Ready, Set, Learn!

One thing I’ve noticed recently is that agents, brokers, underwriters and other insurance professionals have ample opportunity this fall to learn more about what they do. The menu of educational seminars and conferences on the calendar for the last few months of 2003 is long and varied.

What a great thing! After all, can we ever know too much, whether it’s about our jobs and our industry, or about the world around us? Those interested in marine insurance, excess & surplus lines, underwriting, workers’ compensation and much more have a number of quality resources from which to choose. Insurance Journal tries to keep up with these seminars and conferences, so between our Web site at www.insurancejournal.com and the pages of this magazine you should be able to find a class or two from which you could benefit. While we like to think so, we’re not really all-seeing and all-knowing, consequently if there’s a valuable learning opportunity out there that we haven’t mentioned, please let us know.

You may be wondering what in the world Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is doing on the cover of Insurance Journal. As senior staff writer Dave Thomas, who interviewed Gov. Bush for this issue, noted, “Sure, his brother used to be the governor of Texas and I’m also quite certain Jeb has set foot in California before. But no, those were not our reasons for placing him in such a prominent place.”

In recent months the IJ editorial department has made it our goal to connect with not only insurance commissioners and industry experts, but congressmen, senators, governors, etc. who have an impact on the industry. Bush certainly falls into that category. His work on workers’ compensation, which this summer went through a major overhaul in Florida, and medical malpractice reforms that are currently being negotiated in his state, places him squarely in the middle of two of the most pressing issues facing the industry.

Also in this edition, Kevin B. O’Reilly takes a look at the excess and surplus lines market and finds the industry’s relief pitcher is seeing lots of play these days. Finding that plenty of work still lies ahead for E&S carriers, O’Reilly looks at some of the recent trends and where the market may be going.

Finally, in “Parting Shots” Texas Senator Kim Brimer urges readers to support the legislature’s recent effort at tort reform, Proposition 12. Voters will have chance to cast their opinion on that proposition—which places limits on “pain and suffering” awards in medical malpractice law suits—and 21 other proposed amendments to the state’s constitution on Sept. 13.

A government by the people depends on the people to make their voices heard. We do that by casting our votes at the polls. So whether you support Proposition 12 (or any other amendment for that matter) or not, the important thing is to make your opinion be known. See you at the voting box!