Insurance Banter with Burand & Borup

For decades, agency owners have been told that growth requires hiring more people, adding more technology, and building larger teams. But what if the opposite is true? In this episode of Insurance Banter with Burand & Borup , Chris Burand and Paul Borup are joined by agency management experts Mary Belka and Cheryl Koch of Agency Management Resource Group. With more than 30 years of consulting...

In this episode of Insurance Banter , we sit down with Kevin Donoghue, Founder of Mystic Capital Advisors, to unpack what’s really happening in the insurance agency M&A market. From collapsing public broker multiples to AI-driven staffing cuts, Kevin shares insider insight into how agency valuations are changing and what sellers need to know before entering the market. We also dive into:  Why...

Episode Summary: Chris and Paul are joined by Jerry Messick of Unity Captive to explore the realities of captive insurance—beyond the polished sales pitches. They break down when captives are a powerful tool for risk management and profitability—and when they can lead to serious financial and regulatory trouble. Captive insurance is often sold as a silver bullet—but is it a smart risk strategy or...

In this episode of Insurance Banter , Chris and Paul sit down with Greg Burton, former CEO of BrickStreet Insurance, to unpack one of the most remarkable turnaround stories in the insurance industry. Greg shares how he stepped into a failing workers’ compensation system in West Virginia—losing $1 million per day with billions in unfunded liabilities —and helped lead its transformation into a succe...

The insurance industry markets expertise, but in many states the legal standard of care says something else: agents often aren’t required to advise clients what to buy, and the insured is expected to read and understand the policy anyway. That’s not professionalism. That’s outsourcing risk to the least-informed party in the transaction. Chris and Paul go straight at the contradiction: we mandate C...

In today’s episode, Chris sits down with Jon Persky (Optimum Performance Solutions) to unpack what’s actually happening in the insurance agency M&A market—and what agency owners keep getting wrong when buyers come knocking. You’ll also hear a blunt breakdown of the biggest risk in today’s deals: taking part of the purchase price in buyer stock —especially when it’s not liquid, not publicly tra...

In this episode of Insurance Banter , Paula and Chris welcome back Mark Robinson for a practical conversation on how agents and brokers should respond to Department of Insurance (DOI) consumer complaints —and why these letters should be taken seriously, even when the complaint feels minor or “garden variety.”  What You’ll Learn What a Department of Insurance complaint actually is (and what it’s no...

In this episode, we sit down with one of the most effective insurance lobbyists in the industry to talk about why insurance keeps losing the public narrative, why honesty and expertise matter more than money, and what happens when even insurance executives stop believing in their own product. Show Notes Why insurance lobbying keeps losing: Too few resources, too much territory, and “hired-gun” lob...

Chris and Paul are joined by Jim Caragher from the CIB Group (https://thecibgroup.com/) to chat about producer recruitment.   Producers don’t fail—systems do. Why agencies that rely on luck and “shovel-ready” hires struggle, while those with real sales playbooks see 70%+ success rates. Why recruiting outside insurance works. How proven B2B salespeople from other industries thrive when given struct...

Chris and Paul are Joined by Jeff Mango from AM Best.  They discuss the growth of MGAs/MGUs and other Delegated Underwriting Authority entities in the market.  Those types of operations now make up a material portion of the insurance distribution network and this discussion will help you better understand the shifts in the marketplace.  

Chris and Paul are joined by Frank Pennachio to discuss the often unrecognized risk in self-funded health plans and his new book The Silent Danger. 

Chris and Paul welcome Don Grimm from Archer Actuarial to the podcast. They discuss what impact, both direct and indirect,  the recent tariffs will have on the insurance industry.   If you'd like more information on the educational offerings Don mentioned, please feel free to reach out directly to him: (215) 205-9425 Don. Grimm@ArcherActuarial.com https://archeractuarial.com/

Insurance policies are long and complex.  At the time of a claim, one section is especially important, understanding your duties as a policyholder.  Mara Essick from Merlin Law Group joins Chris and Paul to talk about some of those responsibilities and their importance.   You can learn more about Mara here:  https://www.merlinlawgroup.com/attorneys/mara-essick-esq/ Mara's article discussed in...

Jason Bogart and Bo Eaton from Deep Customer Connections join the podcast to talk about underwriting flexibility...what it is, what carriers get wrong when developing go to market strategies, and more!

Chris and Paul discuss the recent whitepaper disclosure in the Florida Legislature along with the current state of the homeowners market.   A few key topics:  Are people served better when a regulator reduces standards? Is the industry living up to it's responsibility to the public? The rising trend of people not buying property coverage

Chris and Paul are joined by Katherine Hempstead.  They discuss her book Uncovered: The Story of Insurance in America. The conversation touches on the NAIC, The Affordable Care Act, Gaps between what people want to buy and what is actually offered in the market place, and why people have hostile attitudes against insurance companies. Katherine has graciously provided the following discount code (t...

Chris and Paul caught up in February to discuss the state of the insurance market, where the inefficiencies are, and what needs to be addressed to make improvements going forward.   Also, this is the first episode where we used AI to edit...let us know what you think!

Chris and Paul are joined by Brad Roblin, the founder/owner of Pro Workforce Performance. They discuss how Brad took the tools he learned in professional baseball to improve every industry, including yours! How can a business improve their human factors, no matter the environment?  What can a business owner be game planning with their risk management team to give them a competitive edge? All this...

We are back!  2025 has been busier than ever and we have a solid pipeline of episodes that are sure to make you better insurance professionals. Chris and Paul are joined by Jim Gardner from ViewSpection to talk about how agencies can become more proactive in the inspection process.   They discuss how to mitigate premium increases, help clients at the time of a claim, and improve relationships with...

Chris and Paul are welcome Bill Teubel to the podcast to discuss Producer/Employee development. The 'evergreen' problem in the insurance industry is talent development and Bill has developed the best platform that Chris and Paul have seen.  They explore how to purposefully develop people in your organization.    Bill's platform can truly transform your organization with REAL and ACT...

Chris and Paul review 2024 and go out on a limb to prognosticate on what 2025 has in store for the insurance industry. 

Chris and Paul are joined by Mary Guzman from Crown Jewel Insurance. They discuss: What is a trade secret Why the most valuable asset many businesses have isn't covered in the tradtional marketplace The risks and costs many of your clients and prospects have when it comes to trade secrets You can learn more about Mary and her firm at www.crownjewelinsurance.com.  Shoot them an email at info@c...

Don Phin joins Insurance Banter to chat about HR issues in agencies.  Memorable quotes include: A fair days wage isn't what you say it is...it's what the market says it is You need to move from expectations to agreements Put water cooler conversations on the calendar for remote employees If you'd like to get in touch with Don, please check out his website at https://www.donphin.com/...

Chris Boggs joins Insurance Banter to talk about: As an agent, is it better to advise on coverage or price? Why he chose to move into consulting The current state of continuing education and more Chris built a long career as an agent, a carrier employee, an educator and an insurance book author.  No matter how long you've been in the industry, you will gain some valuable insight from this con...

Adam Klug of Specialized Recruiting Group joins Chris and Paul to talk about: Identifying the right talent for your team Why an Employee Value Proposition is so valuable Creative ways to find the right talent for your team.