Council News

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News

The Council's newsroom offers the latest news releases and an archive of past releases. Industry press and other media play an important role in educating the public, lawmakers and opinion leaders on The Council's positions on key developments in the insurance industry. The Council's quarterly property/casualty Commercial Insurance Market Index survey of members and its bi-annual survey of the employee benefits marketplace, is highly respected and widely sought, providing the most authoritative information available on market trends and conditions.

Click here for Competitive Edge, The Council's membership newsletter

2012

May 8, 2012		Commercial P/C Market Pricing Toughened in First Quarter, According to Council Survey News Release - 1st Quarter 2012 Property/Casualty Survey Results Analysis. Prices hardened and underwriting toughened in the commercial property/casualty market in the first quarter of the year, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly Commercial P/C Market Index Survey. On average, small medium and large account pricing rose 4.4 percent compared with 2.7 percent last quarter.
May 7, 2012		5-8-12 Full NEWS RELEASE_1Q12 PC Survey with charts.pdf 1st Quarter 2012 P/C survey results analysis - full press release
May 7, 2012		Chart 2012 Q1
May 4, 2012		The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Comments on State Surplus Lines Premium Taxation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ Board of Directors today asserted that states should tax and retain 100 percent of surplus lines premium taxes at the state’s own tax rate, as opposed to entering into shared allocation schemes.
Mar 16, 2012		CBO Updated PPACA Coverage Estimates (PDF 939 kB) In March 2012, the Congressional Budget Office released a report estimating the budgetary effects of the health insurance coverage provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
Mar 15, 2012		Gagnon Joins The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers as Director of Strategic Technology The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that Christopher Gagnon is joining the organization as Director of Strategic Technology.
Feb 27, 2012		LexisNexis Insurance Exchange This page compiles information and resources on the LexisNexis Insurance Exchange. The LexisNexis Insurance Exchange is a single-entry collaborative insurance placement platform that automates and streamlines the flow of application data and documents between insurance agents and brokers and wholesalers and carriers. It is designed to promote and facilitate competition in insurance markets and to provide a level of efficiency and increased productivity.
Jan 25, 2012		Klonk Named Chair of The Council Of Employee Benefits Executives Board The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that Robert J. Klonk, president & Chief Sales Officer of Oswald Companies based in Cleveland, Ohio, has been named Chair of the Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE) Board.
Jan 24, 2012		Commercial P/C Market Pricing Rebounded in Fourth Quarter, According to Council Survey Commercial property/casualty pricing rebounded in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.

2011

Dec 16, 2011		Cheryl Matochik Named Vice President, Strategic Resources & Initiatives of The Council The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that Cheryl Matochik has been named Vice President of Strategic Resources & Initiatives. In this new role, Matochik will blend the strategic planning of The Council’s resources and programs with driving the next generation of content initiatives.
Dec 15, 2011		Council/Institutes Partner to Offer Online Training for Brokerage Firms The Institutes and The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) have joined forces to produce a suite of online training courses designed to meet the unique business needs of insurance agencies and brokerages.
Nov 23, 2011		The Council’s Employee Benefits Survey Shows Group Health Rates Rose; Size of Increases Moderated Eighteen months after passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), group medical benefits costs rose once again, according to the November Employee Benefits Market Survey conducted by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. However, increases in the latest survey period moderated compared to the 12 months following enactment of health care reform.
Nov 7, 2011		Conference Media Policy Media Policy for the Insurance Leadership Forum, the Wholesale Insurance Leadership Forum and the Employee Benefits Leadership Forum - The General Business Sessions at the Insurance Leadership Forum, the Wholesale Insurance Leadership Forum and the Employee Benefits Leadership Forum are open to media that cover the insurance industry and financial news
Nov 2, 2011		Temple University Awarded $125,000 Fame Scholarship The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the educational foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced that a $125,000 permanent scholarship, funded by Assurex Global in memory of Robert P. Ashlock, a former president of 20 years and longtime industry leader, will be awarded to Temple University in the spring of 2012.
Oct 19, 2011		Commercial P/C Market Pricing Remained Unchanged in Third Quarter, According To Council Survey Pricing in the U.S. commercial property/casualty market remained largely unchanged in the third quarter, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Oct 13, 2011		The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Testifies on PPACA Provisions The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers testified today on two troubling aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – compliance with grandfathering rules and minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) provisions.
Oct 4, 2011		David E. McGurn Elected Chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers David E. McGurn, Jr., corporate vice president of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., is the 2012 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, as announced by The Council today.
Sep 20, 2011		The Council Names Directors of Membership Development and Strategic Resources The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that Matt Kistler and David Unnewehr are joining the organization in new roles. Kistler has been tapped as Director of Membership Development and Unnewehr will serve as Director of Strategic Resources.
Sep 14, 2011		FAME Announces Scholarship Winners for 2011-2012 Academic Year The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the charitable foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced the names of 31 college students who will receive $5,000 scholarships to pursue careers in risk management and insurance.
Aug 11, 2011		Leader's Edge Magazine Wins Five Excel Awards, Adds to Impressive List of Accolades Leader’s Edge magazine won two gold awards for general excellence in design at the annual Association Media & Publishing Excel Awards gala earlier this year, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. No magazine in AMP’s decades-long history of awards has ever won two first-place gold awards for design in a single year.
Jul 28, 2011		Market Pricing Showed Modest Increases in Second Quarter, According to The Council’s P/C Market Survey U.S. commercial property/casualty market pricing showed modest increases in the second quarter of this year, compared with the first quarter, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Jul 28, 2011		The Council Urges Uniformity, Simplicity on Surplus Lines Implementation and Producer Licensing With a steady focus uniformity and simplicity, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers testified today on implementation of surplus lines reform and NARAB II agent/broker licensure reform.
Jun 1, 2011		The Council's Employee Benefits Survey Shows Group Health Rates Continued to Rise A year after the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), group medical benefits rates continued to increase at a steady clip, with many carriers blaming increases on PPACA, according to the May Employee Benefits Market Survey conducted by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
May 4, 2011		Market Slide Slowed In First Quarter 2011 According to Commercial P/C Market Survey Commercial property/casualty pricing continued to decline in the first quarter of 2011, although at a slower pace than the previous quarter. There were signs that the market may be flattening and modestly easing upward in some areas, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers First Quarter Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Apr 25, 2011		Susan Rushford Named SVP The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that Susan Rushford has been named Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications. Rushford joins The Council after 30 years of marketing and advertising experience on both the agency and client side of the business.
Apr 21, 2011		The Council Endorses The Employee Benefits Producer Training Program The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today its endorsement of the Employee Benefits Producer Training Program. The training program is an intensive two-week course for those who want to succeed as employee benefits sales professionals.
Apr 5, 2011		Latest on Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Aggregated from The Council's Twitter feed @TheCIAB we feature the latest confirmed news on how the tsunami and earthquake are affecting the insurance industry.
Mar 2, 2011		The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Unveils Sales Innovation Program The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today a Sales Innovation program to provide members with comprehensive sales communication guidance, best practices, education, toolkits and templates to help them with every phase of the sales cycle.
Jan 19, 2011		Soft Market Continues According To The Council’s Fourth Quarter Commercial P/C Market Survey The soft market malaise lingered over fourth quarter 2010 pricing as insurers continued to pursue market share, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ Fourth Quarter Commercial P/C Market Index Survey. Overall, commercial lines renewal pricing on average declined 5.4 percent in the fourth quarter, compared with 5.2 percent the previous quarter.
Jan 13, 2011		New Council/Kaplan Licensing and Registration Services Partnership The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today its endorsement of Kaplan Compliance Solutions’ licensing and registration services, including business process outsourcing, licensing/registration compliance audits, and best practice consulting.

2010

Dec 1, 2010		Group Health Rates Continued to Climb According to The Council's Employee Benefits Survey Group medical benefits renewal rates continued to increase in the U.S. market between June and October, but brokers reported that clients are not planning to cut coverage altogether, according to the November Employee Benefits Market Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Nov 22, 2010		Insurance Exchange Trust Established The Insurance Exchange Trust Inc., an industry-controlled entity designed to oversee the LexisNexis® Insurance Exchange, was officially unveiled today.
Oct 29, 2010		The Council Launches 'Leader's Edge' Magazine for Top Brokers The debut issue of “Leader’s Edge,” a new magazine about and for the nation’s top commercial property/casualty and benefits insurance brokers, will be published in January 2004, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today.
Oct 21, 2010		The Council's Third Quarter Commercial P/C Market Survey Shows Soft Market Persists The soft market continued unabated in the third quarter, fueled by strong competition and sufficient capacity, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ third quarter Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Oct 6, 2010		James R. Pender Elected Chairman of The Council James R. Pender, honorary chairman of the board of BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company of Florida, is the 2011 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, as announced by The Council today.
Sep 23, 2010		Ce Harrison Named CFO of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that it has named Ce Harrison as its new Chief Financial Officer.
Sep 13, 2010		The Council’s Wholesale Insurance Leadership Forum Moving to Miami Beginning in 2011, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers will host its annual Wholesale Insurance Leadership Forum at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami, Fla.
Aug 5, 2010		The Council Announces 22 New Members In an effort to create new market opportunities on the global stage, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers has welcomed 22 new member firms.
Jul 29, 2010		Council Announces Personnel Appointments The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today several staff appointments and personnel changes.
Jul 19, 2010		Council Survey Shows Commercial Property/Casualty Rates Melting in Summer Heat Excess capacity chasing market share in the commercial property/casualty marketplace has resulted in another quarter of declining renewal pricing, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ second quarter Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Jul 15, 2010		The Council Hails Passage of Surplus Lines Reform Legislation Ken A. Crerar, President of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, issued a statement today hailing the passage of the surplus lines provisions of the Non-admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) as part of the larger financial services regulatory restructuring bill, H. 4173, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Jun 4, 2010		Woodruff-Sawyers's Rosson Elected New Chairman of Council of Employee Benefits Executives Charles Rosson, chief executive officer of Woodruff-Sawyer & Company, is the new chair of The Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE), a standing committee of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jun 2, 2010		Council Survey Shows Group Health Rates Rising and Employers Looking for Ways to Cut Costs With health care reform now the law, renewal rates are increasing significantly and employers are looking for ways to cut the cost of group medical benefits.
May 21, 2010		The Council Praises Senate Passage of Surplus Lines Reform Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers praised the U.S. Senate today for passing the surplus lines provisions of the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) as a part of the larger financial services regulatory reform bill, S. 3217, the “Restoring America’s Financial Stability Act.”
Apr 16, 2010		Fierce Competition Continues to Suppress Rates in First Quarter Fierce competition among carriers held commercial property/casualty rates down in the first quarter of the year, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Jan 22, 2010		Low Consumer Demand and Increased Carrier Appetite Drive Soft Market in Fourth Quarter Commercial property/casualty premium rates continued to fall in the fourth quarter 2009 at about the same 6 percent rate as in the third quarter, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.

2009

Dec 16, 2009		Council Survey Shows Group Health Rates Rising Amind Uncertainty Over Economy, Health Care Reform Efforts As the health care reform debate continues in Congress, employee benefits consultants report increases in rates for group medical insurance in the U.S. market.
Oct 28, 2009		Hard Market Remains Elusive for Commerical Property/Casualty Business Rates on average declined 6 percent during the third quarter of the year compared with 5 percent in the second quarter, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Oct 14, 2009		H. Wade Reece Elected Chairman of The Council H. Wade Reece of Raleigh, N.C. and chairman and CEO of BB&T Insurance Services, Inc., is the 2010 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 12, 2009		The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers and LexisNexis Form Partnership to Build Insurance Exchange The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council), representing the leading commercial insurance brokers and agents in the United States and abroad, and LexisNexis, a leading global provider of content-enabled workflow solutions, today announced the creation of an insurance exchange directed at improving the efficiency and transparency of the independent agent-based distribution system.
Sep 9, 2009		The Council Praises House Passage of Surplus Lines Reform Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers praised the U.S. House of Representatives today for passage of H.R. 2571, the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act, a major step toward modernizing the insurance regulatory system by providing a uniform approach to regulating the commercial surplus lines market.
Jul 21, 2009		The Council's P/C Survey: No Hard Market in Sight Rates for commercial property/casualty premiums idled during the second quarter of the year, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ quarterly Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Jul 9, 2009		Joint Fly-In Hosted by AHIA, CIAB, IIABA, NAHU and NAIFA The Health Insurance Agent & Broker Alliance will be hosting a health care reform Capitol Hill fly-in on July 15th.
Jun 17, 2009		The Council Responds to White House Proposal for Financial Services Regulatory Reform Affecting Insurance Sector Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, issued the following statement following the Obama Administration’s proposal on financial services regulatory reform: “The Council is very pleased that President Obama appreciates the role of the insurance industry as an integral part of the U.S. economy and financial system."
Jun 9, 2009		Producer Groups Join Forces on Health Care Reform AHIA-NAIFA Health and Employee Benefits (AHIA), The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB), the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”), the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) today announced that they plan to join forces in a health care reform legislative fly-in on Capitol Hill July 14-15.
Jun 4, 2009		Wells Fargo's Donahue Elected New Chairman of Council of Employee Benefits Executives Dennis M. Donahue, managing director and national practice leader for employee benefits for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, is the new chair of The Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE), a standing committee of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
May 26, 2009		Benefits Consultants Report Continued Group Health Rate Increases As the health care reform debates rage in Washington, employers are continuing to see steady increases in rates for group medical coverage, according to a recent survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
May 20, 2009		FAME Announces New Scholarship from Assurex The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the charitable foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced a new scholarship gift from Assurex Global in memory of Robert P. Ashlock, a former president of 20 years and longtime industry leader.
Apr 16, 2009		Commercial Market Flat, But Kept Its Tread in First Quarter For the second quarter in a row, commercial property/casualty market premiums continued to level off across small, medium and large accounts, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ first quarter 2009 Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Apr 2, 2009		The Council Commends National Insurance Consumer Protection Act The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers President Ken A. Crerar issued a statement on the introduction of the National Insurance Consumer Protection Act by Reps. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.).
Mar 13, 2009		Elizabeth Demaret Appointed Chair of World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries Elizabeth Demaret, managing director, Arthur J. Gallagher, was appointed chairwoman of the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries (WFII), an international association representing intermediaries from around the world.
Mar 3, 2009		The Council Commends New York on Clarification of Anti-Rebating Laws The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers President Ken A. Crerar today hailed New York Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo for the release of Circular Letter 9, which provides producers with valuable guidance on permissible activities under New York’s anti-rebating laws.
Jan 23, 2009		P/C Market Pricing Shows Signs of Bottoming Out in Fourth Quarter 2008 Commercial property/casualty market premiums showed definite signs of leveling off in the fourth quarter of 2008 across small, medium and large accounts and for most major lines of commercial business, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers’ Commercial P/C Market Index Survey.
Jan 5, 2009		Julia Kramer Rejoins The Council as Senior Vice President Julia Kramer, whose business relationship with The Council spans six years, today rejoined the association in the new position of senior vice president, Office of the President.

2008

Nov 20, 2008		U.S. Group Health Insurance Rates Continue to Increase Employee benefits consultants report rates continued to increase for group medical insurance in the U.S. market at about the same pace as they did six months ago.
Nov 7, 2008		The Council Moves 2009 Fall Insurance Leadership Forum to The Broadmoor The 2009 Insurance Leadership Forum will be held at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., rather than The Greenbrier due to ongoing labor strife and uncertainty about the West Virginia resort’s future, Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, said today.
Oct 29, 2008		FAME Announced 10 Scholarship Winners, Expands Risk Management Scholarship Program to Illinois State for 2008-2009 Academic Year The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the charitable foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced the 10 college students who each will receive $5,000 scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic year to pursue careers in risk management and insurance.
Oct 22, 2008		Commercial P/C Premiums Continue to Drop in Third Quarter Commercial property/casualty premiums continued a downward slide during the third quarter of 2008, but there were suggestions the market decline may have leveled off, at least between July and September, for small and mid-sized accounts, according to the latest Commercial P/C Market Index Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 8, 2008		Markham R. McKnight Elected Chairman of The Council Markham R. McKnight, of Baton Rouge, La., and president of BancorpSouth Insurance Services, Inc., is the 2009 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Sep 23, 2008		The Council Hails Progress in Opening International Insurance Markets; Notes Barriers Still Exist The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers told the International Trade Commission (ITC) today that great progress has been made in opening foreign markets to U.S. insurance intermediaries, but barriers still exist that impede their ability to provide services and products needed by clients around the world.
Sep 17, 2008		The Council Applauds Government Stabilization Efforts for AIG Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, issued a statement today on the government’s tentative agreement to provide an $85 billion loan to AIG in exchange for nearly 80 percent collateral in the company.
Jul 29, 2008		The Council Urges Quick Action on Surplus Lines Reform George A. (Shad) Steadman, chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, urged Congress today to take a major step toward modernizing the insurance regulatory system by adopting legislation to provide a uniform approach to regulating the commercial surplus lines market.
Jul 22, 2008		Soft Market Conditions Continue in Second Quarter 2008, but Premium Drops Not as Steep The commercial property/casualty market remained mired in soft market conditions during the second quarter of 2008, but there were some signs that the steepest decline in rates may be over, according to the latest commercial property/casualty market survey released by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jul 15, 2008		The Council Joins Industry in Urging New Program to Share the Costs of Coastal Wind Coverage The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today joined with two major insurers and another agent/broker association in urging enactment of a four-pronged approach to the availability and affordability crisis for coastal wind coverage that would spread the burden among all affected coastal property owners from Texas to Maine.
Jul 10, 2008		The Council Commends House Financial Services Subcommittee for Action on Insurance Regulatory Reform The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended members of a key House Financial Services subcommittee for approving three major pieces of legislation to untangle a maze of unnecessary or duplicative regulatory restrictions on the commercial insurance industry and called for rapid approval by the full committee and the House.
Jul 9, 2008		The Council's Countersignature Victory Now Complete The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers said today its six-year legal battle to wipe all countersignature statutes off the books is finally over, but President Ken A. Crerar served notice that the association’s fight against protectionist barriers in the insurance marketplace has only just begun.
Jun 16, 2008		The Council’s Insurance Leadership Forum Heads West The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today announced that the 95th annual Insurance Leadership Forum, Oct. 4-8, 2008, will be held at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, and the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort.
Jun 11, 2008		Leader’s Edge Magazine Claims Unprecedented Four Gold SNAP Awards Leader’s Edge magazine, the monthly publication of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, is the first-ever winner of four gold awards for content and design excellence in the 28-year history of the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP) magazine awards competition.
Jun 11, 2008		Joel Kopperud Joins The Council Lobbying Team Joel T. Kopperud, who has extensive experience with insurance and international trade issues, today joined The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers in the new position of director, government relations.
Jun 3, 2008		The Council Pulls Fall Insurance Leadership Forum from The Greenbrier Due to ongoing labor problems at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers said today it is moving the 95th annual Insurance Leadership Forum to a different location.
May 27, 2008		Group Health Insurance Market Unchanged from Fall 2007 Employee benefits consultants report little change in the market for group medical insurance in the past six months, with small, medium and large employers continuing to shift rising costs to their employees in an effort to rein in the bill for health coverage.
Apr 21, 2008		The Council’s Survey Shows Soft Market Even Softer in First Quarter 2008 The soft cycle for commercial property/casualty insurance got even softer in the first quarter of 2008, according to the latest Commercial Market Index Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, with three-fourths of the agents and brokers reporting that renewal premiums for their small and medium accounts were down 1-20 percent compared with fourth quarter 2007.
Apr 17, 2008		The Council Calls Kanjorski Federal Regulatory Plan 'Progressive, Thoughtful' The president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today praised Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., for his plan to introduce legislation creating an Office of Insurance Information (OII) at the federal level.
Apr 10, 2008		The Council Wins Industry-Changing Countersignature Decision The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers won a major victory Thursday when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Nevada’s countersignature laws as unconstitutional barriers to competition, affirming an earlier ruling by a U.S. district court judge.
Apr 7, 2008		The Council to Host First-Ever Wholesale Insurance Leadership Forum The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today announced it is sponsoring a new leadership forum directed specifically at commercial insurance wholesalers/MGAs.
Mar 31, 2008		The Council Praises Bush Administration OFC Proposal Leaders of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Monday praised the Bush Administration for its support of the Optional Federal Charter (OFC) for insurance companies and producers, calling the move a turning point in the decades of efforts to modernize insurance regulation.
Mar 6, 2008		The Council Applauds International Broker Group for Addressing Market Issues Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today commended the board of the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries (WFII) for tackling some important market issues that are impacting the global insurance environment.
Jan 23, 2008		Fourth Quarter Commercial P/C Rates Continue Decline Commercial property/casualty insurance rates continued to decline in the fourth quarter of 2007 for all sizes of accounts although conditions were not dramatically different from the previous quarter, according to the latest commercial market index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.

2007

Nov 26, 2007		Nicole Allen Rejoins The Council as Vice President, Industry Affairs Nicole L. Allen, who has spent the last five years as a regulatory and legislative expert for Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and its parent, Allianz of America Corp., will rejoin The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers as a vice president for industry affairs.
Nov 14, 2007		Small Employers Feel Brunt of Group Medical Increases Small employers providing group medical insurance to their workforce experienced premium cost increases well into the double digits during the past six months, but all sizes of employers were hit by substantially higher group medical costs, according to the fall Employee Benefits Market Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 22, 2007		Third Quarter Market Survey Shows Easing Conditions for Coastal Property The soft market conditions that have affected most commercial property/casualty lines for more than a year are beginning to spread to coastal properties with wind storm exposures, according to the third quarter 2007 commercial property/casualty market index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 10, 2007		George A. (Shad) Steadman Elected Chairman of The Council George A. (Shad) Steadman III, president and COO of Rutherfoord in Roanoke, Va., is the 2008 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 6, 2007		FAME Announces Nine Scholarship Winners for 2007 Academic Year The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the charitable foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced the names of nine college students who will receive $5,000 scholarships to pursue careers in risk management and insurance.
Jul 25, 2007		The Council Hails Introduction of House OFC Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today hailed the introduction of legislation providing an optional federal charter for the life and property/casualty insurance industry in the House, calling it a giant step toward regulatory logic and consumer protection.
Jul 23, 2007		Commercial P/C Premiums Continue to Free-Fall in Second Quarter Commercial property-casualty insurance rates continued their free-fall during the second quarter of 2007 in a marketplace environment described as "totally unpredictable" in terms of pricing and underwriting, according to the latest commercial market index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jul 18, 2007		The Council Urges Fast House Action on China Resolution The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended bipartisan sponsorship of a House Resolution calling on the People's Republic of China to remove barriers to U.S. financial services firms, including insurance intermediaries, seeking to do business in China.
Jun 25, 2007		The Council Hails Passage of Surplus Lines Bill The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today applauded House passage of legislation streamlining regulation of the commercial insurance surplus lines market and urged the Senate to follow quickly in enacting this major step toward market logic and regulatory reform.
Jun 20, 2007		Leader’s Edge Wins SNAP’s Highest Award Leader’s Edge magazine, published by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, has received the Society of National Association Publishing’s EXTRA! Award, the highest award given by SNAP, for outstanding innovation in association publishing.
Jun 4, 2007		William Gallagher's Nadeau Elected Chairman of Council of Employee Benefits Executives Christopher J. Nadeau, principal and practice leader with the employee benefits practice of William Gallagher Associates of Boston, Mass., is the new chair of The Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE), a standing committee of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
May 30, 2007		Group Medical Costs Continue Sharp Increase The cost of providing group health benefits to employees continued to increase sharply during the past six months, with the vast majority of employers – regardless of their business size – paying significantly more for account renewals than in the fall of 2006.
May 24, 2007		The Council Applauds Introduction of Optional Federal Charter Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today praised Sens. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and John Sununu, R-NH, for introducing legislation to provide an optional federal charter for property/casualty and life insurers, giving the insurance sector the same right to choose its regulator as is now afforded to banks.
Apr 23, 2007		Sharp Premium Drops, Looser Underwriting Reported for First Quarter 2007 Commercial property/casualty premiums for all sizes of accounts dropped sharply during the first quarter of 2007, with indications that insurance companies are starting to loosen underwriting standards and price aggressively to get business, according to the latest Commercial Property/Casualty Market Index by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Mar 5, 2007		Willis Executive Calls TRIA 'Unqualified Success' Declaring the current federal backstop program for terrorism insurance an “unqualified success,” a top executive of Willis Group Holdings urged a congressional panel meeting here to continue federal involvement in terrorism coverage because the risk of an attack on this country has not lessened since Sept. 11, 2001.
Mar 1, 2007		The Council Endorses Wellness Coaches USA The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers has entered into an endorsement agreement with Wellness Coaches USA to offer workplace wellness services to its member firms across the country.
Feb 28, 2007		Finding a Permanent Solution to Terrorism Risk Insurance is a Matter of National Economic Security, Says Willis Group Executive Urging renewal of the government’s terrorism insurance backstop, Don Bailey, CEO of Willis North America, a subsidiary of Willis Group Holdings, told Congress today that the federal program has stabilized the market and made affordable terrorism coverage available to businesses across the country and in most major industrial sectors.
Feb 15, 2007		The Council Hails Introduction of Surplus Lines Reform Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today strongly endorsed legislation introduced by Reps. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., and Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., to reform the surplus lines insurance market and urged swift action by both the House and Senate.
Feb 8, 2007		Leavitt Urges Competition Based on Value to Cut Health Care Costs Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt told a group of insurance executives Wednesday that competition based on value will help turn the current health care sector into an integrated health care system.
Feb 6, 2007		The Council Releases FAME Study on Catastrophic Risk Options The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today released a comprehensive analysis of various legislative proposals that have been advanced to deal with the problem of insuring catastrophic risk, from natural disasters to acts of terrorism.
Jan 24, 2007		Market Softening Continues in All But CAT-Prone Areas Commercial insurance premiums continued their decline in all but catastrophe-exposed areas during the fourth quarter of 2006, with insurers willing to lower prices and place fewer restrictions on coverage to get new business, according to the latest market survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.

2006

Dec 11, 2006		The Council Hails Last Minute Win on HSAs Before Adjournment of 109th Congress After a vigorous two-year effort by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) for key Health Savings Accounts (HSA) provisions, the Senate approved the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 very early Saturday morning by an overwhelming majority vote, 79 to 9.
Nov 15, 2006		Group Medical Plan Costs Continue for all Sizes of Employers, The Council's Survey Shows Employers of all sizes continue to see rising costs for group medical coverage on account renewals, though the increases for the largest accounts tend to be lower than for small and medium accounts, according to the fall Employee Benefits Market Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 19, 2006		Commercial Market Softens, Insurer Appetite Increases in Third Quarter, The Council's Survey Shows The commercial property/casualty market continued to soften during the third quarter, with indications that some insurers are finding an appetite for business in which they previously were not interested, according to the latest commercial market index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 11, 2006		Tom Rodell Elected Chairman of The Council Tom Rodell, resident managing director of Aon Risk Services of San Francisco, is the 2007 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, the first person to serve twice in the key leadership position.
Oct 2, 2006		FAME Scholarship Winners Announced The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the charitable foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced the names of the first four college students to receive $5,000 scholarships to pursue careers in risk management and insurance.
Sep 28, 2006		The Council Hails Passage of Surplus Lines Bill The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today applauded House passage of legislation streamlining regulation of the commercial insurance surplus lines market, calling it a “victory for common sense” and a major step toward regulatory reform.
Sep 27, 2006		The Council, Aon Urge Action on Permanent Terrorism Insurance Solution with Federal Government Involvement Gregory Case, president and CEO of Aon Corporation, urged Congress today to act on a permanent solution to cover losses from future acts of terrorism and have it in place before disaster strikes rather than attempting to respond after the fact in time of crisis.
Jul 20, 2006		Prices Up, Capacity Down for CAT Exposures; Other Commercial Markets Soften, The Council's Survey Shows Premium prices are escalating and capacity is shrinking for catastrophe-exposed property, but for other commercial lines, the market is soft as carriers compete for non-catastrophe risks, according to the latest commercial property/casualty insurance market index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jul 19, 2006		The Council Applauds House Financial Services Subcommittee's Passage of Surplus Lines Reform Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises for approving important legislation that would make much-needed changes in the way surplus lines insurance is regulated.
Jul 11, 2006		The Council Embraces Both Short-And Long-Range Regulatory Reforms The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today praised Congress for addressing important market reform issues for the insurance industry and said there is still time this session to enact some easy, achievable changes that could have a major impact on the marketplace.
Jul 5, 2006		Puerto Rico Appeals Window Expires; Council's Earlier Countersignature Victory Now Final The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico failed to file a timely appeal of a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, meaning an earlier federal court decision striking down Puerto Rico's controversial countersignature law as unconstitutional is now final.
Jun 28, 2006		John Bogardus, Jr. Receives Award for Contributions to Industry John A. Bogardus Jr., retired insurance brokerage executive, writer and commentator on industry issues, has received the Golden Torch Award from the Insurance Marketing Communications Association (IMCA) for his “lifelong contributions to the insurance industry.”
Jun 23, 2006		U.S. District Court Rules Countersignature Statute in Virgin Islands is Unconstitutional A federal judge today ruled that the countersignature law in the Virgin Islands is unconstitutional, giving The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers another victory in its battle to eliminate provisions forcing non-resident insurance brokers and agents to pay fees to a resident agent in order to do business in that jurisdiction.
Jun 22, 2006		Foundation for Agency Management Excellence Announces Four Scholarships for Risk Management Students The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), a charitable foundation established by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today announced a new scholarship program designed to assist talented college students pursuing careers in risk management and insurance.
Jun 21, 2006		The Council Supports Passage of Surplus Lines Reform Legislation to Eliminate Widely Varying State Regulations The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers said today that legislation to reform the surplus lines market and bring consistency and predictability to the commercial insurance marketplace could be adopted without sacrificing “one iota of consumer protection.”
Jun 19, 2006		The Council Strongly Supports Surplus Lines Reform Legislation, Calls for Swift House Action The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended Reps. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., and Dennis Moore, D-Kan., for introducing legislation to eliminate the disparity in regulation of surplus lines insurance on a state-by-state basis.
May 31, 2006		Group Medical Plan Costs Continue to Climb for All Sizes of Employers, The Council's Survey Shows All sizes of employers continued to experience rising costs for group medical coverage on account renewals during the past six months, with more businesses looking to high-deductible health plans as a means of keeping costs in check, according to the spring Employee Benefits Market Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
May 25, 2006		Three Top Executives Elected to Council Board of Directors Three top executives of insurance brokerages and agencies have been elected as new members of the Board of Directors of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, Council Chairman Charles R. Daniels III announced today.
Apr 25, 2006		The Council Says Lack of Effective Terrorism Risk Modeling Makes Government Involvement Mandatory The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers says the commercial insurance marketplace cannot effectively price and underwrite terrorism coverage because of lack of effective modeling, so any long-term solution to the terrorism risk coverage must involve the federal government.
Apr 19, 2006		Commercial P/C Rates Hold Flat or Drop Slightly for First Quarter 2006 Renewals, The Council's Survey Shows Commercial property/casualty rates were flat or fell slightly during the first quarter of 2006, with renewal premiums for half of all account sizes holding steady or dropping between 1 and 10 percent in the first three months of the year.
Apr 5, 2006		The Council Applauds Introduction of Optional Federal Charter Legislation The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended Sens. John Sununu, R-N.H., and Tim Johnson, D-S.D., for introducing legislation that would allow property/casualty and life insurers to choose to be regulated under either a state or federal system.
Apr 3, 2006		U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Puerto Rico's Appeal The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has refused to overturn a ruling striking down Puerto Rico’s controversial countersignature law that required non-resident commercial insurance brokers to have the countersignature of a Puerto Rico resident agent before they could do business on the island
Feb 27, 2006		The Council Challenges AIR Conclusions on Medical Malpractice The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Monday challenged the conclusions by a so-called consumer lobbying group that the malpractice insurance market has stabilized, saying the group has manipulated data in The Council’s quarterly commercial market surveys to justify a predetermined conclusion.
Jan 24, 2006		The Council's Fourth Quarter Market Survey Shows Wind, Flood Coverage Problems for Coastal Property Although the overall commercial property-casualty marketplace has seen little impact from the severe 2005 hurricane season, coastal property is experiencing a sharp increase in prices for wind and flood coverage, according to the latest Commercial Insurance Market Index Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jan 11, 2006		South Dakota Declines to Appeal Council Countersignature Victory; Decision Now Final The state of South Dakota has decided not to appeal a federal district court ruling late last year that held the state’s countersignature law unconstitutional, meaning out-of-state insurance brokers no longer need the involvement of a resident agent to conduct business there.
Jan 6, 2006		The Council Challenges Resident Licensing Requirement Imposed by Florida's 'Last Resort' Insurer The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers is challenging a Florida agency’s requirement that non-resident insurance brokers seeking to do business with the state’s insurer of last resort place risks through a Florida resident agent.

2005

Dec 20, 2005		The Council's Foundation Identifies Recipients of $125,000 in Hurricane Relief Aid for Louisiana, Mississippe The Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), an insurance industry educational foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, has identified the three relief agencies in Louisiana and Mississippi that will receive its previously announced grants to aid the Gulf Coast hurricane victims.
Nov 30, 2005		The Council Wins Another Countersignature Victory; Statute Now Eradicated in All 50 States A federal district court judge in South Dakota ruled Tuesday that the state's countersignature law is unconstitutional, giving The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers another victory in its efforts to eliminate all statutes that bar out-of-state insurance brokers from conducting business without the involvement of a resident agent.
Nov 28, 2005		The Council's Benefits Survey Shows Health Savings Accounts with HDHPs Gaining Traction in Marketplace After initial skepticism from employers, the concept of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) coupled with High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) is beginning to gain traction in the marketplace, according to the latest Employee Benefits Market Survey released today by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Nov 17, 2005		The Council Commends House, Senate Panels for Swift Action on Terrorism Insurance Backstop Extension The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee for their fast action on legislation that would extend the federal terrorism insurance backstop program beyond its Dec. 31, 2005, expiration date, and called for a conference between the two chambers to reconcile their differences.
Oct 27, 2005		New Report by FAME Explores HSA Features, Concerns Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) may be a valuable new tool to help employers save money on health care premium costs, but investigating and choosing such plans - and explaining them to employees - remains challenging, according to a new report released today by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 24, 2005		Commercial P/C Market Bracing for Katrina/Rita Impact, Council Market Survey Shows Commercial insurance brokers from across the country say so far, the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has been minimal, but they are bracing for higher prices, reduced capacity, increases in deductibles and tighter terms and conditions for property/casualty coverage as a result of the devastating GulfCoast storms.
Oct 12, 2005		Charlie Daniels Elected Chairman of The Council Charles R. (Charlie) Daniels III, executive vice president of Rose and Kiernan, Inc., of East Greenbush, N.Y., is the 2006 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Sep 6, 2005		Council Foundation to Donate $100,000 to Hurricane Relief A minimum of $100,000 will be donated to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts by the Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), an insurance industry educational foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jul 20, 2005		Council Releases Second Quarter 2005 Market Survey The commercial property/casualty market continued to soften during the second quarter of 2005, with commercial insurance brokers reporting that insurers are aggressively competing for new business and fighting hard to keep their renewals.
Jun 28, 2005		The Council's Market Survey Shows Group Medical Premiums Continue to Rise Premiums for employer-provided group medical benefits continued to increase at double-digit levels for 60 percent of small accounts (50 or fewer employees), half of the medium-sized accounts (51 to 500 employees) and close to one-third of the large accounts (501 or more employees) amid indications that the marketplace is becoming more receptive to consumer-driven health plans.
Jun 21, 2005		Survey Shows Voluntary Workplace Benefits Products Gaining Popularity Voluntary products are becoming an increasingly important part of employee benefit packages offered in the workplace, with 94 percent of leading commercial insurance brokers offering those products, nearly double the number engaged in voluntary sales just five years ago.
Jun 6, 2005		Brown & Brown's Paschke Elected New Chair of Council of Employee Benefits Executives Mike Paschke, executive vice president of Brown & Brown, Inc., is the new chair of The Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE), a standing committee of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers charged with overseeing the association’s services for member firms with employee benefit operations.
May 18, 2005		Spreading the Risks: Insuring the American Experience – Revised and in Paperback The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that an award-winning book on the history of the commercial insurance brokerage industry, Spreading the Risks: Insuring the American Experience, will be published in a revised paperback edition.
Apr 20, 2005		Commercial Property/Casualty Premium Rates Continue to Soften in First Quarter 2005 Commercial property/casualty premiums continued to soften during the first quarter of 2005, with the average rates for all sizes of accounts reaching their lowest levels since the commercial insurance market peaked in the fourth quarter of 2001.
Apr 19, 2005		The Council Responds to PIA Position The following statement is by Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, in response to “PIA National Takes Issue with Willis CEO's Comments - PIA's Brevik Defends Agent Compensation and Conduct,” dated April 18, 2005.
Apr 1, 2005		The Council Wins Lawsuit in Puerto Rico; Another Countersignature Statute Falls U.S. District Judge José Antonio Fusté today struck down Puerto Rico’s statute that prohibits non-resident insurance brokers from doing business on the Island without the countersignature of a resident agent.
Jan 24, 2005		Fourth Quarter Survey Shows Significant Softening in Commercial P/C Market More than 80 percent of small and large commercial property/casualty accounts and 90 percent of medium accounts found their insurance premiums either stable or down by as much as 20 percent during the 4th quarter of 2004, according to survey data released today by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.

2004

Dec 3, 2004		The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Endorses NAIC's Proposal on Broker Compensation Disclosure The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) is endorsing the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) proposed regulation calling for the full disclosure and transparency of commercial insurance brokers’ compensation arrangements.
Nov 23, 2004		Health Insurance Premiums Continue Upward Climb The cost of health insurance continued its upward climb for companies of all sizes, with more than half the smaller employers and two-thirds of the medium-size businesses finding their premiums 10-20 percent higher during the last six months than they were at the beginning of the year.
Nov 22, 2004		Leader's Edge Wins Folio Best Magazine, Design Awards Leader’s Edge, a magazine for the commercial insurance brokerage industry, has won top honors in two categories in the annual Folio Magazine Awards competition.
Nov 16, 2004		The Council Responds to Senate Subcommittee Hearing on Broker Compensation The following is a statement from Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, in response to testimony at Tuesday's hearing of the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Financial Management, the Budget and International Security.
Nov 15, 2004		The Council Disputes Characterization of Broker-Carrier Relationship as Adversarial The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers said today it is “misguided” to presume that brokers and insurance carriers must be in an adversarial relationship to best serve their commercial customers.
Nov 10, 2004		The Council Suggests Principles on Proposed Compensation Regulation to NAIC The following is the text of a letter sent to Diane Koken, president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, by Ken Crerar, president of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Nov 3, 2004		The Council Praises NAIC for Naming Task Force to Examine Broker Disclosure, Compensation Issues The following is the text of a letter sent Tuesday to Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Diane Koken, the president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, by Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 28, 2004		Council Statement on Broker Compensation The following is a statement from Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, on broker compensation.
Oct 20, 2004		Third Quarter Commercial P/C Premiums Continue to Drop Commercial property/casualty insurance premiums continued to decline significantly during the third quarter of this year, with two-thirds of all large and medium accounts experiencing drops of up to 20 percent and an additional 11 percent of large accounts seeing premiums down between 20-30 percent.
Oct 6, 2004		Hyatt Brown Elected Chairman of The Council J. Hyatt Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of Brown & Brown, Inc., of Daytona Beach, Fla., is the 2005 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Sep 30, 2004		The Council Announces Expansion of Global Market Opportunities for Members The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) announced today a major expansion of global market opportunities and information services for the association’s membership.
Sep 22, 2004		The Council Urges TRIA Extension, Passage of Regulatory 'Roadmap' in Senate Testimony Congress should move to extend the federal terrorism backstop beyond its Dec. 31, 2005, expiration date because the private marketplace is not prepared to take on the full risk posed by potentially catastrophic terrorism losses, according to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jul 21, 2004		The Council's Market Index Shows Continued Softening for Commercial P/C Insurance Market in Second Quarter The commercial property/casualty insurance market showed signs of continued softening in the second quarter of 2004, with one-third of the small accounts and more than half the medium and large accounts experiencing significant premium decreases.
Jun 15, 2004		The Council Files Federal Lawsuit to Strike Down Countersignature Statute in Puerto Rico The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers filed suit against the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico today challenging a statute that precludes non-resident insurance brokers from conducting business in Puerto Rico without the countersignature of a resident agent.
Jun 2, 2004		Benefits Brokers See Employer Interest in HSAs Growing As medical insurance premiums continue their rapid climb, employers across the country are showing considerable interest in new, high-deductible Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as a possible solution to the rising cost of worker health care.
Apr 26, 2004		The Council Says Placement Service Agreements (PSAs) Not an Issue, Notes Disclosure is Industry Standard The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers said today that Placement Service Agreements (PSAs) between commercial insurance brokers and the insurance carriers with which they do business are not an issue of concern in the industry.
Apr 19, 2004		Commercial P/C Market Continues to Ease During First Quarter of 2004, The Council's Survey Shows The commercial property/casualty market continued to ease across most lines during the first quarter of 2004, with the average premium increases for all sizes of accounts returning to the levels they were at the end of 1999, when the last soft market cycle was coming to an end.
Apr 8, 2004		The Council Praises NAIC Officials for Urging Fast Congressional Action to Extend Federal Terrorism Backstop The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers today commended the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for its decision to support an extension of the law creating a federal backstop for terrorism insurance.
Mar 31, 2004		Past Chairman of The Council Calls for Regulatory Reforms to Improve Competitiveness of Insurance Industry A past chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers told a House subcommittee today that Congress needs to take action to remove the burden of multiple state regulatory requirements on insurance brokers and carriers in the interest of long-term viability of the industry.
Mar 30, 2004		Council Survey: 80 Percent of Commercial Insurance Brokers Say TRIA Should Be Extended Beyond 2005 Eighty percent of the leading commercial property/casualty insurance brokers say the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) should be extended when it expires at the end of 2005, according to a survey released today by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Mar 18, 2004		The Council Urges West Virginia Governor to Sign Legislation Repealing Countersignature Statute The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers sent a letter today to West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise urging him to sign legislation approved by the West Virginia House and Senate repealing that state’s countersignature requirements for insurance brokers.
Mar 15, 2004		Council President Supports Oxley-Baker on Insurance Reform Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, issued a statement in response to a weekend speech by Rep. Michael Oxley, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, outlining the Oxley-Baker Insurance Regulatory Reform Roadmap.
Feb 10, 2004		The Council Files Federal Lawsuits to Strike Down Remaining Countersignature Statutes The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers filed suit in South Dakota, West Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands today challenging statutes that preclude out-of-state insurance brokers from conducting business in their jurisdictions without the countersignature of a resident agent.
Jan 21, 2004		Commercial Property/Casualty Rates in Fourth Quarter 2003 Suggest Price Competition is Returning to Insurance Market One-third of all commercial property/casualty accounts experienced insurance premiums that either held steady or dropped during the last three months of 2003 amid indications that carriers may be beginning to compete again on price.

2003

Nov 12, 2003		Group Medical Premiums Continue To Rise, Employers Search For Cost-Control Options, Council Survey Shows Premiums for group medical insurance continued their upward march during the last six months, with half of all small businesses and two-thirds of medium and large businesses experiencing price increases of 10 to 20 percent, according to the latest survey on benefit trends by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Nov 6, 2003		McKnight Calls for Fast Action on Interim Regulartory Reforms while Congress Debates Optional Federal Charter The chairman of the Government Affairs Committee of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers says Congress should enact a series of important, interim reforms that will eliminate inefficiencies and duplications in the state regulatory process as lawmakers move toward enactment of an optional federal charter for insurers.
Oct 22, 2003		Third Quarter Marks Return to Competition for Some Commercial Insurance Lines, Flattening of Premiums for Commercial Property Accounts The commercial insurance marketplace witnessed a return to competitive pricing for a number of lines during the third quarter of 2003 and flattening or decreasing premiums for commercial property coverage, according to the latest commercial market index released today by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 15, 2003		Frederick J. de Grosz Elected Council Chairman for 2004 Frederick J. de Grosz, president and chief executive officer of ABD Insurance and Financial Services, Inc., of Redwood City, Calif., is the 2004 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 3, 2003		Federal Judge Rules for Council, Strikes Down Florida Countersignature Law for Insurance Brokers In a major victory for members of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle has ruled that Florida's controversial countersignature law for insurance brokers is unconstitutional.
Sep 10, 2003		The Council's Education Foundation Releases New Report on Insurance Industry Solvency A new study by the Foundation for Agency Management Excellence (FAME), the nonprofit education foundation of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, says if state regulators move quickly to shut down insolvent insurance carriers, they can minimize harm to policyholders.
Aug 4, 2003		The Council Transfers Ownership of National Registry of Agents and Brokers to MGL Consulting The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers announced today that it has transferred ownership of its wholly owned subsidiary, the National Registry of Agents and Brokers, to MGL Consulting Corporation of The Woodlands, Texas.
Jul 31, 2003		Washington Book Publishers Honor 'Spreading the Risks' Spreading the Risks: Insuring the American Experience, by Jack Bogardus with Robert Moore, has won a 2003 Washington Book Publishers’ award for “Book Design and Effectiveness.”
Jul 22, 2003		The Council's Second Quarter Market Index Survey Finds Property/Casualty Premiums Flattening, Brokers Worrying About Insurer Solvency According to the latest Commercial Market Index Survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, there are signs that an appetite for new business is returning to the insurance marketplace after two years of tough underwriting and meteoric rate increases following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Jul 16, 2003		Falvey Named Chair of Council of Employee Benefits Executives; Karstetter Picked as Vice Chair William R. Wilkerson III, chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, has selected Charles J. Falvey, president of USI Insurance Services, New York, to chair the Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE) for the next two years.
Jun 3, 2003		Illinois Action on Agent Fees Penalizes Consumers, Businesses The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers today urged Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to use his line-item veto to strike a provision, added to a budget measure by the Illinois General Assembly, that creates a disparity in licensing fees for non-resident insurance agents and brokers.
May 28, 2003		Council Survey: Group Medical Rates Continue To Increase, Businesses Shift Costs To Employees To Control Costs One-half of all small, medium and large businesses have experienced premium increases of up to 20 percent for their group medical insurance coverage in the last six months, and employers are routinely shifting costs to their employees to try to offset the higher health-care expenses, according to a new market survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Apr 22, 2003		Premiums For Commerical P/C Moderate; Signs Market May Be Stabilizing Nineteen months after the World Trade Center attacks sent the market into turmoil, premium increases for commercial property/casualty insurance are moderating, and there are signs the marketplace is beginning to stabilize, according to the First Quarter 2003 Market Index survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Apr 11, 2003		Council Offers New Book Providing Historical Look at Insurance, Brokerage Industry A new book that offers a fascinating look at the evolution of the insurance industry and the brokerage business from colonial times to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center is being offered for sale by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers under a special arrangement with the author and publisher.
Mar 24, 2003		Many Commercial Interests Are Not Buying Terrorism Insurance, New Council Survey Shows Insurers are offering terrorism coverage, but many buildings, businesses and other commercial interests across the United States are not buying the insurance because they do not consider themselves targets of terrorism, the cost is too high or both, according to a special terrorism insurance survey conducted by The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.
Jan 30, 2003		Oral Arguments to be Held on Council's Lawsuit Challenging Florida Countersignature Law Oral arguments will be held Friday in Tallahassee, Fla., on a lawsuit filed by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers challenging Florida's law that precludes out-of-state insurance brokers from conducting business in the state without the counter-signature of a Florida resident agent.
Jan 22, 2003		Fourth Quarter 2002 Council Market Survey: Premiums Still on the Rise More than two-thirds of the small and medium-sized commercial property/casualty accounts and 59 percent of the large accounts experienced premium increases between 10 and 30 percent during the last three months of 2002, according to a survey of the nation’s leading insurance brokers.

2002

Dec 17, 2002		The Council Releases New Compensation Study for Commercial Agents, Brokers The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers has released a new study of compensation rates for insurance brokers handling commercial property/casualty, health/life and employee benefits lines.
Dec 17, 2002		Council Members Show Operating Profits, Productivity Increases in 2002 Members of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers reversed several years of small operating losses and reported an operating profit of 2.2 percent in their most recent business year, according to a new study of operating results released today.
Dec 11, 2002		Costs Up, Options Less Generous For Employer-Sponsored Medical Plans, New Council Employee Benefits Survey Shows The cost of employer-sponsored group medical insurance has continued on an upward trajectory during the second half of 2002, with three-fourths of small, medium and large accounts experiencing double-digit increases of up to 30 percent, according to a new survey by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Oct 25, 2002		The Council Releases Third Quarter 2002 Market Index Top commercial insurance brokers, noting insurers have been buffeted by terrorist attacks, stock market woes and increasing environmental hazard claims, have cast their eyes ahead to the coming year and voiced concern that if economic conditions do not improve, the industry’s financial viability could be in jeopardy.
Oct 7, 2002		The Council's Chairman Calls for Passage of Commercial Insurance Terrorism Backstop John L. Van Osdall, 2002 Chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, opened the 89th Insurance Leadership Forum at the Greenbrier this morning, calling on the industry and the Congress to continue to push for the federal terrorism backstop.
Oct 7, 2002		Insurance Experts Predict Another Year of Hard Markets, Voice Concern About Inadequate Reserves Expert insurance analysts said Sunday that the industry will remain in a hard market through 2003, but they questioned whether carriers have the discipline to maintain across-the-board 15-20 percent rate increases in 2004 even though they are needed to help recover from past under-pricing.
Oct 7, 2002		William R. Wilkerson Elected 2003 Council Chairman William R. Wilkerson III, chairman and chief executive officer of Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, Inc., a retail brokerage headquartered in Shawnee Mission, Kan., is the 2003 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Sep 17, 2002		Van Osdall Renews Call for Optional Federal Charter The following statement was delivered today by John Van Osdall, CPCU, senior vice president of USI Insurance Services Corp., during a roundtable discussion with members of the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises.
Sep 16, 2002		The Council's President Calls for Removal of International Trade Barriers Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, has urged the ongoing international trade talks for the service industry to place a priority on substantial reductions in barriers to the placement of insurance for intermediaries, and to take significant steps to liberalize the global insurance market.
Sep 10, 2002		Council Statement on the NAIC's Certification of NARAB Reciprocity Threshold The National Association of Insurance Commissioners officially certified that 35 states have met the reciprocity threshold established in the NARAB provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act - six more than the minimum necessary of 29.
Jul 18, 2002		A Hard Market in Real Distress, The Council’s Second Quarter 2002 Rate Survey Shows The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers released its second quarter Commercial Insurance Market Index, documenting the deep and deepening distress of the commercial insurance market.
Jun 18, 2002		Council Chairman Calls on Congress to Continue Pushing for Reform of the Insurance Regulatory System John L. Van Osdall, chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, told a House financial services subcommittee today that although progress has been made in modernizing the insurance regulatory system, Congress still must press the states to improve the way they regulate insurance.
Jun 18, 2002		The Council Commends Bi-Partisan Senate Passage of Terrorism Insurance Package Ken A. Crerar, president of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, issued this statement upon Senate passage this afternoon of the Terrorism Insurance Bill (S 2600).
Jun 17, 2002		The Council's President to Join Other Industry Leaders in Support of Optional Federal Charter for Insurers Ken A. Crerar, president of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, today joined the CEOs of American Insurance Association, the American Bankers Insurance Association, the American Council of Life Insurers, and the Financial Services Roundtable to announce the organizations will unite behind a push for legislation to create a national charter for insurance providers.
Jun 11, 2002		The Council to File Suit in Florida and Nevada Seeking End to Regulatory Insurance Protectionism Yesterday afternoon, The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (The NAIC) NARAB Working Group indicated that it would certify by the end of June 2002 that at least 29 states meet the nonresident producer licensing reciprocity requirements found in the NARAB provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
May 22, 2002		Costs of Group Health Plans and Medical Benefits Rising Group health plans and other medical-related benefits are becoming so expensive that employers are actively seeking ways to cut back on the coverage they offer and are engaging in significant cost-shifting to employees to keep premiums down, according to a new survey of market conditions by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
May 2, 2002		Top Broker Trade Group Urges Congress to Establish Federal Backstop Recently, there have been statements in the press and on Capitol Hill indicating that 75 percent to 85 percent of all commercial accounts have found adequate terrorism insurance coverage.
Apr 17, 2002		Council Statement on IIABA Name Change As the 2002 Chairman of the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, I am hopeful that the decision to broaden the name of the Independent Insurance Agents of America (to the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America) will broaden that association's public advocacy positions to reflect the issues which are of concern to large insurance agencies and brokerage firms.
Apr 16, 2002		Commercial Insurance Market Index Indicates Need For Federal Terrorism Backstop The Council’s Commercial Insurance Market Index for the first quarter 2002, released today, confirms last week’s announcement by President Bush that Congress’ failure to enact a federal backstop for terrorist acts is spreading distress deep into the nation’s economy.
Feb 5, 2002		Bowman Promoted, New Professionals Appointed to The Council's Staff Alison E. Bowman, ARM, director of membership for The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers for the past three years, has been promoted to vice president for member services for The Council.
Jan 16, 2002		Commercial Insurance Market Index Documents Signs of Market Distress The insurance industry is showing the first signs of distress in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, with major commercial property/casualty premiums uniformly on the upswing and confusion in the market as carriers try to decide what they can and cannot cover and at what price.

2001

Oct 24, 2001		Commercial Insurance Market Index – Third Quarter Data Released According to the third quarter Commercial Insurance Market Index released today – reflecting market observations of the largest commercial insurance brokers across the nation -- commercial insurance premium rates increased last quarter for all account sizes and across all property/casualty lines.
Jul 24, 2001		Second Quarter 2001 Commercial Insurance Market Index -- National and Regional Data Released According national and regional data from The Council’s 2nd quarter Commercial P/C Market Index, released today, commercial insurance premium rates surged forward last quarter with double digit increases in the five property/casualty lines.
May 3, 2001		Hard Market Commercial P/C Rate Trends Continue in First Quarter of 2001 The Council’s Commercial P/C Market Index for first quarter 2001, released today, shows rate increases in the commercial property/casualty market continued to rise at the pace set in the final quarter of 2000.
Jan 29, 2001		Commercial P/C Rates Hardened in 2000 Through its fourth quarter 2000 Commercial Insurance Market Index, released today, The Council reported commercial property/casualty premium rates across all lines of the business and group medical coverage rose significantly over the last year.

2000

Nov 17, 2000		Commercial P/C Rates Continue to Harden Through its Commercial Insurance Market Index for the third quarter 2000, released today, The Council reported property-casualty rates for small, medium, and large commercial lines continued to rise between July 1 renewals and September 30, 2000.
Aug 18, 2000		Commercial P/C Rates Continue Upward, The Council’s Market Index Reveals Commercial property-casualty rates continued to spiral upwards across the country, reports The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Jun 1, 2000		Commercial P/C Rates Continue To Harden In 2000; Prices Continue to Rise in 4 of 5 Lines of Coverage Commercial property/casualty rates across the country continued to harden during the second quarter of 2000, according to the Commercial Insurance Market Index published by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
Mar 6, 2000		Commercial P/C Rates Hardening, The Council’s New Market Index Reveals After a prolonged soft commercial insurance market, property/casualty rates across the country have slightly hardened over the last year for accounts of every size, according to the new Commercial Insurance Market Index published by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.