Published: April 2008

Building the Worldwide Health Network

How U.S. brokers and insurers are managing rising global medical costs.

Best's Review cover: Building the Worldwide Health NetworkBuilding the Worldwide Health Network
How U.S. brokers and insurers are managing rising global medical costs. By Bonnie Brewer Cavanaugh. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 32.

International Law
As more small-to-midsized U.S. companies join their Fortune 1000 counterparts in overseas business, keeping up on local country laws is essential. By Bonnie Brewer Cavanaugh. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 36.

Health Care and Nest Eggs
Insurance professionals react strongly to consumer-drive coverage options By Meg Green. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 38.

RIMS Hot Topic: ERM
The Risk and Insurance Management Society is sending a clear message to members this year: Integrate enterprise risk management into your business systems. By Alyn Ackermann. Property/Casualty. Page 42.

Issues & Answers
Benefits and Benefits Selling By Staff. Special Advertising Section. Page 43.

Rewards and Risks
Problems with imported products can ruin unprepared companies. By Ashutosh Riswadkar. Property/Casualty. Page 55.

Steering Clear of Damaged Goods
Even the most reputable corporations can find themselves embroiled in a recall controversy. By Ashutosh Riswadkar. Property/Casualty. Page 56.

Setting New Standards
Insurers are working to bring portable personal health records closer to reality. By Lori Chordas. Technology. Page 59.

Personal Health Records' Link to Life Insurance
While personal health records have proven their value in the health care arena, some industry experts believe they also may have a future home in life insurance. By Lori Chordas. Technology. Page 62.

Hire Education
Demographics, analytics and health care reform are changing the way insurance recruiters fill jobs. By Bonnie Brewer Cavanaugh. Agent/Broker. Page 65.

Insurance Recruiters
Whether an individual is searching for a new job, or a company or agency is seeking new talent, search firms can help insurance professionals. By Staff. Agent/Broker. Page 79.

True Value
Top producers never forget that there are two sides to every sale. By Sharon Cunningham. Agent/Broker. Page 75.

Future Impact
The use of finite reinsurance is tied to federal guilty verdicts. By David Dankwa. Regulatory/Law. Page 76.

Accounting Has Landed Insurers in Trouble Before
When compared with embezzlement, consumer fraud or conspiring to restrict competition, charges of improper accounting generally are perceived to be among the more minor "white collar crimes." By David Dankwa. Regulatory/Law. Page 77.

Another Long Road
Gen Re, AIG guilty verdict starts 'complex' sentencing process. By Chad Hemenway. Regulatory/Law. Page 78.

Between a Rock And a Hard Place
Agents may find themselves in the difficult position of having to prove they did the best thing for their clients. By Ronald D. Verzone. Regulatory/Law. Page 79.

Hybrid Vehicles
Mutual funds are now competing with annuity writers to provide competitive retirement income. By Ron Panko. Life. Page 80.

Making the Connection
Economic capital modeling links the effectiveness of a company's risk management to its capital requirements. By Marc Slutzky, Jim Stoltzfus. Life. Page 85.

Special Blend
Enterprise risk management allows insurers to view the whole operation as well as its individual segments. By Mike Angelina. Property/Casualty. Page 88.

A Balancing Act
Carriers need to face soft-market challenges with sound business judgment. By Steven R. Pozzi. Property/Casualty. Page 92.

New Year's Resolution
Ironshore reports a "very attractive profit," but struggles to establish a London platform at Lloyd's. By David Dankwa. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 93.

Back to the Futures
Capital markets and insurance continue to blend together with the resurgence of catastrophe-lined futures. By Meg Green. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 94.

5 ERM Rules
Actuaries advise life insurers to follow these steps as they build enterprise risk management programs. By R. Dale Hall. Life. Page 97.

House Calls
Health plans are turning to telephonic coaching to communicate with members in new ways. By Lori Chordas. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 98.

Coach's Corner
Just like sports coaches, health coaches offer moral support and guidance. By Lori Chordas. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 99.

Busy Signals
There are several obstacles that health coaches may encounter. By Lori Chordas. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 100.

Subprime Crisis Fallout
Insurers should start preparing now to handle the pending onslaught of insurance claims from the subprime mortgage crisis. By Alan S. Rutkin. Regulatory/Law. Page 102.

Hidden Danger
Unacceptable, even criminal employee behavior hurts co-workers, businesses - and insurers. By Ron Panko. Regulatory/Law. Page 104.

Getting Better ERM Mileage
Enterprise risk management has progressed a great deal, but there are ways to squeeze additional value from dedicated resources. By Robert Stein. Regulatory/Law. Page 108.

You Only Live Twice
Insurers are getting involved with the Second Life game to promote brands and attract a younger demographic. By R. J. Lehmann. The Last Word. Page 112.

The Battle for Retirement Business: Mutual Funds vs. Variable Annuities
The Nest Egg By Ron Panko. Life. Page 81.

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