Wednesday, September 2, 2009

NATIONAL NEWS ZONE......

A study of agent compensation and management practices for property/casualty insurance companies is being conducted by Ward Group.

The results of the survey will provide information regarding agency compensation practices, commission structures, incentive awards, travel and other data related to agent management practices. This insurance company survey is free of charge to Ward Group clients and a summary of results will be made available to all participating individuals. Companies may also contact Ward Group to see if they are eligible for discounted or waived participation fees through membership with Ward alliance organizations.

This study will be conducted from Sept. 1 – Oct. 15, 2009 and results will be distributed by December 1, 2009. Participants are invited to attend a webinar presentation on the study’s findings conducted by Ward Group in December.

To participate or to request more information on the survey, contact Vince Albers at valbers@wardinc.com.


  • A recent analysis of the latest government data by the American Insurance Association (AIA) shows that auto and traffic safety efforts over the past 40 years have significantly reduced the number of accident-related injuries and fatalities.

  • Recently released federal highway data shows a continuing drop in motor vehicle fatality rates over the 40-year period from 1968 to 2008, as well as a decline in the motor vehicle traffic injury rate despite an increase in vehicle miles traveled.

  • For example, Americans drove close to one trillion miles in 1968, compared to nearly 3 trillion in 2008. Over those four decades, the motor vehicle traffic fatality rate dropped from 5.19 deaths per-100 million vehicles miles traveled in 1968 to a record-low 1.27 deaths per-100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2008. Additionally, over the past 20 years the injury rate has dropped from 169 injuries per-100 million vehicle miles traveled in 1988 to 80 injuries per-100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2008. By examining the underlying rates rather than simply looking at the total number of deaths and injuries, these statistics take into account any fluctuations in vehicle miles traveled and show that improved safety measures are the leading cause for the pronounced reduction in fatalities and injuries.

  • AIA’s analysis goes a step further to highlight how the safety-promoting efforts of the insurance industry and other groups have made a critical difference. By looking at the current year vehicle miles traveled and using the fatality rate of historical years, AIA has estimated the amount of people that would have been killed or injured had there been no improvements at all in vehicle and traffic safety. Even with these positive trends, drivers should always drive defensively.

  • A copy of AIA’s analysis can be found at: http://www.aiadc.org/AIAdotNET/docHandler.aspx?DocID=327085

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