Posts by becca

6 Things Insurance Agencies Should Review Before Year-End December may mark the end of the calendar year, but September is a much better time to start looking at how your agency is likely to finish it. By the time year-end results arrive, many of the factors behind them are already set. A few hours spent…

A New Attack Is Targeting Microsoft Teams By: Lamar Garrett | Redbird Security Attackers are finding ways to exploit gaps, and they have moved from email to Microsoft Teams. A new attack, identified just last week, called SynkLoader, is distributed through Teams. It starts with a message from what looks like IT, asking you to…

Create Optimism: Turning Market Challenges into Sales and Service Opportunities “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~Winston Churchill For insurance professionals, optimism is not wishful thinking—it is a practical discipline. Today’s clients are navigating affordability concerns, coverage questions, climate-related risk, claims frustration, and a rapidly…

Be Prepared For Carrier Cybersecurity Audits By Lamar Garrett, Redbird Security There is a conversation starting to happen between carriers and their appointed agencies that most agencies don’t know is coming. It is not a renewal discussion. It is not a market access negotiation. It is a cybersecurity audit. The agencies that are not prepared…

E&O Tip: Know What Activities an Unlicensed CSR Can Peform In general, unlicensed Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are not able to sell, solicit, bind, or negotiate insurance, nor should they recommend, interpret, or discuss coverages with clients. They can act as a go-between for the licensed producer and the client for certain activities – however, matters such…

When Someone from the Cable Company Stops By, Do You Let Them In? Cyber Security Tip: This can happen at work or at your home By Gabriel Ness, Vieth Consulting A secretary unknowingly gave a con artist access to her law firm’s server room when a total stranger showed up in a Comcast Cable shirt…

Dear Consumer: Before you buy insurance online, read this… DEAR CONSUMER: BEFORE YOU BUY INSURANCE ONLINE, READ THIS…  By April Tarras In today’s digital age, almost everything can be purchased online—from groceries to vacation packages. Insurance providers have also made it possible for consumers to buy policies with just a few clicks. While the convenience is undeniable, there are…

Demotech: Systemic tech-driven lawsuit practices destabilize U.S. insurance markets A new and rapidly expanding threat is undermining the stability of U.S. insurance markets: tech-enabled litigation instigation. Since about 2017, AI-driven search manipulation, phishing emails, data scraping, and automated outreach have redirected storm-affected property owners into litigation pathways—often without any awareness that they bypassed their insurer’s…

2025 Company Representative of the Year: Mike Tietz Company Representative of the Year, awarded by the PIA of Wisconsin Board of Directors, recognizes a company representative who goes above and beyond to support independent agents and exemplifies outstanding service and dedication to the insurance community. Mike Tietz of IMT Insurance Company was awarded this honor…

Jon Strom Named Stony Steinbach Award Winner for 2025 The Stony Steinbach Achievement Award is presented each year to a PIA of Wisconsin member who embodies the same energy, efficiency, and enthusiasm that its first leader brought to the organization for more than forty years. It’s one of our most meaningful honors — not just…