Ohio Took Enforcement Actions Against 167 Agents in 2012

February 22, 2013Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director Mary Taylor announced the department’s top fraud and enforcement cases for 2012.

During the calendar year, the department processed 7,274 allegations of agent misconduct and insurance fraud, initiated 2,310 investigations, identified more than 700 civil and criminal violations of Ohio insurance law, took administrative action against 167 insurance agents and agencies, assessed $134,900 in fines and referred 71 individuals for prosecution.

The Department’s top statewide fraud and enforcement cases for 2012 are:

EnforcementAnnuities Agent Scams Several Clients

View the Original article

Mass. Agents Group Says GEICO Failed to Report Some At-Fault Accident Data

January 25, 2013Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) this week has asked the state’s Merit Rating Board and the Division of Insurance to investigate GEICO for allegedly failing to report at-fault accident data to the Merit Rating Board, in violation of Massachusetts law and regulation.

MAIA vice president of communications Donna McKenna said that the association has provided the Division of Insurance and the Merit Rating Board with evidence that GEICO has on at least one occasion failed to notify the Merit Rating Board of an at-fault accident involving one of its policyholders.

A company’s failure to report at-fault accident information to the Merit Rating Board could result in a fine of not more than $500 for each violation, according to the MAIA.

The association has requested in a formal complaint that the Division of Insurance and the Merit Rating Board investigate not only the specific case the agents association outlined but also require GEICO to provide proof that, with the exception of this case, GEICO is in complete compliance with the reporting requirements.

The MAIA noted that under

View the Original article

Independent Insurance Agents of Texas Offers WAHVE Staffing Services

November 8, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) is offering its members remote staffing services provided by WAHVE (Work At Home Vintage Employees) on a preferred basis.

WAHVE provides experienced insurance professionals to insurance agencies and other insurance firms on an outsourced basis for full-time, part-time, or project work. WAHVE’s workers are vintage insurance professionals who are in “phased” retirement and work remotely from home. IIAT is offering WAHVE’s staffing services to its members with a special discount on the setup fee.

IIAT President Patrick Watkins noted: “One problem that we consistently hear from members is that they have a hard time finding, hiring and training talented staff for their agencies. Having experienced and knowledgeable workers to fulfill responsibilities to clients and support sales activity is vital to every insurance agency’s success. WAHVE’s domestic outsourcing services provide an additional workforce option to IIAT members.”

Agencies that outsource to WAHVE save on the costs of hiring, training, salary and benefits, payroll taxes, and office space. Through WAHVE, independent agencies can tap insurance talent from around the United States, Hunt noted.

WAHVE also offers remote staffing services on a preferred basis for members of Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York, IBA West, Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut, and Maine Insurance Agents Association. WAHVE is a participating employer in AARP’s Work Reimagined initiative and is listed as a work-at-home option by Clark Howard.

Source: WAHVE

 

Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Texas / South Central NewsTopics: Agency Management, iiat, staffing, Texas, wahveHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

View the Original article

Allstate Agents Returning to Massachusetts After 25 Years

October 5, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticle3 Comments

Allstate Insurance Co. is reopening brick-and-mortar offices in Massachusetts after a quarter century of absence.

Back in 1987, the Northbrook, Ill.-headquartered Allstate closed its offices in Massachusetts and pulled out of the market, citing the state’s strict regulation of auto insurance rates.

But Massachusetts’ regulatory environment has been changing in recent years. In 2008, the state began implementing “managed competition” and took steps to deregulate private passenger auto insurance rates.

This move to managed competition has brought a number of insurers — including GEICO and Progressive — to the state’s auto insurance market. Allstate started to again offer private passenger auto insurance in the state in 2009 — through its agents from neighboring states (including Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island) as well as through an 800 number (1-800-Allstate).

Allstate Plans ‘Aggressive Ramp-Up’ in Massachusetts

Now, with the opening of new offices, Allstate is expanding its business in earnest. The company says it is planning an “aggressive ramp-up” in coming years.

On Monday, Oct. 1, Allstate opened an office in North Andover, a suburb of Boston. It’s the company’s first brick-and-mortar office in Massachusetts in 25 years. At least two more offices are scheduled to open in the state before the end of the year.

“We just opened our first office in North Andover

View the Original article

Vanliner Partners with Agents Association on Moving, Storage Agents Program

May 9, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Vanliner Insurance Co., an insurer in the moving and storage industry, introduced a new affinity program developed for moving agents affiliated with the Allied Agents Association (AAA).

The AAA program is Vanliner’s third affinity program designed for best-in-class moving and storage companies. Allied moving agents joining the affinity program can receive options like a product portfolio and customized services. Coverage lines include auto and general liability, cargo/warehouse, property, workers’ compensation and umbrella. Since July of 2010, Vanliner has launched six new programs including three alternative risk transfer products and three affinity programs.

Vanliner Insurance Co. is a provider of insurance products for the moving and storage industry. It is  located in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Mo. Vanliner is licensed in all 50 states and is a subsidiary of National Interstate Insurance Co.

Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: National NewsTopics: Commercial Lines, Markets/Coverages, Moving and StorageHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

View the Original article

An agent’s view of health care reform

observations and comments about all things insurance (with some other fun topics thrown in to keep it fresh) Follow meBecome a Fan Subscribe

You are here:

Home assigned risk pools An agent’s view of health care reform An agent’s view of health care reform 09/16/2009 at 12:14

1