The Virtual University “Ask an Expert” service recently received the following question: “Can you provide a good rule of thumb for determining the unit owner’s coverage limit on an HO6? Most clients have no idea how to determine the limit they need. I rec
By: Volume 103, No. 11
Big “I” President Alex Soto takes his talent for communicating to the top.
As a parent, do you ever transport high school (or other) kids to athletic or other school events? Do you use your own vehicle or a nonowned vehicle like a private passenger auto or van? Do you have a liability exposure? Do you have coverage under a PAP?
Imagine my surprise as I opened my e-mail and saw a National Underwriter story titled “Analyst Sees Safeco Distribution Blunder.” Knowing Safeco to be a prudent insurance company that has garnered much success with its independent agent-driven distributio
On Aug. 24, 2002, Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida with a devastating force. That morning my agency at the time, Pennekamp and Soto, received thousands of serious and complicated claims. Among them were 17 insureds who were unfortunate enough to be part
As the curtain came down on the 109th Congress, the Big “I” was there, fighting for regulatory reform, new natural disaster legislation and a terrorism risk insurance backstop. Big “I” President Alex Soto testified before a subcommittee of the House Ju
I stood before the MP3 players at Best Buy, staring blankly at the store display like a kindergartner trying to solve a Sudoku puzzle. After blocking the aisle for an hour, a store clerk with a junior mohawk approached. “Dude, can I, like, help ya or s
By: Volume 103, No. 10
The For many agencies, it’s the difference between red ink and black ink on the balance sheet. Producer compensation will be the most important issue during my presidency. I did a calculation two years ago when New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer anno