Due to prolonged drought conditions in the Midwest, underwriting losses for 12 major corn and soybean producing states could be more than $2.8 billion, a recent report warns, and the trade group representing the crop-insurance industry says insurers have already paid out $822 million so far this season.

Regulators promised to delve more deeply into lender-placed insurance, saying there may need to be more regulation of that line of business.

Brent Kelly, CIC, property-casualty agent at Clemens InsuranceYears at company: 8School: University of Illinois '00Read Brent's previous nGI Q&AHow…

Willis calls 2011 the Year of the Breach, and says that while companies are rightfully concerned about their cyber exposures, they need to carefully examine their insurance coverages and risk-management strategies to ensure they are adequately prepared and protected.