By Mike Stroman Over the past year, we’ve seen increases in interest rates by the Federal Reserve, but the increases have been small and implemented gradually. So, is this really an issue in insurance agency valuations? The answer is a resounding “YES!” There are three main effects this rise in interest rates has on agency valuations and the overall agency acquisition market: Higher interest rates take some buyers out of the market. There are two reason for this. First, lenders are not as loose on lending standards in . . .