Query ntext field containing xml using cross apply?

How do I find all InsurerNames with values other than NULL using query to a ntext field and cross applies?

The code below returns all NULL values. I am currently setting InsName to ' ' (Incorrectly) because I don't know how to get it to retrieve everything but the rows with a null value for InsurerName.

DECLARE @InsName varchar(max)
SET @InsName = ''
SELECT 
    InsurerName.value('/data[1]/ACORD[1]/InsuranceSvcRq[1]/HomePolicyAddRq[1]/PersPolicy[1]/OtherOrPriorPolicy[1]', 'varchar(max)') as InsurerName
    ,LOB
    ,PolicyNumber
    ,DateModified
FROM Quote
    CROSS APPLY (SELECT CAST(XMLData AS XML)) AS A(B) 
    --CROSS APPLY A.B.nodes('//session/data/ACORD/InsuranceSvcRq/HomePolicyAddRq/PersPolicy/OtherOrPriorPolicy[InsurerName != sql:variable("@InsName")]') AS InsurerNames(InsurerName)

       CROSS APPLY A.B.nodes('//session/data/ACORD/InsuranceSvcRq/HomePolicyAddRq/PersPolicy/OtherOrPriorPolicy[InsurerName != sql:variable("@InsName")]') AS InsurerNames(InsurerName)

    WHERE LOB = 'HO'

    AND
    DateModified > 2014/10/1
   ORDER BY DateModified DESC