CHICAGO CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE URBAN MARKETS:

The fourth national Urban Insurance Advantage workshop, organized by Urban Insurance Partners Institute, will be held Oct. 27, 2004, at the Hotel Sofitel in Chicago. Workshop speakers will address corporate strategies for success, risk management, and emerging issues that can affect any insurer already doing business in urban markets. Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Julianne M. Bowler and Illinois Acting Insurance Director Deirdre Manna will update the participants on current regulatory issues and offer their perspectives on urban insurance. Top corporate urban and emerging markets managers from American Family, Travelers and Farmers Group will discuss their models. In addition, the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Illinois FAIR Plan will discuss loss trends in urban areas, the RAND Corp.’s Center for Terrorism Risk Management Policy will detail its current research, and a former NAIC president will explain the current urban and emerging markets legal and regulatory environment.