Doctor’s Orders

While in Springfield, Ill., a few weeks ago covering the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois’ annual convention, I was in a serious car accident. Fortunately, it was a rental car. Fortunately, I had opted not to waive collision damage coverage. Fortunately, I was wearing a seatbelt. Unfortunately, the seatbelt broke the clavicle in my left collarbone. I am now in the final stages of my recovery. Doc says I needn’t wear a figure-eight brace or sling anymore, but that I shouldn’t go ice skating anytime soon and should refrain from lifting very heavy weights.

The last instruction, which I take seriously, is why in spite of everyone’s hard work on this program directory edition of Insurance Journal, it may be a while before I read it cover to cover. It is, after all, very big and very heavy. One hundred and sixteen pages big and heavy, to be exact about it.

You know, in light of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s crusade against insurance agents and brokers, it’s interesting to note that program business is precisely the kind of complicated risk management that would be made much more difficult to achieve without the assistance of a vigorous and healthy independent distribution channel for insurance products. Not that such a thing would mean much to a man like Spitzer.

Speaking of vigor and health, I am on my way back. You may have noticed a lack of bylined articles by yours truly in recent weeks, which is indeed owed to my injury. I’m back typing again at top speed and except for some recurring soreness in my shoulder and time off for physical therapy, I should be reporting for duty again at full capacity again soon. When I’ll be well enough again to heft this monster of an issue, however, is an open question.

In the meantime, you can find some of the audio and video interviews I’ve done recently at www.insurancejournal.com/broadcasts. Excerpts of these will be featured in upcoming issues of IJ Midwest. Keep in mind that you can also find our our E&S, program and workers’ comp directories online at www.insurancejournal.com/directories. The magazine should have the most up-to-date listings, however.

Thanks again for reading.