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Wolf of Property Casualty

Wolf of Property Casualty

Derek Laczniak 52 Episodes Oct 11, 2026

The commercial property and casualty industry is desperate for a fresh voice. This podcast features a 15 year industry retail broker who grew a book of business to over $4M in commission but faced personal struggles and bad decisions, essentially the rise and fall of a 1% producer. The podcast aims to attack P&C concepts in a short format aimed at three target audiences - Brokers, Insurance Carrier Representatives, and Insurance Buyers. Authentic, real talk, from someone passionate for the business.

Episodes

Actual Loss Sustained Business Income: What It Covers and What It Costs
Actual Loss Sustained Business Income: What It Covers and What It Costs Oct 11, 2026 00:09:44 Actual loss sustained business income means no worksheet, no coinsurance and no dollar limit. Derek walks through four considerations for brokers (time period, extra expense, coinsurance, and burden of proof), plus three carrier realities, including why ALS often costs more than a stated limit. A practical listen for brokers, buyers and carriers who quote or buy business income coverage.
Payback Period: The CFO Language Every Broker Should Use on Deductible Changes
Payback Period: The CFO Language Every Broker Should Use on Deductible Changes Oct 9, 2026 00:04:29 Buyers are CFOs, so talk like one. Derek walks through payback period as a simple, consistent way to evaluate deductible and SIR changes. Under five years is generally worth it; over five, the premium savings don’t justify the extra risk. He runs two property examples ($10K to $25K deductible, $5,000 vs. $2,500 in savings) and explains why you should quote multiple deductibles on every account, ev
The Apology Tour: What My Former Clients Told Me They Miss
The Apology Tour: What My Former Clients Told Me They Miss Oct 7, 2026 00:11:13 I spent the summer on an apology tour, meeting former customers to apologize for my disruption. What they told me had nothing to do with price or coverage. They missed my opinion.In this episode, I break down why brokers practice insurance and why that means taking a position, putting it in writing, and defending it. I walk through the premium summary format I used at every renewal: expiring, rene
Commissions to Convictions: The Invisible Hand Nobody Puts on the Comp Plan
Commissions to Convictions: The Invisible Hand Nobody Puts on the Comp Plan Oct 1, 2026 00:08:04 Every sales organization has an invisible hand: a motivator that isn't on the comp plan, but shapes how people behave. For me, it was the chance to earn equity as a partner in an insurance brokerage. It made me better, and it made me ruthless, overworked, and a little maddened. In this Commissions to Convictions episode, I use Adam Smith's invisible hand theory to unpack the hidden incenti
OSHA Doesn't Work for Free
OSHA Doesn't Work for Free Sep 30, 2026 00:10:06 OSHA is a four-letter word, and Derek loves it. Drawing on years working with manufacturers and food producers, he covers the truths about OSHA that brokers and buyers need to know: why most mock audits fall short, what triggers an inspection, how to handle an unannounced visit, and why citations aren't insurable. He also explains why the smartest move isn't always paying the fine. Sometim
Stock Sale or Asset Sale?
Stock Sale or Asset Sale? Sep 29, 2026 00:11:35 Buying a company? The first question any insurance professional should ask is: stock sale or asset sale?In this episode of The Wolf of Property & Casualty, Derek Laczniak breaks down how deal structure changes the insurance conversation for buyers, sellers, and the brokers who serve them. He walks through why buyers push for asset sales and sellers push for stock sales, and what each means for
Inside Insurance Producer Pay: Bands, Draws & What Nobody Explains
Inside Insurance Producer Pay: Bands, Draws & What Nobody Explains Sep 21, 2026 00:14:17 Derek's been fielding compensation questions from brokers nationwide lately — especially with the USI/Aon deal shaking up the industry — so this episode breaks down exactly how insurance producers get paid. No advocacy for one structure over another, just the real mechanics.Inside this episode:• The three types of commission "bands" — new business, renewal, and inherited/transferred
Commissions to Convictions: The Mess Hall
Commissions to Convictions: The Mess Hall Sep 18, 2026 00:08:19 Derek shares the "mess hall" lesson from a former mentor: the peer group you talk with — good or bad — shapes what you end up believing. He traces it from his three and a half months in county jail, where ten minutes at the wrong table can turn you against people who turn out to be nothing like the reputation, to the negativity bandwagon he sees among producers and managers in insurance
The Four Indexes That Beat Any Carrier's "6% Trend"
The Four Indexes That Beat Any Carrier's "6% Trend" Sep 11, 2026 00:10:01 Carriers can't get rate in today's soft property market — so they're going after values instead. Derek walks through how to use four independent construction cost indexes to challenge inflated trend assumptions from underwriters, plus his take on why 90% (not 100%) insurance-to-value is often the right call for accounts with a spread of risk.
Don't Ignore a CRIT or pick a fight with the bureau
Don't Ignore a CRIT or pick a fight with the bureau Sep 7, 2026 00:11:45 A workers' comp "crit" might seem like a minor administrative issue. It isn't.In this episode of Wolf of Property & Casualty, Derek breaks down what a criticism letter actually is, why workers' compensation bureaus issue them, and why brokers should take them far more seriously than the dollar amount of the potential fine might suggest.Derek walks through how workers'
PIP in 5 Minutes: The 5 Things Every Broker Needs to Know
PIP in 5 Minutes: The 5 Things Every Broker Needs to Know Aug 31, 2026 00:07:33 PIP shows up on commercial auto proposals in no-fault states — and if a client asks "what's this?", you need an answer. Derek covers the 5 things to know: how PIP differs from MedPay, why it pays fast, priority of payments, and why it doesn't waive future lawsuits.
Commissions to Convictions: What Happens When They Take Your Title Away?
Commissions to Convictions: What Happens When They Take Your Title Away? Aug 30, 2026 00:09:21 For years, I thought professional titles meant something.Partner. Director. Senior Account Executive. Those titles represented years of work, success, and climbing the ladder. Then I lost them—and I realized something I wish I'd understood much earlier: my clients never cared about my title nearly as much as I did.In this episode of Commissions to Convictions, I talk about professional titles,

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