self-help session, held as part of IIAT’s Joe Vincent Management Seminar …
Let’s Talk
The ways that agents talk to one another are changing-a result of a developing profession that demands a lot more attention and time in the saddle. As commissions dropped with soft premiums, it made more sense for agents, producers and …
What Will Your Line Be’
So there I was, spooning slightly wilted salad onto my plate when two insurance agents behind me began to catch up. “So what have you been telling your insureds about why their premiums are going up,” the first says, laughing …
A New Year, A New Look
Welcome to Insurance Journal of Texas, the 2001 Edition. We’ve given ourselves a facelift that we think you’ll enjoy. In addition to changing our look, we’ve also increased the number of issues we publish annually. The IJ will be distributed …
Editor’s Note
When I began listening to Steve Anderson speak at last week’s TSLA meeting in Austin, I honestly didn’t think I would come away enlightened. No offense to Steve—a home-grown agent turned consultant/writer/speaker—but I’ve heard a lot about technology with regards …
