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Letter from the Editor

I'm pleased to have this opportunity to introduce a new feature of BestConnect that will debut in an upcoming edition. It's called the Member Spotlight and it's a forum for highlighting the efforts and accomplishments of individuals or firms who are currently listed in Best's Directories of Recommended Insurance Attorneys, Adjusters and Expert Service Providers.
 
These professional accomplishments must be timely, groundbreaking or of topical interest to the insurance industry in order to qualify to be included in the Member Spotlight. If you're interested in being considered for the Member Spotlight, or you would like to submit a nomination, visit the Member Spotlight FAQ section of our Web site.
 
I'm also excited to announce that we've made additional enhancements to the Best's Directories of Insurance Professionals Web site! We have reorganized our search tools and search results screens and enhanced the attorney practice area searches to put a spotlight on each listed firm's credentials. Now it's easier than ever to locate professionals uniquely qualified to serve the needs of the insurance industry. See our Important A.M. Best Announcements below for more details.
 
Thank you for subscribing to BestConnect - we hope that it will continue to be a valuable resource for you.
 
John Czuba Best regards,
John Czuba
John Czuba
Editor, Best's Directories of Recommended Insurance Attorneys and Adjusters
Member Spotlight

"Member Spotlight" puts the focus on Directory listees who have made significant achievements in the insurance industry. Look forward to learning about groundbreaking cases, innovative strategies and important thought leadership that affect the insurance industry. This new feature will be appearing in upcoming editions.

To find out more about the "Member Spotlight," visit our FAQ page.


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World Catastrophes Map 2010

In June, A.M. Best published a topical World Catastrophes Map as a print and online supplement to Best's Review. This map, which looks at the largest insured loss events of 2010, is a valuable, informative record of the prior year's insured losses worldwide. The online version features 20 videos that illustrate each of the top 20 events. This feature enables claims personnel to have access to recorded catastrophic events at their fingertips.

Enjoy Another Edition of Regulatory Week
 
 
We are pleased to offer another complimentary edition of RegulatoryWeek, which is being provided to BestConnect subscribers. We hope you find this edition informative and useful.

RegulatoryWeek is a supplement to BestWeek, A.M. Best's weekly comprehensive news service, that offers a wrap-up of weekly insurance-related regulatory and compliance news.

 

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In the Press In the Press

Each quarter, "In the Press" brings you the most important press releases, announcements and achievements from Directories listees.

Personnel Changes
Title Firm Location/Date/Firm Name
Tarshis, Catania Announces Addition of New Attorney
(Newburgh, NY) September 1, 2011
(Grand Rapids, MI) July 26, 2011

Awards/Recognitions/Nominations

Title Firm Location/Date/Firm Name
Attorneys Selected For Inclusion in New York Super Lawyers, 5th Year in Row
(Newburgh, NY) September 1, 2011
Seven Partners Included in 2012 Best Lawyers in America (Omaha, NE) August 31, 2011
Gross & Welch P.C., L.L.O.
Mckay Firm Partner Selected for Trucking Law Committee
(Columbia, SC) June 27, 2011
(Omaha, NE) June 24, 2011

Firm News

Title Firm Location/Date/Firm Name
RJMW Claim Services Has Moved!
(Charlotte, NC) July 13, 2011
(Springfield, NJ) August, 2011

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For the Record For the Record
"For the Record" showcases the latest articles from current Directories listees.
 
Title of Article Author/Firm
Employment & Government Affairs Law Update
Michael D. Brown & Matthew Bryant
Daniel J. Santaniello & Reinaldo (Rey) Alvarez
George Sotter, P.E., Ph.D.
Paul Ebeltoft and Haylee Cripe

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Legally Speaking

Each quarter, "Legally Speaking" highlights the newest Insurance Law Podcasts from A.M. Best. To listen to a podcast, please click on the icon to the left of your selection. A new window containing an audio player will open. At the end of the podcast, please close the audio player window to return to your BestConnect newsletter. If you enjoy the podcasts below, be sure to visit our archives for other podcasts you may have missed.



Legally Speaking
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Attorneys Daniel Santaniello and Reinaldo (Rey) Alvarez from the Florida law firm of Luks, Santaniello, Petrillo & Jones, discuss the Medicare Secondary Payer Act and how to address Medicare in liability settlements.
 
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Attorney Rich Fidei from the law firm of Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate, P.A. on surplus lines and the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act, which was enacted as part of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.
 
Attorneys Charles E. Haddick Jr. and Rob Marino from the law firm of Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote discuss bad faith matters and misconceptions and what insurance companies can do to be pro-active.
Sign up now to have new Insurance Law Podcasts sent directly to you.
 
 

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In Brief

"In Brief" highlights important insurance industry news from A.M. Best's award-winning news publications. Access to full stories may require a subscription to the publication.

Title of Article Article Date
NIMA States Considering Surplus Lines Tax Allocation Plan August 25, 2011
Insurers, Small Businesses Launch Campaign Against Health Tax August 24, 2011
Eqecat President: Insured Losses From Va. Quake Should Be Less Than $100 Million August 24, 2011
August 9, 2011
 
August 9, 2011
China Re Seeks Greater Presence in International Markets
August 9, 2011
NAIC, NCOIL to Negotiate Surplus Lines Terms
August 4, 2011
Fla. Workers' Comp Still Burdened With Rising Drug Costs
August 4, 2011

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It's the Law

The Law Digest is a summary of the insurance laws for each U.S. state and the Canadian provinces. Our aim is to provide a reference source that covers some of the general insurance principles in leading case decisions.

It's the Law
The following State and Canadian Law Digests have been recently updated:

To see the full list of updates, click below.

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Notable Listings Notable Listings
Here you'll find both new listings for the quarter and a mention of those who have reached a milestone with Best's Directories.

New Listings

Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys

Alexander & Bierman, P.S. Seattle, WA
Baird, Lightner, Millsap & Harpool, P.C. Springfield, MO
Bassett Law Firm, LLP Fayetteville, AR
Bradley Moore Primason Cuffe & Weber, LLP Lynn, MA
Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP Bohemia, NY
Coughlin Betke LLP Boston, MA
Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith New Orleans, LA
Gleason, Dunn, Walsh & O'Shea Albany, NY
Law Offices of Alan C. Gold, P.A. Coral Gables, FL
Lubell & Rosen, LLC Fort Lauderdale, FL
McMillan LLP Toronto, ON
Pollack Law Firm, P.C. Indianapolis, IN
Radey Thomas Yon and Clark, P.A. Tallahassee, FL
Yost & Tretta Philadelphia, PA

Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Adjusters

Amcat Coppell, TX
CopperState Claims Management Services, L.L.C. Tucson, AZ
Hamilton and Company Adjusters Woodland Hills, CA
Independent Adjustment Company Patchogue, NY

Best's Directory of Recommended Expert Service Providers

Brown and Joseph, Ltd. Rolling Meadows, IL
CapVisor Associates, LLC Chatham, NJ
CEIPS, LLC Hudson, OH
The Homestead Hotel Evanston, IL
IEC & Associates Raleigh, NC
McReynolds Consulting Golden, CO

Notable Listing Anniversaries

Nearly 80 listees are celebrating major anniversaries with Best's Directories this quarter! Click here to view a complete list of companies celebrating 10, 25 and 50 years in Best's Directories.

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Recent and Upcoming A.M. Best Webinars

A.M. Best produces innovative online presentations that connect you with industry leaders and provide the opportunity to learn first-hand about trends and developments facing insurance today. Click on a title to open the video of your choice. At the end of the webinar, simply close the video player to return to the BestConnect newsletter. Don't miss any of the upcoming Webinars!

Webinar Online Global Town Meeting: New Approaches to Flood Coverage
Thursday, September 15, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET
Experts in flood risk, insurance, reinsurance and public catastrophe policy will examine new and innovative approaches to covering flood loss in the United States and other nations in a special online town meeting hosted by Best's Review magazine. This webinar is sponsored by Swiss Re.

Webinar State of the Surplus Lines Market
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Editors of A.M. Best's annual report on the state of excess and surplus insurance surplus and industry leaders will appear in a one-hour webinar examining the state of the surplus lines market. The webinar will also examine trends in coverage, mergers & acquisitions and other factors affecting this fast-moving and important sector of the property/casualty insurance industry. This webinar is sponsored by Lexington Insurance Company.

Webinar State of the Global Reinsurance Market
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Analysts, reinsurers and brokers assess the state of the global reinsurance market in this one-hour webinar. Topics discussed will include: the impact of the unusually high level of catastrophic losses worldwide, factors affecting the financial strength of reinsurers and the outlook for start-up, merger and acquisition activity in the reinsurance sector.

Webinar What Carriers Need to Know About Growing the Midsize Insurance Company
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
In the current economic climate, midsize insurers face ever stiffer competition from larger companies with the resources to deploy new products more effectively and gain market share. It is now possible for carriers with 50 to 1,000 employees to level the playing field by tapping into an increasing array of strategic offerings like cloud computing, which enforce straight-thru processing. A panel of experts discusses the unique challenges and how the ability to better manage information and business processes helps scale operations with ease and grow both their top and bottom lines. This webinar is sponsored by enChoice and IBM.

Webinar What the New Normal in Catastrophe Activity Means to Risk Managers, Brokers and Insureds
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Modern cat losses are no longer tied only to named hurricanes or headline earthquakes, but also to aggregated activity and surprise events that are remaking insurance portfolios and awakening the unprepared. A panel of insurance and catastrophe experts review the environment for weather, earthquake and man-made catastrophic activity and what that means to today's coverage decisions. This webinar is sponsored by Lexington Insurance Company.


View our full Webinar schedule, or register to attend a session.

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Upcoming Insurance Industry Trade Shows, Conventions and Events
View the latest schedule for up-to-date information on insurance industry events from the Meetings & Conventions database.
 
 
Upcoming Insurance Industry Trade Shows, Conventions, and Events

Meeting Name / Association

Event Date

Location

Canadian Risk and Insurance Management Society (CRIMS)

September 18-21, 2011

Ottawa, ON

PLRB/LIRB 2011 Large Loss Conference September 26-28, 2011

Chicago, IL

National Risk Retention Association 2011 National Conference (NRRA) October 5-7, 2011

Washington, DC

2011 NAPSLO Annual Convention October 10-13, 2011

San Diego, CA

Defense Research Institute (DRI) October 26-30, 2011

Washington, DC.

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Important A.M. Best Announcements Important A.M. Best Announcements
Now it's easier to find the professionals you need in Best's Directories of Insurance Professionals! In our ongoing effort to improve the Best's Directories Web site, we have recently launched enhanced search options. These enhancements include:
  • Redesigned Search Page that allows users to search by either company or individual
  • Enhanced attorney search options that allow users to select practice areas from a pick list as well as choose multiple practice areas for searches
  • Easier-to-read search result pages which highlight main offices
We invite you to check back with the Best's Directories of Insurance Professionals Web site often. We hope you find these enhancements useful and we welcome any comments or suggestions at directories.group@ambest.com.
 
Know a Potential Listee? Interested in Listing?
Contact directories.group@ambest.com with the firm name, contact person and mailing information, as well as your name and contact information.

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We're Here to Help! Help

For comments, suggestions, or questions regarding the Directories, BestConnect or our site, contact us at directoriesnewsletters@ambest.com.

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