Allstate makes changes to its controversial agent commissions plan

Allstate has announced that it will be revising its compensation plans for independent insurance agents. The company will be revising its commission strategy and pay system for agents, with the changes to take affect beginning in 2013. The new changes will be enforced throughout 2013, but the insurer has not yet revealed plans on what will happen thereafter. Allstate’s changes aim to reduce compensation for most agents, save for captive agents that work solely with the company. The insurer plans to cut commissions by 1%, bringing independent agents’ base commission…

Read More

Forecasts for the 2012 life insurance marketplace

Now that 2011 is coming to a close, life insurers are looking ahead to the new year to try to find out what they can expect from their near future. Though this process is a very cloudy one, as it is impossible to make precise forecasts about the way this market segment will perform, it is still important to try to get an image of what the future may hold. Among the more common predictions are the following: • A larger number of consumers will be starting to think about…

Read More

CSC announces the creation of the Insurance Cybersecurity Advisory Council

The Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) has announced that it has created an Insurance Cybersecurity Advisory Council to assist in the creation of technology strategies and best practices for property and casualty insurers, life insurance companies, and annuity providers, so that they can more effectively control their risk of cyber attacks. This new Council is made up of IT and business executives from a wide range of different insurance companies and will work with the CSC in the promotion of awareness of the issue, and to help to educate the industry…

Read More

Consumer Agent Portal announces new online resource to connect independent agents with consumers

As the provisions of the Affordable Care Act begin to come to fruition, the role of independent insurance agents is becoming more vague. In an effort to embolden independent agents, the Consumer Agent Portal LLP, a coalition of property/casualty insurers that support independent agents, has launched a new online resource system that is designed to give agents access to the 65% market share they are missing out on. The system will take advantage of the growing electronic market, which is becoming a major playing field in the world of insurance…

Read More

Independent agents in Florida decry new contract between property insurers

Florida’s independent insurance agents have voiced their concern regarding one of Florida’s largest property insurers taking over thousands of policies from a now defunct competitor. Agents are worried that the move may cost them dearly in the form of client exodus. Homeowners Choice Insurance, a subsidiary of Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance, has taken on more than 70,000 policies from HomeWise Insurance. While agents have witnessed such happenings in the past, there is a provision in the contract between HomeWise and Homeowners Choice that could put agents’ livelihoods in…

Read More