Risk on the Rails
America's railroads are required to transport hazardous materials -- but liability insurance is expensive and limited.
Risk on the Rails America's railroads are required to transport hazardous materials - but liability insurance is expensive and limited. By Ron Panko. Property/Casualty. Page 28.
The Long Run Perpetuating your agency takes a plan, financing and most of all, time. By Bonnie Brewer Cavanaugh. Agent/Broker. Page 38.
Exit Strategies Key business goals for independent reps across the financial services sector including growing the business - revenues, assets, and income - and retaining clients . . . By Bonnie Brewer Cavanaugh. Agent/Broker. Page 40.
Back-Up Plan Reverse mortgages can help folks afford retirement, but are they a good offering for insurers with banks? By Ron Panko. Life. Page 43.
One Life to Live Employers extend retirees' wellness programs and benefits in order to trim rising health care costs. By Lori Chordas. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 48.
Declining Health? The overal health of retiree medical benefits remains unclear. By Lori Chordas. Health/Employee Benefits. Page 50.
Great Expectations Good news. People are living longer. Bad news: Many may outlive their nest eggs. Is longevity insurance the solution? By Richard J. Lindsay. Life. Page 52.
Keeping Products Simple Clients and advisers constantly ask for simpler, more understandable guarantees. By Richard J. Lindsay. Life. Page 52.
Youth Movement Insurers split over whether medical spa coverage is good for their financial health By Al Slavin. Property/Casualty. Page 55.
Separation Anxiety A tech-savvy distribution system can sharpen a market edge. By Al Slavin. Technology. Page 58.
A Refreshing Start Pre-issue process visioning, both strategic and tactical, is critical to the policy lifecycle. By Gates Ouimette. Technology. Page 60.
Agents' Secret Independent producers have their own wish lists for improving carriers' distribution systems. By Lori Chordas. Agent/Broker. Page 62.
ID Thieves Might Ruin Your Day, Too Insurers have new products to help businesses contain data breaches. By Mark MacGougan. Agent/Broker. Page 65.
Clearing After the Storm With reinsurance renewals looming, the industry prepared for the return of a firmer market. By Bonnie Brewer Cavanaugh. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 66.
Choose Indexed Life Indexed universal life plans define performance's floor By Constance R. O'Brien. Life. Page 69.
Facts of Life Bankers find even their bank-owned life insurance investments are affected by the economic downturn. By Michael D. White. Life. Page 70.
Good News in the Fight Against AIDS From both medical and underwriting standpoints, HIV/AIDS has become a manageable disease. By Brent Hoehne, Eric Swanson. Life. Page 73.
Face Off Two industry leaders debate H.R. 6969, a bill to limit how foreign insurers account for premiums ceded offshore. By William R. Berkley, Janice Ochenkowski. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 74.
Level the Playing Field Yes By William R. Berkley. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 74.
Marketplace Would Be Disrupted No. By Janice Ochenkowski. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 74.
Industry: Change Tax Law to Solve Competitive Woes Fewer than a quarter of insurance industry professionals polled in mid-October by BestWeek believe U.S. insurers and reinsurers can compete with firms based in low-tax domiciles, and more than half endorsed tax law changes to address the situation. By R. J. Lehmann. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 76.
Climate Consequences Modelers puzzle over the impact of global warming on weather-related catastrophes. By Jayanta Guin. Property/Casualty. Page 77.
Making the Right Choices What are business ethics as they apply to the insurance world? By Lance Ewing. Property/Casualty. Page 80.
C-:eve Agenda Exposure data quality is a key indicator of operating risk By Ajay Lavakare. Property/Casualty. Page 82.
Uncharted Waters For Marine Insurers Larger vessels, more valuable cargo and the growing risk of piracy are making it difficult for marine underwriters to stay afloat. By Steven R. Pozzi. Property/Casualty. Page 85.
2009 Meetings Industry professionals will have a chance to meet, discuss and maybe even argue about a wide range of topics at conventions and seminars in 2009. By Best's Review Staff. Agent/Broker. Page 87.
Get Ready Enterprise risk management can help insurers respond to proposed federal regulators. By Robin Harbage. Regulatory/Law. Page 93.
Bad Faith Affirmed Conducting a thorough and fair claim investigation leaves little room for questions on motivation. By Frank N. Darras. Regulatory/Law. Page 95.
Handle With Care Constant changes in relative returns between municipal bonds and taxables demand investment expertise. By Richard Major. Reinsurance/Capital Markets. Page 96.
Coming Together In October, A.M. Best Co.,'sd 10-week E-Fusion series kicked off with webinars looking at business uses of technology for insurance purposes. By Lori Chordas. Technology. Page 99.
Tree Dimensional From cut-your-own farms to towering holiday displays, specialty insurers help to make the season bright. By Al Slavin. The Last Word. Page 104.
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January 2008: Behind the Ad Surge
Februrary 2008: What's Your Agency Worth?
March 2008: Growing Green
April 2008: Building the Worldwide Health Network
May 2008: Sportsmanlike Conduct
June 2008: A Weighty Issue
July 2008: Standing the Test of Time
August 2008: Re Match
September 2008: The Cost of Regulation
October 2008: Covering the Bases
November 2008: Collecting Premiums
November 2008: Collecting Premiums