An independent insurance agency owner with an office in New York is among the new leadership installed to lead the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big I).

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would extend the National Flood Insurance Program for five years.

The U.S. Senate has joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing a bill that will repeal the 1099 tax reporting requirements imposed on businesses with federal health reform.

Two congressmen have introduced legislation that would exclude agent commissions from the medical loss ratios included in the federal health reform law.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure calling for an extension of Bush-era tax cuts for people making less than $250,000 a year.

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York (IIABNY) åis challenging an argument by a Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) official about the role of contingent commissions.

The U.S. Senate approved an extension to the National Flood Insurance Program to Sept. 30, ending a month-long program lapse.

An insurance trade group sent what it calls a “pointed letter” to Congress, urging the immediate passage of a National Flood Insurance Program funding and a long-term extension.

The U.S. Senate’s passage of financial services reform May 20 has drawn the praise of two insurance industry trade groups, both pleased to see that senators deemed property-casualty insurance different than other financial service sectors.

Erie Insurance has joined a collaboration of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big I) and other independent agency companies, citing the benefit of building strong relationships with others in the industry.