Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has grown from one man in 1927 to one of the largest insurance brokers in the world with over 8,000 employees. 'This is a book about a business and a family that, by its example, defines integrity. It is a testament to the fact that business success comes from hardworking, honorable people who care about their clients. Jack Greenberg Former CEO & Chairman, McDonalds Corporation 'Many more decades of the century lie ahead. What makes Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is its culture and its leadership pipeline. These are ingredients of longevity for a successful corporation. Ram Charan World-Renowned Business Consultant, Author, Speaker and Teacher 'I strongly believe that trust and a passionate belief in duty to the client should be the basis of our business. It's good to see The Gallagher Way continuing to show an outstanding example to the industry. Sir David Rowland Former Chairman Lloyd's of London 'Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has established itself as a shining example of how insurance and risk management organizations should function. CPCU, Insurance Institute of America 'This book is a 'must read' for anyone in business who truly values the individual, whether a client or an employee. The Gallagher Way has stood the test of time. James J. O'Connor Former CEO Commonwealth Edison Platinum 400 Best Big Companies in America Forbes Magazine, 2004 & 2005

This book is a guide to implementation of World-Class Business Continuity Management within an enterprise. It may be used as a step-by-step guide by those new to Business Continuity Management or dipped into by the more seasoned professional for ideas and updates on specific topics. There is no absolute "right way" to perform business continuity management - although there are plenty of wrong ways. Business Continuity is not rocket science: it is applied common sense. Yes, experience helps, but it is no mystic art. This book makes the processes transparent and provide the reader with everything necessary to do the job. Many examples are provided throughout this guide: these all have their roots in real cases and real organizations, and come heavily laden with pragmatism. Over fifteen years of business continuity experience in environments large and small, public and private, has gone into developing the methods described. Your own "right way" for business continuity management means picking, matching and tailoring from the cases and examples provided and combining these with existing best practice within your organization. EXCERPT FROM THE PREFACE Melvyn Musson, FBCI, CBCP, CISSP I was very pleased to be asked to write a preface to this much-needed book. There are many books that have been written covering various aspects of hazard control, emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity, but not one that pulls all areas together under the auspices of the individual sections of the BCI and DRII Professional Practices. Why my interest? To quote from a letter I wrote to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 1991 when they were considering the establishment of a Technical Committee to develop a Standard on Disaster Management: "Disaster Management, or Business Continuation Planning as we prefer to call it, is a natural progression from Hazard/Loss Control through Emergency Response to the recovery process. "The best hazard/loss control programs cannot prevent emergency or catastrophic situations occurring. The emergency response procedures that most companies have developed or which may be required by law, deal with such aspects as initial fire fighting, evacuation, life safety, etc. - what one might term the stabilization of the situation. They cover the first hours of the emergency. They do not deal with the long-term recovery, which could take several months. "Disaster Management, or some other similarly named program, is needed to enable the company to institute procedures to return to normal operations as soon as possible. That standard is now available as NFPA 1600: Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs. Within that standard are details of the BCI/DRII Professional Practices, albeit as part of the various sections of the standard and not as an individual, specific section. In addition to NFPA 1600, other standards and guides such as BS7779 in Great Britain and the recent Australian Risk Management Standard are incorporating the Professional Practices either by specific reference or wording relating to the practices. The advent of the Turnbull Report introduces a new consideration and need, which the Professional Practices can support. This makes it all the more important to have a reference material that can clearly detail what should be considered in each of the ten subject areas, together with appropriate examples and details of not only the benefits but also the problems that can be expected with each of those subject areas. Andrew Hiles has been able to do so in the development of this book. In addition, since Andrew intends to issue periodic updates, this book becomes a living document, which will address both changes in the Professional Practices and developments within the industry.

This unique book is a guide for students and graduates of mathematics, statistics, economics, finance, and other number-based disciplines contemplating a career in actuarial science. Given the comprehensive range of the cases that are analyzed in the book, the Actuaries' Survival Guide can serve as a companion to existing study material for all courses designed to prepare students for actuarial examinations.
* Based on the curricula and examinations of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS)
* Presents an overview of career options and details on employment in different industries
* Provides a link between theory and practice; helps readers gain the qualitative and quantitative skills and knowledge required to succeed in actuarial exams
* Includes insights from over 50 actuaries and actuarial students
* Written by Fred Szabo, who has directed the actuarial co-op program at Concordia University for over ten years

More than ever, the basic lesson for business managers and for business continuity professionals is: anything can happen This book is a guide to best practices in understanding risk and business impact. It provides essential guidance for the identification, management and control of risks confronting businesses --- What might happen? How will our enterprise be affected? What will the impact be? Answering these questions accurately and objectively is essential to Business Continuity Management, business success - and even business survival.The helpful examples all have their roots in real cases and come heavily laden with pragmatism. Over fifteen years experience in blue chip environments, large and small, public and private, has gone into developing the methods described. Others come with a respected pedigree from a variety of industries. Your own "right way" for risk management means picking, matching and tailoring from the cases, guidance and examples provided, and building on existing best practice within your organization. "This book is intended to provide guidance and examples for the identification, management and control of risks. Wherever practicable, we have used case studies and examples to illustrate the points."It is impossible to cover every industry, every process and every activity in work of this sort. We have therefore made the work as comprehensive as practicable and focused particularly on those risk areas of generic value to the reader, while providing references and case studies relevant to specific market sectors."Many examples are provided throughout this guide: these all have their roots in real cases and come heavily laden with pragmatism. Over fifteen years experience in blue chip environments, large and small, public and private, has gone into developing some of the methods described. Others come with a respected pedigree from a variety of industries.Your own "right way" for risk management means picking, matching and tailoring from the cases and examples provided and building on existing best practice within your organization."Where practicable we have provided examples of different methodologies so thatthe one most appropriate to the reader's organization's business continuity maturity and culture can be selected. The author is also conscious that it can only be a partial picture of what is a global business continuity industry. However, we have tried to be representative as far as practicable, illustrating issues, approaches and requirements from various countries."

A collection of thirty-five articles by this renowned specialist in the sytematic study of insurance, and covering a broad range of topics.

The authors of this study emphasize the effectiveness of collectively funded public insurances as opposed to genetic information regulation within the private insurance sector. Genetics has provided tools to determine individuals' risk of future disease, which is of key interest for insurance companies in determining insurance premiums; but persons with high enough risk may remain uninsured. For this reason, genetic information has been regulated. But, regulation may not be the solution, according to the authors, and they call for the resumption of social insurance, a key element of the welfare state.

Term life insurance. Whole life. Variable and Universal life insurance. The list of choices for insurance products continues to grow - along with the different uses and tax implications associated with each. Despite the dizzying pace of change in the industry, every financial professional must understand the different types of insurance available - and the considerations for purchasing them.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Now - the Society of Financial Professionals teams up with tax and estate planning expert Lou Shuntich to bring you a practical new reference guide that is both compact and comprehensive. Concise and to-the-point, this handbook provides the latest industry information on: . The legal aspects of acquiring and owning a policy. The types of products and contracts available. Simple criteria for evaluating and comparing policies and insurance companies. The tax implications of each product type. Structuring policies, ownership arrangements and beneficiaries for maximum tax and legal benefits - and tips for avoiding traps and pitfalls in the processWhile not an exhaustive account of the industry - it's an excellent primer that covers the key concepts necessary when advising clients or analyzing portfolios and estates. And in keeping with the Society of Financial Professionals' steadfast commitment to providing continuing education to the industry, The Life Insurance Handbook is the perfect learning tool for keeping busy financial professionals and their clients up-to-date

COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: DEMYSTIFYING EMERGENCY PLANNING is a "how-to" guide for staff in small to mid-sized local governments. It is incumbent upon such local authorities to be as prepared as possible for the natural and human-caused emergencies that seem to be occurring with greater frequency throughout North America, whether large or small, urban or rural. Preparing for such an eventuality is not ad hoc or sporadic: it follows a logical process considering a wide range of important aspects well beyond what is traditionally considered emergency preparedness. Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) is a framework intended to guide novice emergency planners through the complete process of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. This work also includes an introductory chapter on the nature of local government emergency planning and a final chapter of tips on "putting it all together." Between these are detailed chapters on each of the four phases of comprehensive emergency management. The Mitigation chapter provides a thorough review of the concept of risk, risk assessment, management and communication. The Preparedness chapter constructs the preparedness plan which is an assembly of a general emergency management plan, four common priority plans covering public information, emergency social services, evacuation and telecommunications, and finally, hazard-specific preparedness plans for each hazard facing a community. The Response chapter covers the unique nature of response where the preparedness plan is put into use. Specifically, it addresses the scale of response by discussing mutual aid and supplementary resources. The Recovery chapter touches on the three cornerstones of recovery: staff, facilities and services. It also includes comments on the unique end to emergencies in addressing "Returning to Normal." Together they lead the emergency planner through the detailed process of compiling a comprehensive emergency management plan for their community. Beyond simply having the plan prepared, this book conveys the dynamic life of such a plan by stressing "the other 80%," which is training and exercising. Creating a training matrix for staff and developing a timetable of graduated exercises are those important steps beyond writing the plan that instill its principles and procedures. The book offers helpful advice on how a local government undertakes comprehensive emergency planning, who is assigned what tasks, and the ongoing obligations of those with such responsibilities. It is a treatment of the entire process of which writing a plan is only one part. There are many aspects to managing a successful, but more importantly effective, local government emergency program that are often overlooked by the novice or part-time emergency planner. This book provides a truly comprehensive view that any local government will benefit from.

Despite rising real incomes, the number of uninsured American workers and their dependents has not fallen appreciably. Policymakers in both political parties have considered the use of tax credits to encourage the purchase of private insurance coverage. This study analyzes the effects of a variety of forms of tax credits, especially for workers whose incomes place them above the poverty line but below the median family income -- a group in which the vast majority of the uninsured are to be found. The authors' conclusions differ from more conventional analyses in two ways. First, they find plausible effects on the numbers of uninsured persons that are larger than those of other studies. Second, they explore the distinction between the "cost" to the federal government of tax credits and the more relevant measures of tax credits' effects on aggregate economic welfare and cost to the economy. Nevertheless, they still find, as do most other analysts, that modest subvsidies will have little effect in reducing the number of the uninsured. For a given amount "spent" on credits, a key tradeoff exists between the breadth of the reduction in the uninsured and the depth of the increase in the coverage they take. While it is unlikely that the number of uninsured will ever be literally zero, the authors believe that carefully designed tax credits can both reduce the numbers of uninsured and improve the equity of tax treatment of the insured.

Medicare is a nationwide health insurance program for the aged and certain disabled persons. Over its 32 year history, it has provided important protections for millions of Americans. However, the program is now facing a number of problems. The first and most pressing concern is whether Medicare's financing mechanism will be able to sustain it in the long run. Many people are also concerned that the program's structure, which in large measure reflects both the health care delivery system as well as political considerations in effect at the time of enactment, has failed to keep pace with the changes in the health care system as a whole. A related concern is whether the program's benefit structure adequately responds to the health care needs of today's aged and disabled populations. This book addresses these and related issues.

Compact new guide walks you - or your clients - through the maze of issues to consider when making long-term care choices. Focuses on the most common, crucial factors for determining long-term care needs, including: - Funding Long term care - Long-term care for a young or disabled person - How to qualify for government care programs - Evaluating long-term care settings and facilities - Ins & outs of long-term care insurance policies: What do they cover? What don't they?? Are they affordable?? When clients think these issues through now, difficult choices will be easier down the road.Most people embrace life with a positive outlook on longevity and goodhealth, rarely considering the alternative. But most of us - young or old, single or married with children - will need to contemplate long-term care decisions for ourselves or a loved one eventually. These decisions can be emotionally and financially draining if advance preparations have not been made.Now, a compact new guide walks you through the maze of issues you need to consider when making long-term care choices. In his simple, straightforward style financial planning expert Don Korn focuses on the most common and crucial factors for determining long-term care needs, including: o Funding long-term care - what options are available if financialresources are not?o Long-term care for a young or disabled person - do the same policies apply?o How to qualify for government care programs such as Medicaid -and is that the best route for the family or the heirs?o Evaluating long-term care settings and facilities - what to look for, and how to guarantee that choices are honored?

Endorsed by The Business Continuity Institute.- Contains a comprehensive, detailed business continuity audit plan- Includes sample audit report and work papers- An ideal resource for consultants or auditors, as well as internal business continuity planners - International in scope - includes country-specific guidelines.This book presents a general methodology and a framework for auditing Business Continuity Management (BCM). The main purpose is to provide a single work of reference for auditors, managers working in business continuity and consultants.BCM is a complex field. It covers business issues and technology with a perspective on the entire enterprise. The business continuity manager, and the auditor, require a diversified set of skills and extensive knowledge to assess business continuity as a question of business survival. There has been a lot of confusion about the terms "business continuity," "disaster recovery," "IT security" and many other words attempting to describe the continuation of critical business processes under adverse circumstances. However, for the auditor these terms refer to one and the same notion: businesses should take adequate precautions to ensure that no going concern issues arise from crises or disasters.Some companies decide to take a cautious stance with regard to continuing their operations come what may: they prefer to "err on the safe side" and rely on preventative measures. Other firms, perhaps in an industry where "speed to market" and competitive pressure require a faster pace, may prefer to reduce investments on prevention, while putting in place a robust crisis and disaster management mechanism. Both types of corporations nevertheless pursue the overall goal of business continuity, by either avoiding risks or disasters (if they can), or by making sure they can deal with these events.In a sense, BCM means "reading the future" or trying to safeguard an organization against unforeseen events. Management is still forced to address precisely this issue, by carefully evaluating their options and then making an entrepreneurial decision about the acceptable level of remaining risk. To the auditor, it is important to understand how this decision has been reached and whether it can be justified from a financial, operational and managerial point of view. Neither the overly cautious nor the reckless manager will succeed in today's market - the BCM auditor should provide a sounding board and an objective business partnership to the management of the company being reviewed. BCM audit is therefore an important element of ensuring corporate survival. The audit result incorporates issues of compliance, highlights weaknesses and provides reasonable recommendations to management, whose experience may be enhanced and improved by the auditor's objective input from other corporations or industries. It is not to be confused with the much narrower field of IT audit. This book has been deliberately restricted to business continuity rather than IT continuity to highlight the all-important differences between the two. The contents have been arranged around the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) / Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII) Professional Practices for business continuity as well as other standards such as CobIT or ISO / IEC 17799. Some elements may look familiar to the experienced auditor who may still benefit from using this book as a reference manual or as an instructive tool for groups of auditors. This is intentional, as BCM and related audit questions should "fit in" with tools and models that are recognized and proven in the field.

For anyone who needs to understand different types of life insurance, as well as considerations for
purchasing and managing policies, this book should be on your nearby reference shelf. If you’ve
frequently found yourself fumbling around with terminology, such as the differences between variable,
universal, and variable universal life (VUL) policies, you’ll finally see some light through the haze.
- MorningstarAdvisor.com

Life insurance doesnt have to be complex or intimidating. Ben Baldwins completely revised and updated guidebook makes it clear and logical, discussing how to analyze insurance products based on their investment merits and best overall financial returns. This clear, authoritative resource for consumer insurance information covers the pros and cons of Internet purchases, techniques to use capital within a policy, the fixed premium feature, insurance for different stages of life, and the new emergence of immediate annuities.

The 1990s saw no progress in the financing of health care. About 40 million Americans still have no health insurance including 22 percent of America's children and 19 percent of young adults. And an economic downturn brings with it increased numbers of uninsured. What can be done? Mark V. Pauly and John S. Hoff answer with a tax credit/voucher system introduced in a common-sense way, with as much simplicity and flexibility as possible. The United States can launch such a program immediately and make needed adjustments along the way. The use of the credit assists people in obtaining insurance and provides tax equity. The authors chronicle changes in U.S. attitudes about health care and in the economic environment, tackle design issues, and consider policy trade-offs and problems of the technicalities of such a program. They offer a sample tax-credit plan and respond to possible objections to their plan.

Eight out of ten Americans will have an accident in the next seven years. Baldyga delivers over three decades of personal injury, insurance claim experience in this easy-to-read book. Learn how to settle "pain and suffering" for top dollar. (Legal Reference)

Investigate the dynamic impact that curing catastrophic diseases, such as cancer, leukemia, and AIDS, will have on the insurance industry in the years ahead. A practical analysis for anyone concerned with the future of health and life insurance in America.

"Automobile Insurance Made Simple" is a comprehensive, easy to understand consumer's guide to auto insurance. It explains the basic coverages provided by most auto insurance policies, along with simple and clear examples. The book explains how insurance companies determine how much you pay for auto insurance. Once you have this basic understanding, it's easy to see how you can save money on your auto insurance.

The book contains actual rating examples and premium charges with easy-to-follow charts and graphs. It provides tips on how to shop, what discounts to look for, and how not to become a victim of insurance fraud. It explains coverages.

This book is a valuable resource worth coming back to time and again. An absolute must buy if you live in New Jersey!

The $20 investment you make in this book can save you hundreds of dollars in just one year, even thousands of dollars over the course of your lifetime.

This is a new edition of a very successful introduction to statistical methods for general insurance practitioners. No prior statistical knowledge is assumed, and the mathematical level required is approximately equivalent to school mathematics. While the book is primarily introductory, the authors discuss some more advanced topics, including simulation, calculation of risk premiums, credibility theory, estimation of outstanding claim provisions and risk theory. All topics are illustrated by examples drawn from general insurance, and references for further reading are given. Solutions to most of the exercises are included. For the new edition, the opportunity has been taken to make minor improvements and corrections throughout the text, to rewrite some sections to improve clarity, and to update the examples and references. A new section dealing with estimation has also been added.