ALLSTATE MAY CUT AGENT NUMBERS BY 20% BY 2013, SAYS ASSN

Illinois-based Allstate could be preparing to cut between 3,200 and 3,300 agents by 2013, equal to a 20% cull, according to Jim Fish, executive director of the National Association of Professional Allstate Agents. Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, Mr Fish said that Allstate's new agency targets included generating annual premiums of $4m per location, one licensed employee for every 1,000 policies, and loyalty targets. "The company wants to get rid of agents who aren't actively producing new business", Mr Fish claimed, adding that "they're not interested in keeping those agents because they think they can service those policies at a call centre".