This Market is Jumping

The indoor-facilities market—e.g., sports centers that offer trampoline use and wall climbing—appears to be growing and expanding, says Mark Nichols, managing director of the accident and health unit of Markel Corp. in Glen Allen, Va. This could be an area in which agents and brokers can specialize.

 “The lion's share of the marketplace is profit-driven. You're seeing more and more facilities that offer spots for youths and adults,” he says.

Producers new to this market should pick one amateur sport to specialize in—not play the field, advises James Decker, assistant vice president of the commercial-lines division for Philadelphia Insurance Cos. “[It's about] specializing and knowing your markets, knowing the players, getting involved in the sports,” he says. “If you can establish that kind of expertise, you're really working in a good area.”