Peter Balisteri, CIO of Merchants Insurance Group, said, 'We needed to streamline information exchange with our
independent agents and make it easier to conduct business together.
Industry pundits warn
independent agents that failure to aggressively compete with these disrupters will mean the demise of
independent agents and their system of operation.
A second component is the understanding that
independent agents should be considered the customers of a carrier as well.
The first step to losing any contest is to underestimate your opponent, and
independent agents cannot afford to do so against a behemoth like Google.
We're also seeing some carriers, that have traditionally distributed exclusively through
independent agents, begin to sell directly to small-commercial insurance buyers.
Texas Mutual also will work with the agent association to develop programs to support
independent agents across Texas.
Keep an eye out for Openly, a new digitally-sophisticated upmarket homeowners insurer catering to
independent agents.
What made it even more exciting was the folks who created and are using this platform see it not only being used by consumers who prefer to deal directly with them but also by
independent agents and brokers.
For most
independent agents, social media is a hobby at best and an afterthought at worst.
30% TO 40% of
independent agents join other in an association, alliance or cluster.
The "golden age of digital marketing" is opening up new opportunities for
independent agents and brokers, Charles "Chip" Bacciocco, the newly named chief executive officer of Project CAP, told attendees of the Insurance Marketing and Advertising Summit online presentation series.
QBE North America will transfer its North America personal insurance policies sold through
independent agents to Safeco Insurance, leaving the specialist insurer to focus on its core commercial businesses.
