In the early 1800s America’s first insurance trades were rising out of chaos. They were local boards of independent agents-their birth encouraged by insurers craving order and consistency for rates and underwriting gone amuck.
Later, before and long after America’s antitrust laws, carriers cannibalized each other, and often through their cartels, turned on their own agents.

This inspiring story is about the launch and maturation of one small state cartel formed to protect Florida’s local fire agents from all manner of threat. Florida’s Local Underwriters Association took on more than its counterparts in other states. Early on, more was expected. And more was achieved. In every direction, Florida’s local agents had the awards to prove they were the first and the best.

In typical fashion their cartel changed itself and then changed the industry’s competitive paradigm away from cartels altogether. This story intrigues. It teaches. And...more important, it tells the untold tale of the surprising contributions of independent agents to each other, to their industry and the consuming public.

After earning a degree in Business Administration from Stetson University, Scott Johnson’s entire career has been all about insurance, starting with two years at the Florida DOI followed by twenty-nine in service to Florida’s independent agents holding virtually every staff position with the FAIA.

Scott’s father, Tom Johnson, was the President of the FAIA for 37 years beginning in 1947. It is because of this lifelong commitment and leadership role that makes Scott uniquely qualified to write this history, From Cartels to Competition. As an example, at this writing, Scott is 54. He has attended 52 FAIA annual meetings.

Scott Johnson is a sought-after public speaker who has lectured widely on a wide variety of insurance and association management topics. He has served on numerous company panels and industry committees and is currently on the Board of Governors for Florida’s Auto JUA. From Cartels to Competition is vintage Scott Johnson-exhaustive research, stimulating and well-choreographed writing and insightful, often ground-breaking opinions.

About the Cover:
The American Agency system brought the need for cooperative advertising between company and agent. Such began in the 1700s when “Fire Marks” and other memorabilia were used to fashion signs that hung in local agents offices. These signs told the public which companies the agency represented and in an era before guaranty funds and rating bureaus, they often featured reassuring financial information as well. The cover and each chapter heading displays many of the signs given to P&C agents by their companies prior to 1940. By using the identifying number (corner of each sign) readers can consult the appendix to learn the background and the manufacturers details of each sign, compliments of The Fire Mark Circle of the Amercias.