Agents & Brokers News

People

Massachusetts-based Eastern Insurance Group has appointed Matthew Shadrick as executive vice president of its employee benefits division, Eastern Benefits Group. The 20-year industry veteran most recently served as national sales director for the Aon Consulting Human Capital Practice where he …

Reducing E&O Exposures: What Agents Need to Know

Certificates of Insurance, Data Breaches, Unfamiliar Markets Among Exposures for Agents Insurance agents who fail to keep up with changing legislation, regulations, policies and forms are opening themselves up to costly errors and omissions (E&O) claims, according to experts and …

Soft Market Persists; Fierce Competition to Continue into 2011: Marsh

Soft commercial insurance market conditions persisted through the third quarter of 2010, with lower rates on average across major coverage lines, according to a new report from broker Marsh. Intense competition and overabundance of capacity continue to define the commercial …

New York Considers Approval for Insurance Agents to Use Out-of-State Banks

New York insurance regulators are floating a proposal that would allow agents in the state to use banks that have no physical location inside of the Empire State. If approved, the move would allow producers to hold money for their …

Business Moves

Ironshore, Distinguished Programs Bermuda-based specialty insurer Ironshore Inc. and New York-based program administrator Distinguished Programs Group LLC have formed a joint venture acquisition vehicle targeting the managing general underwriter and program manager segments of the insurance distribution business. IDP Holdings …

How to Conduct Annual Policy Reviews

Insurance Journal Webinar Instructor Balbresky Offers Tips on Effective Reviews When trying to get clients back in door for policy reviews, agents need to understand what drives that client. “People are not going to just spend an evening or an …

Business Moves

Hub, Burnham & Co. Chicago-based broker Hub International has acquired Burnham and Company Inc., of New Jersey. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Burnham, based in Englewood Cliffs, has approximately $4 million in annual revenue. It will become part …

300 Homes to Be Repaired in Settlement With Chinese Drywall Firm

A Chinese drywall manufacturer has agreed to participate in the remediation of up to 300 homes in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida that were contaminated by faulty drywall. The agreement reached with Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin (KPT) in Chinese Drywall multidistrict …

The Time is Not Right to Drop Real Estate Professionals E&O

The Tough Market May Mean E&O Liability Problems Ahead The ongoing downturn in the real estate market is forcing many professionals to make tough choices on where to trim expenses. While during a hot real estate market realtors would not …

CNA Q3 Loss Driven by Asbestos Charge

CNA Financial Corp. announced third quarter 2010 results, which included a net operating loss of $158 million, and net loss of $140 million. The third quarter 2010 results included an after-tax net loss of $365 million related to the previously …