The recession, thought to have begun in December 2007 and in many ways the deepest since World War II that impacted every state and every metropolitan area, is over noted the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in its 2010 economic forecast for the commercial and industrial construction industry. While good news, it may not be a time to rejoice, yet. "While the industry battled the effects of the recession in 2009, expect 2010 to be a transitional but sluggish year on the road to recovery," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.

Insurance policies are written based on the concept of "indemnity" which means "protection or security against damage or loss." Fire insurance policies are not designed to put a policyholder in a better position than he was prior to a loss. Otherwise, having insurance might create an incentive to have a loss.

As a new agent, you may be better off working with buyers. Columnist Jennifer Allan shares why.