Web Exchange

Article

IJ Video Highlights

Pat Ryan Asks, ‘Are You Happy?

Patrick Ryan is an innovator who sees opportunity. And it was opportunity that drove him to launch Ryan Specialty Group in early 2010. Success lies in hiring “good people,” Ryan says. In this interview from the annual National Association of Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) annual convention in San Diego, Ryan says his newest venture gave opportunities to many good people already in the surplus lines industry. Ryan is a believer that more people leave, before they go. In this video, he talks about why so many professionals joined the ranks, and continue to join, Ryan Specialty Group.

A View From the HUB

Being on the same page, with the same mind set and the same interests made all the difference for the group of entrepreneurs that founded what is now known as HUB International Ltd. Rick Gulliver, president of HUB, says there’s not one hero in the success of HUB; but rather a group of heroes that turned 11 Canadian brokerages producing just $38 million in revenue collectively in 1998 to a powerhouse organization with some 250 offices in North America, producing $645 million in property/casualty revenue in 2010. In this interview from MarketScout’s Entrepreneurial Insurance Symposium in Dallas, Gulliver discusses the idea that became HUB International.

Podcast Highlights

Coverage and Security for Ships at Risk

Catlin has launched a comprehensive policy to combat the piracy menace in Somalia. Headed by Peter Dobbs, Catlin’s asset protection service focuses on prevention as well as on extracting ship, cargo and crew. In this interview, Dobbs describes the problem, some solutions and how it will change global shipping.

Best Practices

Since 1993, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”) and Reagan Consulting have teamed up to investigate why some independent agencies do better than others even in challenging market conditions. The Best Practices Study has grown to become an industry standard for performance benchmarks. In this interview, Madelyn Flannagan, of the Big “I,” and Shirley Lukens, of Reagan Consulting, talk about the history of the study, what growth strategies top performing agencies use in today’s market, and what tools agencies might use to improve their own results in the future.

In a Reader’s View

Appeals Court Upholds Obama Healthcare Law

President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law got a boost this month when the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a lower court ruling that had found it constitutional to require Americans to buy healthcare insurance coverage by early 2014 or face a penalty and had dismissed a lawsuit challenging it.

The story sparked a wave of reader response. Below are just a couple of the more than 60 comments generated by this story. To read visit: www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2011/11/08/223409.htm.

Sarah says:
Liberal legislation from the bench again. …What’s to prevent the Fed from telling us we need to buy any other product it thinks is good for us or profitable for one of their contributors to their campaigns. This is total hog wash and obviously not constitutional.

Agent says:
Mandating that we have to buy a product or service is hardly promoting the General Welfare Clause. … It has basically bankrupted our country and Obamacare will put the final nail in the coffin. Has anyone seen their health premiums going down since this law was passed? It is not uncommon to see 15% increases on individual and group policies. How is this reducing the cost for us?

Topics Agencies Excess Surplus

Was this article valuable?