November Cover Story 
| The Clock Strikes Midnight on Commercial Lines | The struggling economy takes its toll on commercial lines --- but agents are fighting back. |
Need a litmus test on the state of the U.S. economy? Go no further than the commercial lines books of independent agents. From California to New York, agents and brokers are bemoaning sharply reduced revenues from their commercial lines books. The credit crunch and housing crisis have spilled over to drown contractor wrap-up policies and related insurance products for real estate developers, homebuilders and builders of commercial structures such as office buildings and shopping malls.
Also in this issue:
Ace Insura
The Case of the Hunted Hunter Insurance Views
Don’t Blame State Regulation for the AIG Mess Chairman’s Voice
Certainty in Uncertain Times On the Hill
Big Strides on Capitol Hill in 2008 NEW! On Branding
Building a Better Brand Through Consistency | Online Features Agency Management: What E&O Limits Do I Need?
To determine the limits an independent insurance agency should carry in an E&O/excess liability policy, what factors should be considered? Is it a matter of how much the agency can afford? How large an error or omission could be made?
Sales: When Does Incentive Compensation Make Sense?
Incentive compensation defines a change in the method in which employees achieve increased compensation for increased productivity. It teaches employees the shocking truth about growth
and profitability—we can only afford to keep paying more to employees if we grow and are profitable.
Customer Service: Thanksgiving Dinner as a Customer Care Model
Have you ever noticed that Thanksgiving dinner is the ultimate in service experiences? From the strategic planning of the “operation” to “delivery and implementation,” each step is carefully thought out with customer satisfaction being the primary goal. Here’s how to apply the principles in executing a successful Thanksgiving dinner to your service operations.
Technology: Never Share Your Password
Users should never share passwords with anyone. You are responsible for everything done on the system using your ID and password. Too often, circumstances seem to dictate that it is necessary to share a password. That is never the case.
Coverages: Insuring Gift Cards
Although most damage waiver fees are considered outrageous, the insured is best advised to purchase the waiver for short-term rentals. This is not only in the best interest of the insured, but also the agent since an inadequately covered loss may result in the loss of an account or worse, an E&O claim.
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