Declarations

Untrue and unfair
“This policy statement implies that agents who are contracted with carriers cannot act on behalf of their clients. That is untrue and unfair. … The independent agent’s ability to build a profitable book of good clients gives that agent more influence over underwriting, coverage and claims issues with carriers, which benefit the customer in many ways.”

— Robert Hempkins, president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, commenting on a policy statement released by the Risk and Insurance Management Society calling for the discontinued use of contingency commissions as a method of compensation for agents and brokers. Hempkins added: “To condemn an industry-wide compensation system solely because of abuse by a few large brokers is to grasp at an easy solution at the expense of the many honest independent agents who offer choice to their customers.”

Deliver with excellence
“I’ve given one word to the corps: Deliver. … And it’s going to be delivered with excellence.”

— Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, newly appointed head of the Army Corps of Engineers, affirming his commitment to ensuring the corps does exemplary work in repairing and upgrading flood protection systems in New Orleans. “We’re going to break our backs getting there,” Van Antwerp said, according to an Associated Press report.

No negatives
“I don’t know that there are negatives (to the program) other than the cost of the shelters.”

— Tamara Jenkins, emergency management coordinator for White County, Ark. White County had the most residents taking advantage of a statewide grant program that provides funding for building safe rooms inside of homes for protection from tornadoes and violent storms. The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, which operates the popular program, had $1.25 million allotted for the Safe Shelter Program this year but ran out in April, the Associated Press reported. The number of Arkansans receiving grants since the program’s inception in 1999 passed 10,000 this year, and the state has reimbursed property owners nearly $10 million.

Removing a hindrance
“Insure Oklahoma is a creative way to help small businesses offer health care coverage for their employees, but limited eligibility has proved a hindrance for many in the business community to participate.”

— Okla. Gov. Brad Henry, upon signing House Bill 1225, which will expand Insure Oklahoma, a program to help small businesses provide health insurance for their employees. HB 1225 would expand eligibility in the program from businesses with 50 employees to those with 250 or fewer workers. Under the program, the state pays 60 percent of the insurance costs, the employer pays 25 percent and the employee pays the remaining 15 percent, the Associated Press reported.