On the Level features Jamie Deapo and Steve Ruchman bringing us the views of the two major P/C insurance agents’ associations, in alternate issues. Both Jamie and Steve are strong voices for the independent agent and dedicated advocates for the respective approaches of their associations.
Pick up any publication, read any email advertisement or any blog and everything is about the market disruptors sucking up millions of dollars in venture capital and ready to completely change the insurance marketplace. They profess that younger consumers prefer to buy through them because they are comfortable buying online and insist on convenience and […]
So much of what you read today is about the impending demise of the independent agent and their long standing system of providing individuals, families and businesses appropriate and effective insurance protection. Disrupters are entering the marketplace who are leveraging technology to significantly speed up the process and replace many of today’s insurance workers with […]
It’s been quite a long time since I had the opportunity to sit with someone, other than friends and family, and help them understand how to use insurance to protect the things they treasure. Candidly I miss it! That may sound funny to those of you that get to do this everyday and some of […]
It seemed like it never might happen, at least during my working life. Maybe for personal insurance but not for small commercial prospects including start-ups. There were just too many players unwilling to give up their proprietary information to agree on a simplified underwriting platform that would allow for a multi-line quote from multiple companies […]
We live in interesting times. While I have been thinking about this column, I’ve noted a dramatic story on the news: The recent shooting at Parkland High School in Florida. Pundits, politicians and even corporate entities have weighed in on the issue of gun control, school safety and mental health. These voices aren’t surprising, as […]
I spent some time over the holidays thinking about our business and how it is changing. It’s true that technology is having a major impact on how effectively and efficiently an agency can work with their clients and prospects. Consumers are definitely interested in getting things done quickly and easily. That is a challenge that […]
The insurance industry has gone crazy! What was once a conservative, well organized method for protecting people, their belongings and their business has exploded. A marketplace full of direct to consumer coverage, peer to peer insurance, marketing based on buying preference and 24/7 customer service using chatbots is reality. Technological support for the insurance process […]
With 40+ years in the insurance business, all of it on the independent agency side, I just don’t understand what the problem seems to be. Maybe it’s professional arrogance. A sense of smugness brought on by significant knowledge and a desire to return to the days when independent agencies generated stable and significant income. It […]
Readers of this column know I am a proud family man. My twin grandsons are entering college in the fall and we could not be more delighted. They are an endless source of pride and an equally great source of stories. Recently, one of my grandsons asked me, “Grandpa, how do you get rich?” I […]
Technology…it’s invaded nearly every aspect of our lives today. It’s almost impossible to function without it. Did anyone ever dream the time would come where you would actually take time off to avoid using technology? There is no business more affected by technology than insurance. It’s changing the way we operate our business. It’s creating […]
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