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A recently completed nearly two-year project with the Community Bankers Association of Indiana shows the feasibility of creating a multiline, member-owned and -operated insurance agency. Banks' Insurance Agency gives member [...]

Conventional wisdom has it that banks must acquire an insurance agency to get into the business properly but an increasing number report success building rather than buying. Alliances with agencies, [...]

In the four years since the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act lowered the barriers to combining banks and insurance companies, banks have shunned underwriters in favor of agencies. In this, Bank One Corp.'s [...]

The article discusses subpoenas issued by the New York state Department of Financial Services to mortgage loan services, insurance companies and insurance agents related to their investigation of so-called force-placed property insurance. Such insurance is purchased by banks on behalf of uninsured homeowners who have mortgage loans.

Reports on Republican maneuvering to succeed Representative Michael G. Oxley as the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Expiration of Oxley's six-year term as chairman in January 2007; Comments from Robert Rusbuldt, chief executive of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America on the jockeying taking place for the position; Expectations that Richard Baker, Deborah Pryce, Spencer Bachus and Bob Ney will make bids for the position.

Reports that Wachovia Insurance Services Inc. plans to purchase the Palmer & Cay agency, the 15th-largest insurance broker in the U.S. Comments by Stewart McDowell, president and chief executive officer of Wachovia on the aquisition; Possible plans for deals on the West Coat; Wachovia's business strategy; Views of business consultant Carmen Effron on the deal.

Examines F.N.B. Corp.'s approach to cross-selling. Comments by president and chief executive, Stephen J. Gurgovits, on the company's strategy for selling a variety of products to each customer and maintain its insurance sales to commercial customers; Initial challenges of marketing the bank's insurance sales division and making bankers familiar with the insurance industry; Profile of the company.

Reports that members of the Michigan Association of Independent Insurance Agents (MAIIA) have expanded their alliance with a Michigan community bank, Insurbanc to be able to sell mortgages in addition to the deposit products they are already selling. Various business alliances of MAIIA; Focus of Michigan agents' banking efforts on consumers; Future plans of the MAIIA.

Reports on the role of captive agents to insurers vying in banking in the U.S. Shift of underwriters in banking; Eagerness of people on banking options; Factors required for getting consumers to turn to agents for banking products.

Looks at the comments made by Robert A. Bursuldt, vice president of the Independent Insurance Agents of America, on the opportunities provided by a decline in mergers to insurance agents to sell banking products to individuals and small businesses. Conditional charter received by InsurBanc to sell deposit and loan products through thousands of insurance agents in New England.

Discloses the plans of a group of Tennessee insurance agents to compete for bank loans and deposits with the formation of the chartered bank, Insurers Bank of Tennessee in Nashville. Plans to open the bank in the fourth quarter of 2000; Advantages provided by an independent bank to commercial customers.

Explains how real estate appraisers and underwriters can benefit by working together. Common goals of appraisers and underwriters; Factors that tend to create an adversarial relationship between the two; Opportunity for underwriters to gain additional knowledge of property values and adjustment levels; Need for appraisers to cut their fees to remain competitive.

The United States banking industry is inching closer toward its goal of playing a greater role in insurance. While legislators on the state and federal levels continue to debate the [...]

Richard Bland is not your typical insurance agent. While most insurance agents have dug trenches and fortified themselves for a long battle against bankers invading their business, Mr. Bland has [...]

PHILADELPHIA -- The $15.4 billion-asset Philadelphia Saving Fund Society has appealed to Commonwealth Court a Pennyslvania Insurance Department order that revoked the insurance license of one of the company's units. [...]

CHICAGO -- A coalition of insurance industry groups late last week went back to court to prevent bank holding companies from getting into the insurance business. Five insurance groups are [...]

Insurers must overcome major credibility problems, according to a report issued by Ruder Finn & Rotman's Insurance Industry Group. The report is based on a study that showed that 15% [...]

NEW YORK -- When it comes to selling IRAs, 'life insurers have seen the handwriting on the wall,' according to Richard Baumer, vice president for E.F. Baumer & Co., Los [...]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tennessee Insurance Commissioner John Neff has filed final rules governing insurance agency offices in bank lobbies. Mr. Neff made only one change in the rules from the [...]

The article reports that insurance agents, stockbrokers, and loan officers at bank and nonbank companies are competing for clients because of the low level of U.S. loan production as of May 24, 2011. The issues of compensation rules for loan officers and insurance companies' affiliation with the banking industry are discussed.

The article reports that Lawson-Hawks Insurance Associates Inc., an insurance broker in Mountain View, California, has acquired Truckee Insurance Agency. Lawson-Hawks Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Miller said the acquisition would allow the firm to expand its operations into the Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada markets.

The author reports on an agreement in which CRC Insurance Services Inc. will purchase Southern Risk Operations LLC. Locations where Southern Risk has offices are mentioned, including Miami, Florida and Concord, New Hampshire. The amount of money which CRC Insurance had in premiums in 2007 is mentioned.

The article reports that the insurance company Aviva U.S.A. established a site on Second Life, an online game, in order to recruit and train sales agents. Other financial companies who have established sites in Second life are detailed including Wells Fargo & Co. Licenses sold to operate financial services within the game are also discussed.

This article reports that the New York insurance broker Marsh Inc., a unit of Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc., named John C. Butcher head of its Chicago, Illinois, office. The office has more than 800 risk consultants and insurance professionals, including experts in financial institutions, manufacturing, health care, transportation, construction, and retail.

The article discusses security breaches that have affected U.S. financial services companies. American Family Insurance Group lost the data of 2,089 customers due to the break in of an agent's home. The stolen laptop contained customers' addresses, Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers. Javelin Strategy and Research issued a report, which found that identity fraud cases have increased; only 6% of information breaches could be blamed on a financial services company.

The article focuses on Willis Group Holdings Ltd., the third-largest insurance broker in the world, announced September 1, 2006 that it had amended its 2005 agreement with the New York attorney general and the state's insurance department to allow payment from insurance carriers for its services as a managing general agent.

The article focuses on Symetra Financial and the National Brokerage Consortium, which have announced a partnership to enhance both companies ability to serve independent insurance agents and advisers. Symetra announced the partnership on June 20, 2006, saying that it would make life insurance and other products available through the consortium.

The article reports that Security Federal Corp., located in Aiken, South Carolina, is planning to buy Collier Jennings Financial Corp. Security Federal hopes the deal will help retain customers and make bank employees comfortable with referrals by integrating Collier Jennings' 10 insurance agents within its branches.

This article discusses a request by the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee for LandAmerica Financial Group Inc.'s records on a state insurance official. The request of these records is in response to questions about whether LandAmerica tried to use threats to limit the executive's testimony, as well as aiding in an investigation of LandAmerica's alleged involvement in a proposed state title insurance settlement.

This article discusses the need for a comprehensive system of uniform and efficient regulation for the insurance industry. In 1999, Congress modernized regulation of the banking and securities industries under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. That same act called for the creation of a uniform system of licensing for insurance agents. However, six years after the act only 40 states have agreed to a reciprocal, but not uniform, licensing system.

The article reports Willis Groups Holdings Ltd. will buy International Insurance Brokers Inc., a broker for the armored car and check cashing industry. The global insurance broker Willis will close the deal in January for undisclosed terms. International Insurance Brokers Inc. enjoys about $2 million of yearly revenue.

The article reports that Regions Financial Corp. in Alabama established an insurance sales group and hired four executives. The new division in Memphis will be managed by Eddie Floyd, who was recruited away from the Marsh Inc. insurance company.

This article focuses on a report from the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers about the savings advantage of health savings accounts (HSAs) to employers and the difficulty of choosing a plan. Council president, Ken A. Crerar, stated that many members have questions and concerns as the use of HSAs accelerates.

This article reports on Rande K. Yeager, the president and chief executive of Old Republic Title Insurance Group, who has been named the president of the American Land Title Association's board of governors. Yeager will hold that position at the trade group for title insurers and agents until October 2006.

Announces that St. Paul Travelers Cos. rolled out an enhanced Select Accounts platform for small commercial insurance. Description of the platform, which includes new and expanded products and services intended to make it easier for agents to write more small-business accounts profitably; Details of new products offered by the company.

Reports that Commerce Insurance Services is mirroring its bank parent's push into private-client services and hired Robert M. Kellner to lead the marketing of insurance products in its premier-client group. Profile of the premier-client group, which provides traditional personal lines products, as well as coverage in niche markets, such as aircraft insurance; Profile of the premier customer base.

Reports that Univest Insurance Inc., a unit of Univest Corp., bid to extend its presence in the counties encircling Philadelphia to the north and west with its third agency deal in five years. Details of the insurance unit's purchase of Donald K. Martin & Co. agency; Comments by Martin Renninger, the chairman and chief executive officer of Univest Insurance, on the positive cross-selling opportunities offered by the deal.

Reports that InformINS Inc. started a Web site available to all insurance agencies in North America. Purpose of Web sites for insurance agents and brokers; Delivery of policy service forms.

Reports that a study by October Research Corp. suggests that pressure on independent agents is influencing title insurance decisions. Fifty-seven of the agents surveyed who say they have been asked or pressured by clients to provide insurance on properties that they considered to have potential title defects; Other survey which found that 55% of the licensed appraisers surveyed felt pressure to inflate property values.

Reports that New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer subpoenaed Saint Paul Travelers Companies Incorporated of Minnesota for information on relationship between insurance brokers and insurance companies. Involvement of Saint Paul Travelers in the property and casualty insurance industry; Statement made by Saint Paul Travelers that they will cooperate fully with Spitzer's requests for information.

Focuses on the agreement between Illinois-based insurance agency outsourcer, Financial Keyosk, and Butte Community Bank, a unit of Community Valley Bancorp in California. The back-office insurance operations Financial Keyosk provides; Acquisition of Financial Keyosk by Newtek Business Services Inc., a New York-based company; Credit union and bank clients of Financial Keyosk; Advantage for local agents in joining companies that work with Financial Keyosk; Comments of Financial's chief executive, John Dawson.

States Matt Mueller was hired by OneBeacon Insurance Group in Boston. Parent company of OneBeacon, White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd.; Career highlights.