How has the environment changed for independent insurance agents wanting to open small offices?
It’s probably a good opportunity for an office to start up. The insurance business is traditionally in cycles. The market has definitely turned soft again, so the insurance companies are looking for opportunities to distribute their products through agents, and it’s probably a good time in the environment for independent agencies to start. How will tort reform legislation affect the insurance industry? Well, it’s difficult to predict exactly how it’s going to be. But when you consider that claims drive up cost and costs have to be translated into premiums, the reforms are going to lower costs and thereby lower premiums. But whether it happens immediately remains to be seen. What do you think can be done to stop the recent flow of lawsuits against insurers by physicians and specialty hospitals? Well, we’ve seen a couple of cases, two or three. That’s hardly a flow of lawsuits. But we regard the allegations in those lawsuits very seriously, and we’re going to continue to monitor these as
