Browse Bowers, Barbara

1-151 out of 151 article(s)

Title	Type	Date	Words
Then there was one: when companies merge, blending their risk management operations requires planning, foresight and tough choices.		Aug 1, 2005	1915
On the storm front: although Florida's neighboring states have suffered a fair share of hits, none has established a hurricane catastrophe fund.		Jul 1, 2005	2399
Calls for a cure: with flexible schedules and ergonomic accommodations, companies can curb high absenteeism at their call centers.		Jul 1, 2005	2036
Gotcha: persistence pays off for insurance fraud investigators.		Jul 1, 2005	556
A lesson learned: TIAA-CREF once owned the educator retirement savings market. New competition led to a studied new approach to promoting the brand.		Jun 1, 2005	3087
Risk managers, brokers square off as compensation rift spurs tension.		Jun 1, 2005	566
Willis' Plumeri leaves them standing.	Brief Article	Jun 1, 2005	229
Marsh settlement yields pros and cons.	Brief article	Jun 1, 2005	250
Failure on broker commissions.	Brief Article	Jun 1, 2005	243
Panel doubts renewal of TRIA will clear.	Brief article	Jun 1, 2005	265
D&O: excess carriers face heavy burden.	Interview	Jun 1, 2005	585
Liberty Mutual CEO: TRIA is needed.	Interview	Jun 1, 2005	931
Checking it out: poor casualty loss experience is driving the uptick in reinsurance underwriting audits.		May 1, 2005	2251
A criminal question: agent groups say a proposed model law that would criminalize misappropriation of premium funds is flawed.		May 1, 2005	2128
Comfort zone: risk managers seek TRIA renewal and disclosure of broker compensation.		Apr 1, 2005	2550
Hand in hand: by helping independent agencies to grow, insurers may attract much of the agents' business and thereby grow themselves.		Apr 1, 2005	1675
No small matter: nanotechnology holds out substantial growth opportunities--and possibly big risks--for the insurance industry.		Mar 1, 2005	2609
Restricted access: a proposed model law would limit insurers' use of claims databases as underwriting tools, but some agents say that's OK.		Mar 1, 2005	1991
Way to grow: Unitrin chief executive tells why the company chose its latest acquisition and predicts more renewal rights transactions in the industry in 2005.	Interview	Mar 1, 2005	1596
Funding the inevitable: the California Earthquake Authority appears ready for the big one.		Feb 1, 2005	2188
Identity crisis: independent agents must make their brands known to grow their businesses.		Feb 1, 2005	2429
Brainstorming for business: AIG's search for new risks worldwide often makes it the first to market a new insurance product.		Jan 1, 2005	1278
The hallmark of technology: RenaissanceRe stands out among reinsurers for its innovative use of technology in underwriting, particularly when it involves catastrophe modeling.		Jan 1, 2005	1228
Punitive-damages award remains $9 million.		Jan 1, 2005	701
Fraud among friends: some unscrupulous insurance agents break the bonds of trust and steal from policyholders and carriers.		Jan 1, 2005	1309
Working up a suit: as more people sue the company they work for, employment practices liability insurance is becoming standard coverage.		Jan 1, 2005	1752
Doing more with more: multiline captive agents and independent producers compete to answer the modern customer's demand for one-stop financial shopping.		Dec 1, 2004	2557
Easing the way: the calculation of residential replacement value and management of risk in real time are tasks for new technology tools.		Nov 1, 2004	1654
Using her noodle: Kathryn Emmerson brings the knowledge of 30 years as a broker to the dot-com realm.		Nov 1, 2004	788
Armed for action: independent agents in many states have mounted successful grass-roots campaigns to push for new laws and regulations.		Nov 1, 2004	3896
Hurricane-stricken Florida puts strain on 15,000 adjusters.		Oct 1, 2004	649
The numbers count: whatever the assignment, forensic accountants are always on the lookout for fraud.		Oct 1, 2004	2915
Turning the table: the 2001 mortality table promises to spawn new life product designs.		Oct 1, 2004	2049
Gaining ground: in the market-share race between fixed and variable products, insurers say sales are running nearly even.		Sep 1, 2004	1635
Reliance: liquidation update: a proposed $5 million settlement with employees will be heard Sept. 30.		Sep 1, 2004	1439
A capital idea: ERC executive proposes a new method for pricing reinsurance.	Interview	Sep 1, 2004	1993
Ready to roll: in the next 10 years, baby boomers will accumulate huge retirement nest eggs and their draw on Social Security may spur the privatization of that American institution. Are insurers prepared to take advantage of these business opportunities?		Aug 1, 2004	2941
Underwriting the arts: Golden State Mutual supported struggling artists and wound up with a prestigious collection.		Aug 1, 2004	538
Courting the agents: property/casualty insurers are using technology and education to persuade independent agents to represent them.		Jul 1, 2004	4225
Always in the family: the years have been kind to Sobel Affiliates Inc., which has bucked consolidation to keep growing as a family owned brokerage.		Jul 1, 2004	3091
Patents pending: insurers no longer enjoy open season on the product innovations of competitors.		Jun 1, 2004	3433
Old cat--new tricks: creative new uses for catastrophe bonds help generate more capital, deals and investors.		Jun 1, 2004	4147
A picture of health: MetLife's database has spawned an illustrated guide to understanding and managing the health issues behind employee absenteeism.	Interview	Jun 1, 2004	2042
Time in a bottle: Hardware Mutual preserved the present and predicted the future 50 years ago.		Jun 1, 2004	538
Clarifying claims: independent, public and staff--do insurers really need all these adjusters?		May 1, 2004	4138
Damage control: quick responses by restoration firms can reduce the number of expensive claims.		Apr 1, 2004	2686
Learning from litigation: a directors and officers insurance expert cites more partnering between insurers and clients and shorter-term policies as among the changes necessary to excel in the current litigious environment.	Interview	Apr 1, 2004	3436
Hitting potential hot spots: insurers are incorporating catastrophe modeling in underwriting individual risks.		Apr 1, 2004	1287
Channel surfing: the search for the most effective means of distribution is taking life and annuity insurers in myriad directions.		Mar 1, 2004	2748
Easy pass: recent trends in competition and carrier contracts have blurred the distinction between captive/career and independent agents.		Mar 1, 2004	1575
Governing principals: corporate scandals and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are causing insurers to pay attention to the objectivity and transparency of their boards.		Feb 1, 2004	2020
On their own: risk retention groups provide coverage and stable costs for physicians and hospitals facing higher insurance premiums.		Feb 1, 2004	3223
No sure thing: once tranquil, the surety business has been rattled by a series of storms in recent years that left insurers searching for the way back to profitability.		Feb 1, 2004	2542
Profiting from experience: Nationwide Mutual's success formula is simple: manage risks and know your customers.	Company overview	Jan 1, 2004	512
Credit scoring laws gain ground.		Jan 1, 2004	585
Out on a limb: market conditions are making it more difficult for agents to obtain E&O coverage.		Jan 1, 2004	2879
J2EE touted for large pool of trained developers.	Brief Article	Dec 1, 2003	134
Collective clout: purchasing coalitions are helping insurers spread the risk and offer employers and employees substantial premium savings.		Dec 1, 2003	2065
Cream of the crop: Caliper's surveys reveal most insurance agents lack sales expertise and for agencies to succeed they must begin hiring and retaining potential superstars.		Dec 1, 2003	1033
Smoke stream: insurers and brokers find new business opportunities in emissions trading and managing emissions risk.		Nov 1, 2003	1707
Greater than the sum of the parts: new risk management textbook connects with holistic problem solving.	Interview	Nov 1, 2003	2381
A turn for the better: insurers rely on brokers to sell their consumer-driven health-care plans, but brokers must understand the plans to succeed in the growing market.		Nov 1, 2003	3448
Becoming a contender: new leadership, tighter focus, financial restructuring and stronger underwriting have turned Safeco around and prepared it to compete with the major players.		Oct 1, 2003	6259
A burning question: as the suburbs sprawl even farther, homeowners insurers are adding new factors into their underwriting consideration.		Sep 1, 2003	4360
To a future of good health: health plans are learning that predictive modeling, a mainstay of property/casualty insurance, can help them set more accurate rates and reduce costs.		Sep 1, 2003	4684
Experiencing technical difficulties: demand for information technology malpractice insurance is increasing as risks become more varied and pervasive. (Errors and Omissions).		Aug 1, 2003	1780
Triple punch: a broad spectrum of products, strong brand and disciplined management team contribute to Hartford Financial's success. (Cover Story).	Company overview	Jul 1, 2003	977
Keeping the faith: as more mold complaints have surfaced, bad-faith claims have been increasing as well. (Property/Casualty: Claims Management).		Jul 1, 2003	2959
Shaken and stirred: Energetic and energizing Joe Plumeri has spiked revenue growth and retired debt since being installed as the head of Willis Group Holdings in late 2000. (Company Profile: Property/Casualty).		Jun 1, 2003	7886
Revealing circumstances: new claims litigation software lowers total costs by streamlining the process and making it more transparent to insurers and lawyers. (Claims Litigation: Technology).		Jun 1, 2003	4489
Playing hard ball: independent agents are taking advantage of the hard market to grow their businesses through referrals, retentions, focused marketing and some in-the-field underwriting. (Industry Strategies: Agents).		May 1, 2003	3266
Claims busters: Plymouth Rock's mobile claims adjusters mix technology with a personal touch to keep costs down while making customers happy. (Property/Casualty: Claims).		May 1, 2003	5325
For your eyes only: this month insurers face the first of three federally mandated privacy compliance deadlines. (Industry Strategies: Privacy).		Apr 1, 2003	4861
The latest model: life insurers can now reap the benefits of catastrophe modeling. (Life/Health: Catastrophe Modeling).		Apr 1, 2003	1509
Letting go: insurers increasingly are turning away from direct ownership of real estate. (Industry Strategies: Asset Management).		Mar 1, 2003	2736
Taking the time: although insurers say they haven't changed their underwriting standards, they are investing more time and money to add staff, improve technology and extend research. (Property/Casualty: Underwriting).		Mar 1, 2003	1566
Line drive: advocates of medical-liability reform legislation will take on federal and state lawmakers again. (Medical Liability: Property/Casualty).		Feb 1, 2003	2162
Mixing--and separating--mold and myth: experts say it's hard to find scientific facts to support claims of some mold-related health hazards. (Mold: Property/Casualty).		Feb 1, 2003	3276
The bumpy route to independence: when insurers divest of their captive agents, custody battles and lawsuits can follow. (Industry Strategies).		Jan 1, 2003	3355
Getting to the root of the problem: travelers' state-of-the-art high-tech laboratory enables experts to find the causes of major losses and fraud. (Property/Casualty).		Jan 1, 2003	3619
Shelter from the storm: while a sharp increase in the frequency of small weather-related events has many large carriers retrenching in the homeowners line, smaller insurers generally are faring well in this market. (Property/Casualty: Homeowners).		Nov 1, 2002	4976
Getting it right the first time: the push is on for health-care insurers to use information technology to make claims processing more accurate and less costly. (Technology: Claims Processing).		Nov 1, 2002	3783
Going with the flow: the excess & surplus market is absorbing more business from the standard markets. (Property/Casualty: Excess & Surplus).	Brief Article	Oct 1, 2002	3184
When unimaginable risk became reality: Neison Chanfrau, risk manager for the owner of the World Trade Center, survived the collapses of both towers Sept. 11. (Industry Strategies).		Sep 1, 2002	4525
Attractive new addition: some banks are finding that acquiring agencies is the most profitable and least risky way to break into the insurance business. (Property/Casualty).	Industry overview	Sep 1, 2002	3673
Reinsurance rebournd. (Industry Strategies: Top Reinsurers By Line).		Aug 1, 2002	15018
Signs of stress: Sept. 11, rising medical expenses and increased litigation are driving up workers' comp claims costs, causing insurers to review premiums and underwriting. (Property/Casualty: Workers' Compensation).		Aug 1, 2002	9645
Talent scouts: demand for underwriting talent has outstripped supply. Insurers are using salaries arid advancement possibilities to lure and hold on to underwriters. (Property/Casualty: Underwriting).		Aug 1, 2002	2852
On its own: travelers CEO Robert I. Lipp describes the company's new life, now that it has separated from Citigroup. (Companies).	Company overview	Aug 1, 2002	1661
First lady of Wall Street. (Agent Issues: Industry Strategies).		Jul 1, 2002	2754
Storm warning: if Hurricane Andrew struck the same area today, insured losses could be nearly double what they were 10 years ago. (Cover Story).	Brief Article	Jun 1, 2002	4795
Insuring victory: insurance professionals learn how to run for public office at their own political boot camp. (Industry Strategies).	Brief Article	Jun 1, 2002	2343
Giving credit its due: Insurers, agents, legislators, regulators and consumers battle to define the role of insurance scoring. (Industry Strategies: Insurance Scoring).		May 1, 2002	5040
The next hurdle: Brokers say July 1 reinsurance renewals will be the true test for the industry. (Industry Strategies: Brokers).		May 1, 2002	2283
Mix and match: Insurers are using various combinations of agents, the Internet, work-site marketing and direct marketing to shape the 21st-century distribution system. (Industry Strategies).	Brief article	Apr 1, 2002	4545
Get with the program: Insurers and managing general agents in program business have one eye trained on underwriting results and the other on the hard-hit reinsurance market. (Property/Casualty).		Mar 1, 2002	3735
Ready for anything: The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the resulting losses across multiple lines have renewed interest in enterprise risk management. (Risk Management Industry Strategies).		Feb 1, 2002	2606
Under Pressure: Small independent agents could be forced out of business by accelerated market hardening. (Industry Strategies).		Dec 1, 2001	1785
Few and Far Between: Top insurance executives with technology expertise are hard to come by in an industry struggling to break free of its legacy systems.		Dec 1, 2001	2732
A Rising Market.	Industry overview	Nov 1, 2001	4814