The summer of ’23 has brought disastrous weather events in almost every region of the country. The Northeast faced record-breaking flooding. Vermont received two months’ worth of rain—more than nine inches—in just a few days. More than 4,000 homes were damaged by...
Explainer: New N.J. credit card surcharge law: What it means for agencies
Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation into law that prohibits businesses, including insurance agencies, from imposing certain surcharges on credit card transactions. What does the new law do? The new law prohibits a business (referred to as “sellers” in the...
Shark attacks: If you’re not with Jason Statham, an insurance policy may be the next best thing
If you are brave enough to have bought a ticket to Jason Statham’s latest action thriller, Meg 2: The Trench, then you might be familiar with what it would be like to take on a band of oversized, murderous sharks and other sea creatures in the pursuit of ocean...
The hard market: Use clear communication
Supporting and leading your employees through this hard market is going to be critical for agency leaders. They will follow your example and most team members want to do a great job. They need to understand what that means to your agency. You may be saying: "My team...
N.J.: ‘Dwelling units’ would be required to have renters insurance if new bill becomes law
New Jersey Assemblymember William B. Sampson IV, D-31, introduced A-5696 on May 18, 2023. This bill would require renters insurance for individuals entering or renewing a lease for a dwelling unit. The legislation defines dwelling unit as any room, or group of rooms,...
The New York City crane collapse of 2023
The iconic New York City skyline is renowned for its dazzling lights, towering skyscrapers—and unfortunately its unsightly construction cranes and scaffolding. On July 26, 2023, a crane—situated atop a 45-story building in Midtown Manhattan—abruptly caught fire and...
It all starts with you: Create powerful, enduring customer connections
Typically, any service provider’s emotional state influences the outcome of that service interaction. Ensuring emotionally positive points of connection are among the best predictors of customer loyalty. Have you considered your insureds’ criteria to evaluate positive...
The psychology of advanced car safety technology
One of the biggest areas for recent innovation in automobile design is advanced safety features. Features like lane and obstacle sensing radar, collision warning, and heads up displays are increasingly becoming standard equipment on new cars. The technology that comes...
UBI off to a slow start
In 1998, a new technology was introduced that promised to have major implications for many industries, chief among them the insurance industry. This technology allowed systems to monitor and collect data about a user’s behavior in real time. Today, many of us use...
Don’t shoot the messenger
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,...