9:00 a.m.

Registration Opens

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Roundtable Discussion

Rick Parks, Moderator
Senior Vice President-Chief Operating Officer
Society Insurance Company
Fond du Lac, Wis.

4:30 p.m.

Welcome Reception
Sponsored by Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company.

5:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourns for the day

7:15 a.m.

Continental Breakfast
Sponsorship Available

8:00 a.m.

Keynote Presentation

Commercial Underwriting Black Belts. What Makes the Best…The Best
With a career that spans from rater to CEO...from Underwriter Trainee to Chief Underwriting Officer of a major Commercial Lines company, Don Hurzeler has had the opportunity to see some of the world’s best underwriters and underwriting executives at work. His keynote address will focus on the common skills that differentiate the very best underwriting talent from all the rest. These very best...the Commercial Lines Underwriting Black Belts...have something to teach each of us.

Don Hurzeler, CPCU, CLU
Immediate Past President CPCU
Lake in the Hills, Ill.

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Break
Sponsored by e2Value.

9:15 – 10:30 a.m.

Winning in the Middle-Market Commercial Underwriting
Of necessity, P&C insurers have come to rely on the wisdom and experience of their underwriters, especially for the middle-market segment. These risks are difficult to insure using rules-based decision-making, and have historically relied on the judgment of individual underwriters. To their credit, underwriters get an astonishing portion of these risks "right" - priced appropriately to the risk assumed. Unfortunately a small percentage of risks are significantly under-priced. This has devastating consequences for the portfolio due to the Winners’ Curse. Over time, these insureds make up a significant and growing share of a commercial insurers' book, since these mis-priced risks tend to remain in the book. Such under-priced risks continue to build, causing a measurable deterioration of the combined ratio and cross-subsidy in the book.

Through transaction excellence, carriers can avoid this negative spiral. By employing more consistent process metrics and controls focused on the typical errors in the underwriting process, insurers can move closer to other industries which have achieved far higher level of quality controls and process consistency. As the industry moves into a soft market cycle, the need for underwriting rigor will be critical and will ultimately differentiate the winners and losers.

Geno Fernandez, Partner
McKinsey and Company
Chicago, Ill.

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Break
Sponsored by Wellington Underwriting

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

CSR Panel Discussion
New to this year’s agenda, the CSR Panel Discussion will cover the many aspects of the role and working relationship between the Customer, CSR and Underwriter. CSR’s will talk openly about the issues they face on a daily basis.

Martha Sena, Commercial Service Agent
Daly Insurance Services, Inc.
Valparaiso, Ind.

Marybeth Meyer, Commercial Lines Manager
Witkemper Insurance Group
Greensburg, Ind.

April Weatherston, Account Manager
HNI Risk Services
New Berlin, Wis.

12:00 - 1:15 p.m.

Lunch
Sponsorship Available

1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

Ease of Doing Business Concurrent Sessions

1. Technology – Ease of Doing Business Through Partnerships and Collaboration
   Learn how more than 200 property/casualty insurance companies have worked together with their IT vendors to successfully improve their business through a shared understanding of vision. Roger will explore the many aspects of the IT partnership to help you better understand the components that are necessary to make your relationship successful.
   
   Roger Rudell, Director
   CSC
   Blythewood, S.C.
2. Building a Commercial Lines Diversification Strategy
   Maine Mutual Group (MMG) embarked on a mission approximately five years ago to diversify its long standing brand as a personal lines writer in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. This presentation will focus on providing a case study of how this small mutual located in rural Maine has been able to carve out its niche in a competitive marketplace and, as a result, double its commercial writings.
   
   It will begin with a brief overview of the company’s history, market presence, and business philosophy (including why commercial lines diversification had become critical).
   
   Second, a discussion will follow of how MMG evolved in several critical areas to fuel commercial growth. These areas include technology, product development, agency relationships, and departmental staff. Depth will be provided in terms of best practices employed to gain momentum and change Agency perceptions.
   
   The presentation will conclude with a summary of next steps and MMG’s vision for commercial lines over the next five years.
   
   Matt McHatten, Senior Vice President-External Operations
   Maine Mutual Group
   Presque Isle, Maine
3. Underwriter Attitude
   This session addresses the issues of interactions between underwriters and agents. Independent agents have choices where to place business and often it is the relationship that drives the opportunity. In this concentrated but highly interactive session, underwriters will benefit from our exploration of; behavioral styles, creating value as perceived by the agent, reaffirming underwriting appetites, and declining risks without damaging future opportunities. Overall we will help you create a plan that will encourage agents to want to do business with you!
   
   Paul Balbresky, BS, Med, CLU
   Principal
   Marlton, N.J.

2:15 – 2:30 p.m

Break
Sponsorship Available

2:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Ease of Doing Business Concurrent Sessions Repeated

1. Technology Tools
2. Product Development
3. Underwriter Attitude

3:45 – 5:00 p.m.

Good Ethics is Good Business
Why is ethics such a “hot topic” these days? This interactive session will address “hot” ethical issues, specifically those that create problems in the insurance industry. Attendees will receive valuable and practical guidelines for making ethical decisions. Come learn why good ethics is good business!

Connie Luthardt, CPCU, AAI, AIM, AIS, CPIW
Ethics/Insurance Instructor and Consultant
Alexandria, Va.

5:00 p.m.

Meeting adjourns for the day

6:00 p.m.

Optional Activity: “Lights and Sights of Chicago”
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to network with your peers while seeing the sights of Chicago. The tour will depart from the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower at 6:00 p.m. on a deluxe Chicago Trolley. You won’t need to worry about the infamous Chicago wind because these trolleys are fully enclosed and heated for your comfort. The professionally guided, 60-minute tour will cover 13 magnificent miles of Chicago’s downtown and loop. Your tour guide will provide history and background of the major historical features of Chicago, offering an insider’s view of the “Windy City”. After the tour, the trolley will drop you at Dave & Busters for a light dinner. Dave & Busters is the ultimate entertainment complex in Chicago. Checkout the billiards, the million dollar midway and a fully loaded sports bar to view your favorite game. We invite you to hang out and enjoy the fun and lively atmosphere, or hop on a trolley back to the hotel. Trolleys will be available to transport you back to the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower until 8:45 PM. For those of you who would prefer to socialize a little longer, the hotel is within walking distance of Dave & Busters. This optional activity is a great opportunity to see the sights and savor the flavors of Chicago, while networking with your peers in the industry. Space is limited, so be sure to register in advance!

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Buffet
Sponsorship Available

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Coverages Concurrent Sessions

1. ISO/GL 1040
   This ISO/GL 1040 session, designed for the experienced underwriter, will give a complete review of the ISO Commercial General Liability forms, endorsements and rule changes with a focus on important recent changes.
   
   The Dec. 1, 2004, changes are creating havoc in many agencies and companies, especially the new definition of "mobile equipment" that forces liability coverage for these vehicles to be covered under the Business Auto Policy. There are also new developments in the area of E-Commerce. Join us for this session to learn more about these important changes and developments.
   
   Dan Myers
   Professional Insurance Education of Indiana
   Maxwell, Ind.
2. Inland Marine/ Package Business
   This session will be a primer on Inland Marine Insurance. Sophia Phillips, a recognized leader in the marine community, will discuss the type of Inland Marine which is typically included on a package, and she will identify the common mistakes most package underwriters make when adding Inland Marine coverage to the package. This session will provide the details you need to better understand this specific segment of the commercial lines market.
   
   Sophia Phillips
   The Hanover Group
   Itasca, Ill.
3. Property Valuation/ITV/Functional Replacement
   In order to accurately underwrite a property, you must have an intelligent and effective system in place for evaluation. This informative session will explore the process of property valuation and insurance to value, both of which are an essential part of the underwriting process. Replacement Cost, Actual Cash Value, Agreed value and Coinsurance are just some of the variables included in the property valuation process and will be addressed during this technical session.
   
   William Johnson, AVP-Underwriting
   Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company
   Philadelphia, Pa.
4. Construction Defects
   An onslaught of construction defect litigation over the past several decades has continued to pummel the insurance industry. Lack of legislative and judicial clarity in the area of construction defect litigation, construction standards or regulations, and limitations on suits for construction defects for property damage or personal injury have led to an atmosphere of, at times, uncontrolled litigation, spiraling building, insurance and litigation costs.
   
   Coverage disputes between contractors and their insurers and between insurance companies are as common as the construction defect claims themselves. Issues of trigger of coverage, allocation, additional insured endorsements and indemnification agreements are only some of the challenges presented by this complex subject. Examining key provisions of general liability insurance and changing trends in policy construction, interpretation and application are essential to successfully keeping abreast of the important developments in the ever-changing world of construction defect law and legislation.
   
   Marianne Sparks
   American Re-Insurance
   San Francisco, Calif.

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Break
Sponsorship Available

9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

Coverages Concurrent Sessions Repeated

1. ISO/GL 1040
2. Inland Marine/ Package Business
3. Property Valuation/ITV/Functional Replacement
4. Construction Defects

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.

Break
Sponsorship Available

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Niche Pricing and Segmentation
What are the benefits of niche marketing and pricing? This presentation will explore how to determine whether risks are good or bad and how to charge the right price for the risk. The session includes a discussion of the pricing vs. underwriting vs. market based approaches and will show why each class of business must be priced properly to avoid adverse selection and ensure an underwriting profit.

Richard Dorman, Owner
Dorman Consulting
Beachwood, Ohio

11:15 a.m.

Seminar Concludes