UIPI in the News

NAIC Regulator Backs Urban Markets Workshop
National Underwriter
August 5, 2002

Regulators have decided to back the second annual Urban Insurance Advantage workshop, the National Underwriter reported. The workshop, scheduled to take place Oct. 23-24 in Chicago, will give insurance industry regulators, corporate executives and others a chance to share ideas about doing business in urban markets.

The workshop, scheduled to take place Oct. 23-24 in Chicago, will give insurance industry regulators, corporate executives and others a chance to share ideas about doing business in urban markets, the publication noted.

Workshop topics will include agent recruitment and retention, regulation and litigation trends, underwriting, credit scoring, multicultural marketing and demographics.

Terri Vaughan, president of the NAIC, says the October workshop should have something for participants from all sectors of the insurance industry, the article detailed. "This program can help a variety of companies--life, property/casualty, and reinsurers--learn more about serving urban markets successfully," Vaughan says.
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Regulators encourage all companies to learn more about urban markets
Insurance Letter
August 5, 2002

The rapid population shift to urban areas is creating new opportunities and challenges for insurers, prompting regulators to support a national workshop on urban insurance.

"The insurance industry has an important role to play in urban markets," notes Terri Vaughan, president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and head of the Iowa Insurance Division. "This program can help a variety of companies--life, property/casualty, and reinsurers--learn more about serving urban markets successfully."

Insurance regulators, legal experts, corporate executives, urban affairs leaders and other top professionals in urban marketing will lead the Urban Insurance Advantage workshop sessions. The event will be held Oct. 23-24 at the Hotel Monaco in Chicago.
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Urban Insurance Institute Gets New Member
National Underwriter Online News Service
March 27, 2002

American Skyline Insurance Company (ASIC), an urban marketer, announced the company will join the Urban Insurance Partners Institute. UIPI promotes the availability of insurance in cities.

"The Urban Insurance Partners Institute has access to experts in targeting and writing business in urban markets that we as an individual company do not have," said Ernie Hines, president and chief executive officer of ASIC. "Even though urban areas are our focus, the institute can help us find new ways to serve our customers."

American Skyline has offices in Baltimore and Washington, DC, providing auto and homeowners insurance. The company became interested in joining UIPI after participating in the institute's national workshop on urban affairs. "American Skyline adds another dimension to our discussions on urban markets and meeting consumer needs," noted Suzanne Reade, UIPI president.
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American Skyline Joins Industry Initiative on Urban Insurance
Rough Notes Today
March 28, 2002

American Skyline Insurance Company (ASIC), created a year ago specifically to serve urban markets, is joining an industry initiative to promote the availability of insurance in cities. The company announced this week ASIC's membership in the Urban Insurance Partners Institute (UIPI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping insurers have a rewarding presence in urban areas.

American Skyline is headquarted in the city of Baltimore, and also has an office in Washington, D.C. The company became interested in joining the Urban Insurance Partners Institute after participating in UIPI's national workshop on urban affairs last November. "The institute's urban affairs workshop enabled us to come up with some interesting new ideas that we hope to develop in the near future," comments Earnie Hines, president and CEO of ASIC.
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Urban Insurance Partners Institute Chairman Named, Program Expansion Underway
CCH Focus
March 8, 2002

The new chairman of the Urban Insurance Partners Institute is Sue Johnson, an executive at GeneralCologne Re. She was elected during the UIPI board of directors' annual meeting in Washing, D.C.

"This is a time of growth for the institute, with several companies recently becoming new members," noted UIPI President Suzanne Reade. "Sue has a strong interest in urban affairs and her reinsurance perspective will be very helpful."

"Plans are already underway to expand institute programs to meet the growing urban affairs needs of companies," commented Johnson. "We're seeing strong support for our mission of being hte insurance industry's leading resource on urban affairs."
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Unmet Urban Needs Offer Opportunities
Workshop Promotes Understanding Required to Serve a Growing Marketplace*
Business Insurance
December 17, 2001

There are new opportunities for insurers in cities, with increases in the nation's urban population.

"Urban markets offer excellent business opportunities for insurers," said Madelynne Brown, assistant director of the Illinois Department of Insurance.

The Urban Insurance Partners Institute organized a two-day national workshop in Chicago to help insurers and agents learn how to write business successfully in urban areas. The workshop was co-sponsored by Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

"I'm well aware there is good business to be found in urban areas," said Michael Yeager, president and chief executive officer of Lehigh Mutual Insurance Company, and UIPI chairman.

*For a full reprint of this article, please contact UIPI at (773) 880-8780.
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Illinois Regulators Support Insurance Industry Education on Urban Markets
Illinois Insurance
(Official regulatory newsletter of the Illinois Department of Insurance)
October 2001

The Illinois Department of Insurance is working with a nonprofit insurance industry group, the Urban Insurance Partners Institute (UIPI), to educate insurers about urban markets. UIPI will hold a national workshop on writing business successfully in urban areas on November 14-15 in Chicago.

The first-of-its kind seminar, Urban Insurance Advantage, will help insurers gain the tools necessary to compete effectively in urban areas. The workshop is designed to benefit companies of all sizes, as well as brokers and agents who want to write urban business. A major co-sponsor is Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a not-for-profit dedicated to rebuilding communities.

Urban affairs leaders, insurance company officials, legal experts and business innovators will lead the discussions. Department staff will also participate. The workshop will cover a variety of topics, including model urban programs and the latest developments affecting urban business such as investments as strategic tools; tax credit law; agent recruitment and retention; multi-cultural marketing; legal issues; community partnership; grass-roots marketing; regulations; and technology.
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Financial Incentives, EditorialOpinion
InsuranceTimes
October 16, 2001

The ability to write business successfully in urban markets has become increasingly important as the nation's population base consolidates to cities.

The Urban Insurance Partners Institute is organizing a national workshop, the first of its kind, to help insurers gain the tools necessary to compete effectively in urban areas. Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding communities, is a major co-sponsor.

"It's important for insurance cmopanies to learn more about opportunities in urban markets," says Kathleen Sebelius, president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The UIPI educational gathering was designed to benefit insurance companies of all sizes.

"There have been many new developments in urban insurance marketing," notes Suzanne Reade, president of the Urban Insurance Partners Institute. "Our supporters determined it was important to find a way to share the latest information, which led to the workshop."

The institute is funded by insurers, reinsureres and national trade associations.
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Prudential Joins the Urban Insurance Partners Institute
Insurance Letter
October 10, 2001

Prudential Property and Casualty Insurance Company has joined the Urban Insurance Partners Institute (UIPI), a growing industry effort to create alliances among insurance companies and local urban communities.

"We like the direction the institute is taking," says Robert Ellison, director of multi-cultural marketing for Prudential's property and casualty company. "UIPI is a great resource for the insurance industry on urban affairs, which will be highlighted during an upcoming national workshop. The gathering will provide a good opportunity to bring property casualty and life insurers together to share the latest developments in urban marketing."

Prudential has played a key role in planning the UIPI workshop, called Urban Insurance Advantage, set for Nov. 14-15 in Chicago. Ellison serves on the UIPI Workshop Committee, which helped design the two-day program. A host of experts from the legal, insurance, regulatory and business communities will provide insight on how to write urban business successfully during the seminar. Model urban programs will also be featured.

"Prudential has been a leader in urban marketing, using a community based approach," notes Suzanne Reade, UIPI president. "The company's experience has proven very valuable to the institute in the short time they've been a member. We look forward to our ongoing partnership."

As of December 31,2000, Prudential Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliated companies insured over 2.2 million cars and homes in 48 states, with annual premiums of over $1.7 billion. These entitities are companies of the Prudential Insurance Company of America. Prudential offers an innovative homeowners insurance discount for consumers who complete educational programs with community organizations in several cities.


The news items above are compilations of articles that appeared in the media referenced.
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Investing in Cities
Best's Review
October 2001

Insurers are always looking for new markets for their products, and although cities present certain challenges, some carriers are looking to the urban areas to boost sales. The Urban Insurance Partners Institute was formed in 1996 by a group of insurers to promote the availability of property/casualty insurance in urban areas. The nonprofit organization, based in Chicago, aims to educate urban consumers about insurance and educate insurance companies about the urban marketplace.

Suzanne Reade, president of the institute, said the biggest challenge for insurers trying to break into the urban market is gaining residents' trust. "In the urban marketplace, it requires a different marketing mindset--more groundwork to develop trust for the company, agents and brand name," Reade said.
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