Date of Award
1990
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Business Administration
Department
Business
First Advisor
Daniel W. Kemper
Second Advisor
James D. Evans
Third Advisor
Joseph Ancona
Abstract
This thesis will focus on the study of the small independent insurance agent and a method to survive in the 1990's.
The small independent insurance agency is faced with a number of problems which may jeopardize the future existence of the independent system as we know it today. These concerns include: lack of market availability; higher premium volumes required by the insurance companies; intense competition from direct writers, captive agents, and national brokerage houses; increased office and operating expenses; and a perpetuation plan £or the business in the event of death, disability or retirement.
Many agents feel that in order to survive, they need to represent more companies in their agency. They want to have enough volume with each company to develop clout. They desire better commission contracts and profit-sharing agreements. They would like to spend more time selling and less time servicing existing accounts and managing the office, and, to make more money.
The purpose of the present study is to investigate agency clustering as a method of operation to meet the needs and concerns of the independent agent . Specifically, it is hypothesized that agency clustering offers the benefits of expertise and financial reward . It should be considered a viable alternative for the survival of the independent agency system.
Six independent insurance agencies participated in the study . The subjects completed a questionnaire and data were obtained on basic agency organizational information; company premium volumes and loss ratios; gross revenues to the agency; physical plant; automation; and general concerns about current market conditions. Data were analyzed and compared to the 1988 Agency Performance Results Study.
Results of the analysis produced evidence to suggest that the hypothesis be rejected because the financial rewards of agency clustering are not as great as anticipated. There would be non-financial benefits to joining a cluster, while it is felt that only 20 to 30% a£ the independent insurance agencies would benefit from an agency cluster.
Recommended Citation
Klein, Donald L., "Agency Clustering: A Method to Survive the 1990's as a Small Independent Insurance Agency" (1990). Theses. 927.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/927
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.