Story Ideas

Florida Underwriter welcomes submission of bylined article ideas and, upon editorial approval of those ideas, the articles themselves.

Pitching a Story Idea

The following guidelines apply in all cases:

• A bylined story is one that expresses the knowledge and insights of the author(s). The purpose of such a story is to educate and/or update our readers on trends, market conditions, research, and analysis as it applies to the insurance industry. In general, articles should focus on the Florida insurance market, although stories with a national or industry-wide focus (such as agency technology, rating agencies, federal actions) may be considered.
• Topics for bylined stories should first be discussed with the editor of Florida Underwriter to determine their suitability for our readership. Upon approval of the topic, a deadline date will be assigned and specific needs (e.g., author photo, accompanying graphics, special length) will be discussed.
• Once a topic is approved, the author(s) may submit an abstract or outline to the editor defining the scope and key points to be addressed in the article.

Article Guidelines

• Contributed bylined articles should be between 800 and 1,400 words in length, unless a different arrangement is approved by Florida Underwriter.
• Articles may not be obviously slanted toward a particular company's products. The author's company and location will be mentioned in a byline identification that appears with the article.
• Deadlines are firm, unless an extension is granted. While publication dates will be assigned, articles may be held until later issues due to space considerations.
• Generally, National Underwriter follows Associated Press style guidelines.

Licensing Agreement

Florida Underwriter may require that contributing authors sign a licensing agreement which specifies, in part, that the article being written may not be published elsewhere until it has appeared in print in our publication. The agreement is generally signed before writing begins. The agreement gives the author full copyright and the right to republish elsewhere, but only after the article appears in Florida Underwriter. Florida Underwriter does not publish articles that have been published elsewhere. Submit a Story Idea