E&S/Specialty

While at the RIMS 2011 conference in Vancouver, we talked pricing, emerging risks, competitive advantages and industry-wide challenges with Hank Watkins, president of Lloyd's North America, Tim McAuliffe, president of specialty casualty at Ironshore and Rudi Flunger, chief marketing officer of Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.

There’s nothing funny about coverage gaps in homeowners insurance policies: Agents placing personal inland-marine policies can rescue their clients with protection for everything from valuable comic-book collections to diamonds.

The insurance needs of homeowners and businesses will evolve as they upgrade their property with green technology, and agents who can position themselves as knowledgeable on the topic and who check in with clients to discuss renewable-energy investments and exposures will be providing a valuable service to customers—and giving themselves...

In a construction environment where vacant buildings and unfinished projects are common, a straightforward builders risk policy can quickly become a costly problem. OneBeacon’s Paul Butler reviews some best practices for underwriters—useful tips even for those veterans of the business who operate on instincts honed over years of experience.

Mark your calendars: NU provides highlights of the upcoming Inland Marine Underwriters Association meeting.

Inland Marine carriers are dealing with a soft market, increased competition in this historically profitable niche, and new federal regulations that complicate the assessment of risk.