SKCG GROUP, INC. -- TOP PERFORMERS NAMED IN
IIABA’S BEST PRACTICES STUDY

WHITE PLAINS, NY September 20, 2005 – SKCG Group, Inc., one of an elite group of independent insurance agencies around the United States participating in the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) Best Practices Study Group, has been recognized as the “Top Performing Agency” in its revenue size category. Performance was ranked on a number of criteria including client retention and services, employee productivity, level of technology, financial results, and overall management achievement.

“Participation in the annual Best Practices Study has become a prestigious achievement for those that qualify for inclusion. It means the agency is among the best in the country. To be the top performer in one of the study’s peer revenue groups means that agency is the “best of the best.” It is an outstanding accomplishment,” said Madelyn Flannagan, IIABA’s Vice President of Industry Affairs.

Each year the IIABA and Reagan Consulting, an Atlanta-based consulting firm, join forces to study the leading insurance agencies in the country. Agencies in the study group are nominated for participation by an insurance company or an IIABA state affiliated association. Nominees submit detailed financial and operational information that is analyzed, scored and ranked objectively to identify the top performers.

Although more than 900 independent agencies and brokers of varying sizes across U.S. were nominated to take part in last year’s selection process, only 195 agencies -- the top thirty in each of six revenue groups and fifteen in a seventh category for mega-sized agencies -- qualified for inclusion in the study.

The Best Practices Study was initiated by IIABA in 1993 as the foundation for efforts to improve agency and broker performance. The survey and study of leading independent insurance agencies & brokers document the business practices of these “best” firms and urge others to adopt similar practices.

Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.

Reagan Consulting is a financial and management consulting firm specializing in services to the insurance distribution system. Clients include the leading brokers, agents and bank-insurance programs in the United States. They provide thought leadership to the banking and insurance industries through perennial research, seminars, and other industry forums.

SKCG Group, Inc. was founded over 60 years ago and offers a wide range of Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits and Individual insurance programs to its clients.

For further information, please contact Tom Kozera, Rich Canter, Sheila Conley or Tom Sternberg of SKCG Group, Inc. at (914) 761-9000.