Author: completebodyneeds

In last month’s column, I made the case for carefully reviewing policy deliverables in order to identify exclusionary forms and, if possible, remove or replace them with less onerous endorsements. That column focused on examples of ISO Commercial General Liability (CGL) forms. This month, let’s examine some ISO Commercial Property (CP) forms. Unlike ISO’s CGL forms, ISO’s CP forms really don’t have a specific form number category for exclusionary forms, so identifying problem endorsements is a little tougher. Let’s start with the CP 10 36 – Limitations on Coverage For Roof Surfacing. This form was introduced in ISO’s 2012 countrywide…

By Mike Scott For The Bulow Group, being a great place to work starts with a straightforward philosophy: take care of the people who take care of the clients. Founded in the Chicago area in 2013 by brothers Tom and Mike Bulow, the Tinley Park, Illinois-based commercial insurance brokerage has built its business around relationships, proactive risk management, and personalized service. The firm also has an affiliate office in Denver and partnerships across the country. The Bulow Group provides commercial insurance, risk management, consulting, and employee benefits services to businesses in a wide range of industries, from construction and manufacturing…

By Anna Wilder A federal judge in Texas last month struck down a 1930s law imposed regulations on firearm suppressors and guns that are considered the most dangerous, more than a year after President Donald Trump signed a bill eliminating taxes on those items. The ruling could allow firearm owners to purchase firearm suppressors — known as silencers — short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and other certain firearms without registration, while also removing a layer of background checks. Last year, Republicans eliminated a $200 tax on those devices under Trump’s massive tax and spending cut bill. The regulations are required under…

I have been writing about the insurance risks of intoxicating hemp products since 2021, when delta-8 THC gummies first started showing up in convenience stores and gas stations across the country. Back then, our message to the cannabis, hemp and insurance industries was simple. These products violate the spirit, if not the actual letter, of the 2018 Farm Bill, and the cannabis and hemp industries and their insurers should be wary of a government response. Well, a response from Congress took more than five years, but the response has teeth. The Federal Ban Congress rewrote the federal definition of hemp…

Declarations

Small Business Satisfaction

The personal lines insurance market is becoming increasingly competitive. After several years of volatility, carriers are returning to growth-oriented strategies and investing heavily in advertising to attract new business. In 2025 alone, the industry spent over $14 billion on insurance advertising, much of it centered on price. Those messages are reaching homeowners at a time when rising costs across many areas of daily life are prompting a closer look at household expenses, including insurance. With this background, it would be easy to assume that price has become the primary factor driving insurance purchasing decisions. However, findings from The Hanover’s 2026…

By Chad Hemenway USI Insurance Services has sued three former producers, who “reneged on their contractual obligations” in a move to competitor Howden US, the brokerage alleged. According to an August lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, producers Peter Dunst, William Seidler, and Jacob Spencer resigned on June 1 to join Howden US Specialty who, in the words of USI, is a “known raider of insurance brokers.” Multiple brokers have suits filed against former employees and Howden. Allegations include violations of employees contracts, taking clients, and stealing confidential information. In the USI suit, the…

By William Rabb Oakbridge Insurance has grown a bit in the last six years– from four agencies in Georgia to more than 50 offices across nine states. It now has almost $200 million in revenue and more than 750 employees. “When you say that out loud, it’s like, ‘Wow. That’s a big business,’” said CEO and Co-founder Matt James. But for Oakbridge, the focus has never been solely on size, but has been on its employees, especially as the company has grown steadily through multiple acquisitions in recent years, James explained. “We wanted to meet people in their communities and…

The Alabama Supreme Court has opened the window a little wider into insurance carriers’ claims-handling procedures, not only requiring them to be made available in some lawsuits but also to be shared with plaintiffs’ lawyers in similar litigation. The high court’s decision, in a side issue in Foor vs. State Farm, tempered a lower court’s order requiring State Farm to share trade-secret information on how damage estimates are reduced. The Bullock County Circuit Court’s 2025 decision, in a homeowners’ roof claim dispute, is the latest skirmish in the multi-state war of words between adjusters and policyholder advocates on one side…