SPEAKERS SELECTED FOR
AAIS MAIN EVENT, APRIL 26-28

AAIS has confirmed five speakers for the 2009 AAIS Main Event conference, April 26-28 at The Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

AAIS staff members will also address the conference and lead roundtable discussions on topic areas.

The speakers include:

• Howard Mills, former New York insurance superintendent, now chief advisor to Deloitte LLP's insurance industry group. He will give the opening address to the conference, addressing the economic, political, and regulatory challenges facing property/casualty insurers in this year of transition.

• Lamont Boyd, insurance market director for global scoring solutions for Fair Isaac Corporation, the nation's leading developer of credit-based insurance scoring. He will address questions regarding the validity of credit scores in a credit crisis, and the reactions of regulators to the use of scoring.

• Mark Gorman, a well-known insurance industry consultant, will provide findings from his survey research into what insurers are doing to implement predictive analytics in their operations.

• James Barber, North American market director for Information Builders, will speak on the "data mastery" companies have to achieve with their information systems and their personnel.

• Gerry Finley, senior vice president for casualty treaty underwriting for Munich Re America, will address emerging property and liability exposures for insurers.

A full description of the conference program and online registration will be available by Jan. 30 on www.AAISonline.com.

A hotel reservation form is now available online for those seeking to make travel arrangements.

For more information, contact Joseph Harrington, director of corporate communications, at joeh@AAISonline.com, or by calling 800-564-AAIS.

FARM EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWN ENDORSEMENT
INCLUDES 'GREEN' COVERAGE FEATURES

Insurers that use the AAIS Farmowners Program will soon have access to a new sample endorsement for adding equipment breakdown coverage for household and farm property.

Among other things, the endorsement includes a "green" upgrade feature that covers costs incurred to repair and replace damaged property with property certified by a "green authority" to conserve natural resources, reduce energy or water consumption, reduce emissions of pollutants, or otherwise minimize environmental impact.

More details on the "Equipment Breakdown Enhancement Endorsement" are provided in a press release.

(Since AAIS already has equipment breakdown endorsements filed under its Farmowners Program, the latest endorsement is provided on a sample basis. To use it, affiliated companies will have to take filing action on their own.)

Developed with Mutual Boiler Re

This latest Farmowners equipment breakdown coverage option was proposed by Mutual Boiler Re, Malvern, Pa., and developed in collaboration with that company's product and underwriting specialists.

Mutual Boiler Re is prepared to help AAIS Farmowners affiliates with implementation of the option, including marketing, underwriting, pricing,  and claims handling. Contact Sam Broomer, vice president, at Samuel.Broomer@MutualBoilerRe.com, or by calling 800-814-4458.

AFFILIATE GUIDE PROVIDES
EXPANDED, UPDATED INFORMATION 

AAIS recently released an expanded and updated Affiliate Guide to all AAIS member companies.

The Affiliate Guide replaces the previous "Factbook" and, like its predecessor, is intended to be a permanent reference guide that provides answers to commonly asked questions and helps AAIS members make the most use of their affiliation.

Information in the Affiliate Guide includes:

• A complete list of AAIS programs and services, including the AAISdirect Internet service, plus support services for customizing, pricing, filing, and automating programs;

• An explanation of the election of services form used to initiate changes in a company's affiliation with AAIS (i.e., new lines and states); and

• Ordering instructions for copies of forms, manuals, and educational materials.

In addition, the Affiliate Guide provides information on updates to various AAIS products and services, as well as an up-to-date directory of contact information for AAIS staff members.

For information about the guide itself, contact Pat Peters, director of member relations, at patp@AAISonline.com, or by calling 800-564-2247, ext. 289.