For the past 25 years, our Directory of Excess, Surplus and Specialty Markets has been published each January and July. Beginning in 1998, we put that Directory online at www.insurancejournal.com. Agents and brokers can access the online directory 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, for free. We then added a Program Directory, Workers’ Comp Directory and a Technology Directory. The directories have been reprogrammed in a database as opposed to linked html pages. This makes it much faster and easier to use. You’ll find over 340 different markets in our directory.
The directories are nationwide, searchable by state and coverage. The listings will tell you who writes a coverage and whether or not they have the ‘pen’ for that coverage. Also, you can click on the market listing and connect directly to that market. If online quoting is available, a symbol will appear in that listing. It’s free because we make money on advertising, usually. So urge your markets to advertise with us, in print and online.
Markets can update their listing 24/7 which makes the online directory very current. Markets can modify their existing listing or add new markets as soon as they sign their contract.
Rounding out the rest of this issue is Joe Mangan, our resident insurance scholar with a feature on the current state of the excess and surplus market. That market is booming, as you undoubtedly know. According to the California Surplus Line Association, premiums through May of this year are equal to or greater than all of last year. Here are some examples: The General Liability total for 2001 is $453.6 million and just through May of this year the total is already at $309.2 million. Last year’s total premium for Commercial DIC/Stand Alone Earthquake was $153.8 million and just through May of this year the total is $123.3 million. The top 15 writers of exported (non-admitted) premium and the by line premiums are in this issue as well.
Then, Cynthia Beisiegel brings you up to date on the latest insurance legislation working its way through Sacramento. Our guest writer is Joe Petrelli, president of Demotech. He talks about out-of-date carrier ratings and the problems they cause agents (see Parting Shots). Our International Editor, Charlie Boyle details the Lloyds market activity in the U.S. excess and surplus business. Finally, senior writer Dave Thomas interviews David Hartoch, chairman of Swett & Crawford, the nation’s largest surplus line brokerage firm.
So we have a jam-packed issue for you and don’t forget, we always want to improve the magazine and welcome your comments and thoughts: good, bad or ugly. You can reach me at mwells@insurancejournal.com
Topics Excess Surplus
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