We have seen how the health care issue has divided our country's leaders and Americans from all walks of life. It has had an effect on people's lifestyles, our economy, and a political atmosphere that has been both peaceful and violent.

If we add in the demographics of the aging population along with a growing demand to insure hundreds of thousands legislated by policymakers, new guidelines for today's health care market will emerge.

The new market will affect nearly every aspect of most people's lives.

This legislation has created valuable opportunities for insurance providers, which may or may not have been available in past insurance cycles.

PROMISING ALLIED MEDICAL CLASSES

Changes in legislation, along with the present condition of our population, have led to some hot button classes in the allied medical field.

o Health screening operations, which can test for anything from high blood pressure to osteoporosis, have become a common site at many local drug stores and national retailers.

The preventative health measures these screening operations assist will continue to blossom under the new legislation and will become a sound base line for any producer.

o Mobile health clinics, which are convenient like health screening operations, are another allied medical class that will continue to grow in the future.

This class can help address the problems facing the current health care system, which include attempting to increase health care access, the limited resources offered by health care providers and the demand legislated by Washington.

Mobile health clinics can offer both preventative and primary health care, as well as a major return on investment for health care providers. Therefore, this class should be one of the first targeted in marketing and sales calls.

o The assisted living facilities class, which has been a growing and prospering class for years because of the age demographic of people living in the United States, should continue to flourish.

Continuing emphasis on healthy living, and the government's attempts to provide health care for all, are among the potential drivers of future growth.

o The home health care markets are the hottest of all of the allied medical classes as a result of these same recent trends and on the basis of forecasted data.

The future demand of baby boomers and the cost effectiveness of home health care make the dynamics of this class appear promising.

Advances in medical technology and the comfort and cost effectiveness of staying at home add up to rapid and prolonged growth in the home health care field.

COVERAGE OPTIONS AVAILABLE

Allied medical forms and coverage have gone through a massive overhaul since carriers began to write the policies years ago. There are now many different options in coverage that suit any exposures, needs and requirements.

Allied medical coverage is available with multiple limit options ranging from $250,000 to $5 million on a standard underlying policy. After choosing the appropriate limit, insureds have the option to select defense inside or outside the limit.

There are also multiple deductible options available that range from no deductible to $5,000 and up.

This coverage is typically offered in a package form which includes general liability and professional liability.

Both coverages are typically offered on a claims-made form, but occurrence can be requested on the general liability. To address the needs in the insurance marketplace, carriers have even started offering both coverages on an occurrence form, which can be a major selling point to the insured.

In addition to offering both professional and general liability on one quote, some carriers have begun to offer hired and non-owned auto and property insurance on the quote.

Making allied medical coverage even more appealing, carriers offer multiple sublimits to address the variable exposures of the unique insureds. Some of the common sublimits include abuse and molestation, employee theft, legal media, and assault and battery.

With multiple markets offering coverage to allied medical professionals, the option of addressing coverage gaps should continue to grow in the years to come. It is an advantage for insureds looking for coverage, which should be a major selling factor when addressing insureds in the field.

MARKETING ALLIED HEALTH CLASSES

There are many reasons to market and sell allied health products. These activities are a must for flourishing producers, and these classes should be on the top of any producer's target list.

The current situation in this country has created the perfect storm for this class to expand exponentially over the next few decades.

With expanded regulation, growing educational opportunities and a bulk of the United States economy tied to the health care field, it is poised to be a most important growth mode in the years to come.

Also, with professionals being spread thin, a growth in demand and our litigious society, these products are a must for anyone practicing in the medical field.

All of these factors, along with the millions of dollars tied publicly and privately to research and development for health care, makes it the perfect time for producers to expand their horizons and attack this business opportunity.

We are currently at the proverbial ground floor with this insurance class, which makes it a remarkably good time to start growing a book of business.

Jordan Kurkowski is a professional lines underwriter for Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Burns & Wilcox, in the firm's professional lines center of excellence.