There are many outstanding questions about what the coming months and year may bring for the independent agent given the economic uncertainty over the last 18 months. The M&A world wants to be able to answer the following: Will M&A activity pick up steam in...
You are probably familiar with the turn of phrase Don’t shoot the messenger. It means not to blame the person delivering a message for the content of that message. Often, I think that all insurance agencies should have that sign up in their lobby or on their website,...
The New York State Department of Financial Services published a revised proposed second amendment to 23 NYCRR 500—colloquially referred to as New York’s cyber security regulation. The publication of the revised second amendment comes over six months after the...
Volume in the merger and acquisition sector has declined 48% in comparison to Q1 of 2022, and it has declined 27% from Q4 of 2022 according to insights from Dealogic. For many independent agents, M&A is an integral part of their growth strategy, offering a...
Globally, mergers and acquisitions have slowed dramatically as many independent agents question the benefits of M&A as a growth strategy in 2023. Activity is down by a staggering 45% from Q1 of 2022 to Q1 of 2023—and a whopping 60% from Q1 of 2021 to Q1 of 2023...
As the world becomes accustomed to a sharp increase in major cyberattacks and data breaches, cyber insurance is becoming more popular. Cyberinsurance can protect a business if it is held liable for losses suffered if hackers steal customers’ sensitive data. You can...
The rise of artificial intelligence has changed our world completely—sparking impressive advancements and opening doors to countless possibilities. Yet, as we continue in this AI-centric era, we need to be prepared for the unexpected pitfalls it might bring—especially...
With climate change set to raise the temperature of the planet dramatically, the frequency of natural disasters is increasing. The insurance industry is struggling to keep up with skyrocketing homeowners insurance claims. For example, drought conditions in California...
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the September 2022 issue of PIA Magazine. As we prepare for the 2023 hurricane season—which Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science has been predicted to be ‘slightly below-average’—it stands as...
Almost every day, mental health is in the news. Increasingly employers are understanding that they must be part of the solution to improve mental health for millions of Americans. In my decades of experience in the insurance industry and the behavioral health field, I...