Chicagoland SIA Blog

Have you ever felt misunderstood? We all have. That’s why perception checking is such an important skill. Simply put, perception-checking involves directly asking another person for clarity to ensure you’re understanding what they’re trying to say with their words or body language.

Facing an E&O insurance claim is a lot like an IRS audit. It’s something you really want to avoid. It’s time-consuming, unsettling and uncomfortable. In today’s litigious business environment, it’s a great time to review some of the most effective ways to reducing your E&O risk as well as provide a strong defense in the event a claim is made against you:

What are your agency’s goals for 2022? If you’re looking to make some new goals for a new year, we have some ideas. Here are some ways to help your agency to grow and succeed in the coming year:

Looking for some great ways to grow your insurance agency? Whether you’re a new agent or have been in the insurance industry for a while, there are a number of simple ways to increase your agency’s revenue. Which of these strategies are you employing in your agency?

Running an insurance agency is no small feat. If you ask the U.S. Small Business Administration, they’ll tell you that one-third of all new companies fail in the first two years. Half of all new businesses make it four years, and only 40 percent survive for six years or more. So how do businesses survive? And more importantly, how do they thrive? A recent study by Gallup found that a business’s ability to make it over the hump has much to do with leadership. Although there are numerous factors that influence success, Gallup found that the quality of an organization’s leadership has more to do with its longevity than any other factor. In its research, Gallup has found that companies that survive over the long term have leaders that share the following key characteristics:

Did you know that slips and falls are two of the most common causes of injury during the winter months? Rain, ice and snow all can dramatically increase the likelihood that you or one of your employees will end up injured. One of the best ways to avoid a serious injury? Walk like a penguin. It’s easy. Simply spread your feet out a bit to increase your center of gravity and take small steps. Next time you are out on an icy sidewalk, try it. Here are some other suggestions to help prevent wintertime slips and falls:

Chances are, you have a significant number of customers who either have a teen driver in their household or will have one soon. Those families are going to have questions about protecting their teens and also will be looking for ways to keep their auto insurance costs under control. It’s a fact: As a group, teenagers cost more to insure than adults. That’s due, of course, to the fact that teen drivers are the riskiest age group to insure. The risk of motor vehicle accidents is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. They are nearly three times more likely to crash than older drivers.