E&S: Growth Opportunities Available, But Distribution Channel Under Pressure

While executives attending the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices Ltd. (NAPSLO) Mid-Year Leadership Forum, held this past week in Naples, Fla., do not expect a hard market to arrive anytime soon, they have identified growth areas in some segments and have developed strategies to survive now while preparing to seize opportunities that will materialize when the market does turn.

But as the soft market wears on, E&S/specialty insurers and wholesalers are also forced to deal with challenges to their traditional distribution system and pressure from the admitted markets. While executives have affirmed their commitment to the surplus-lines space and the wholesale-distribution system, they recognize the need for continued innovation and product development to distinguish themselves.