Insurance Information Institute reports on job loss and gain in the insurance industry

Despite record profits this year, the insurance industry continues to shed jobs. The Insurance Information Institute has released a new report highlighting the losses in the property/casualty insurance sector. Signs of an improving economy may not be enough to help the industry keep its workforce employed, especially when confronted with costly losses due to this year’s natural disasters. The Institute’s report relied on data collected by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Apart from a still turbulent economic climate, the industry has been downsizing as a result of…

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Mercury experiences growth in homeowner business leading to new hiring

Mercury Insurance has announced that as a result of a significantly increasing customer base, it will be hiring 63 new employees for full-time property claims in its New York, New Jersey, Texas, and California offices. Since the start of 2011, the homeowners business at Mercury has jumped by over 10 percent. According to the human resources director at Mercury, Clarisa Eng, the company is doing their part to put people in the United States back to work. She explained that the new hires will be assisting the company to “provide…

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Allstate’s 2011 agency owners and salespeople to grow by over 230

Michigan’s sixth largest car insurance provider, Allstate, has announced that it will be appointing 35 new agency owners this year, in addition to hiring in excess of 200 licensed sales employees. The new agency offices will be located in Lansing, Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Flint/Saginaw, and Kalamazoo. Agency sales leader for Michigan, Chris Markey, released a statement which said that they have identified a sizeable “opportunity in the current economy to attract entrepreneurs and mid-career, mid-level managers who are looking for a business opportunity with a recognized brand.”…

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Progressive Insurance to increase Austin workforce by over 100

Progressive Casualty Insurance Company has announced that it is seeking to fill 101 new Austin contact center service, sales, and claims positions by the end of September. This recruitment by the fourth largest auto insurer in the United States comes close on the heels of a previous hiring in the same city that occurred in May, when it brought in 65 new phone representatives. The Austin American-Statesman has called Progressive one of the Top Workplaces within the Austin area. The new employees within the company will be responsible for assisting…

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The future of insurance agencies and the broker’s role

In case anyone hasn’t noticed lately, we have come to the point in time where things are changing around us daily. Everything in business has to evolve with these changes to keep up and stay competitive. Insurance carriers and independent agencies alike are now trying to figure out what they can change, without changing what needs to be changed. It’s like the old saying, “can’t see the forest for the trees.” The insurers and the independent agents both have business specific issues, but neither one can see them. The insurance…

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