Eastern Promises: The Ideal Match: In looking for a banking partner, insurers have to consider a set of predefined criteria, said Rod Shay, Asia regional general manager for bancassurance at ...

Business Upgrade: When it comes to underwriting, John Belizaire admits that his background in enterprise software makes him something of an outsider. But that hasn't stopped ...

Business Upgrade: Less Art, More Science: Improving its private-label market for term life insurance gave Transamerica Reinsurance an entirely new perspective on automated underwriting. While moving ...

Dynamic Tensions: Bankruptcy filings by financially strapped companies have set the stage for a run of litigation that threatens to push the margins on directors & officers ...

Dynamic Tensions: A.M. Best Co.'s Perspective: D&O Insurance: In the current cycle, D&O insurers find themselves in the midst of a severe subprime mortgage/credit crisis, an economy in a recession and a stock market ...

Dynamic Tensions: Another Exposed Line: Along with D&O writers, fiduciary liability underwriters are anticipating fallout from the financial crisis as 401(k) funds and other pension accounts look ...

Fairness Doctrine: For years, "tort reform" has been a buzzword in political campaigns, and punitive damages have been discussed frequently. In 2001, according to The ...

Get On Board: Personal lines property/casualty insurers spent an estimated $387 million on Internet advertising in 2008. The majority of ad dollars--61%--was allocated to ...

Get On Board: The New Buzz Machine: If you haven't thrown away your Marketing 101 textbook yet, the whole notion of social media marketing may prompt you. Companies no longer control all of the ...

Higher Hurdles: Financial adviser Lyn Dippel recently ran into a difficult situation when a married couple--both clients of hers--decided to break up. The partners were ...

Insight: A Bolt From the Blue: To many, lightning is little more than Mother Nature's fireworks display, often followed by a window-rattling rumble of thunder that chases golfers from the ...

Insight: A Changing Landscape: Economic and demographic indicators continue to highlight a growing demand for health care services. These trends, coupled with advances in medical ...

Insight: Doing Something About the Economy: Are you worried about the current economic environment and its potential impact on your agency? Take action to get your agency's financial condition in order ...

Insight: Getting Direct About Direct: In this time of uncertainty, insurers are recognizing that the battle for profitability is fought one customer at a time. Now more than ever, insurers are ...

Insight: Skating on Thin Ice: Athletes anticipate. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky said he always skated to where the puck was going to be. I'm a bad athlete and a very bad skater, but I do ...

Insight: The Strong Suit Offering Security: In good times, we disappear into the shadows while the equity folks take center stage, attracting all the attention. When you think about it, our products ...

Insight: Underwriting Risks During a Downturn: All the familiar issues associated with an economic downturn have come back into focus for group underwriters these days, and it's high time to take stock of ...

Keeping a Watchful Eye: A year after state regulators began cracking down on senior-specific designations with a model rule to protect the nation's seniors, about 50% of U.S. states ...

Keeping a Watchful Eye: Institutes Offer Online Financial Courses for Managers: The American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and the Insurance Institute of America have launched a new course selection for insurance ...

Last Word: Down on the Farm: There's nothing like fresh fruits and vegetables to usher in summer. One insurer is helping bring those tasty treats directly to Kentuckians. In 1996, the ...

Network News: "Networking" and "online sales leads" are the most effective ways to generate new sales prospects, according to a Best's Review online poll of 373 agents and ...

On-the-Spot Care: "The doctor's in" is taking on a whole new meaning for some companies that are moving health care and preventive services on-site. That's an approach ...

On-the-Spot Care: Emphasis on Wellness : There's a renaissance of wellness in on-site centers, said Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health. "As work forces become less ...

On-the-Spot Care: Putting It to the Test: Major corporations from Intel to Walt Disney have made on-site health clinics common staples. A number of insurers also are getting in on the action. "Many ...

Paying It Forward: Natural disasters often hit developing countries disproportionately hard, and efforts are under way to not only mitigate potential losses, but to speed the ...

The Cultural Connection: America's melting pot is quickly filling to the brim. Today, one in three U.S. residents is multi-ethnic, multiracial or multicultural, according to the U.S. ...

Thinking Small: The small-commercial insurance market is looking more attractive as the recession wears on. As often happens during an economic downturn, larger players are ...

Thinking Small: A Voice for the Little Guy: Amid the clamor about bailouts and financial wrongdoing, small-business owners have nearly been forgotten. That's why three major trade associations that ...

Thinking Small: Exiles on Main Street: The overall mood on Main Street remains bleak. The Index of Small Business Optimism, a monthly survey of members of the National Federation of Independent ...