Special Section sponsored by TMPAA

U.S. Risk/Lighthouse Underwriters

Key programs administered: eldercare, entertainment, financial services, and staffing

Launching new programs with efficiency and effectiveness has been a hallmark in the success of U.S. Risk Underwriters since this Dallas, Texas, company’s 2006 integration with Lighthouse Underwriters of Annandale, Virginia. And as its program categories have increased in number and scope, the firm has also expanded globally.

Last year, a U.S. Risk operation opened for business in Australia. Possible acquisitions in the U.S. and London markets are currently being explored. Intending to continue overseas growth, U.S. Risk expects that its Australian experience will provide guidelines for further international activity. In the meantime, while effectively maintaining a goal of two to three new programs annually starts in the United States, U.S. Risk/Lighthouse is making a concerted effort to create an arsenal of brand new products designed to generate real growth patterns in today’s difficult market.

“We have now organized our company into two groups dedicated to program business,” said Art Seifert, U.S. Risk Underwriters president. “U.S. Risk Specialty Underwriting, and Lighthouse Underwriters, LLC.” Seifert describes the breakdown of major program underwriting:

U.S. Risk Specialty Underwriting

Energy—oil, gas, ethanol, and wind risks, including over the hole exposures. All lines are written on a national basis.

Criminal Justice Services Organizations—court adjudicated residential incarceration facilities including everything from prisons to halfway houses, including affiliated risks such as prison transport. All lines on a national basis.

Tribal Assurance—all property and casualty exposures, except workers compensation, of Native American tribes.

Parking Services—from valet service to airport parking. All lines.

Healthcare—nursing= homes, assisted living, independent living, CCRCs, group homes, home healthcare, CRNA, blood labs, miscellaneous healthcare risks, HIPPA liability. GL and PL property on a national basis.

Miscellaneous Professional Liability—a wide range of classes specializing in insurance agents & brokers, home inspectors, and appraisers.

Specialty Financial Services—mortgage impairment and forced placed coverage on a national basis.

Vocal—short-term occupational accident coverage for entertainment venues.

MedTour Professional—professional liability protection for medical tourism service providers.

MedTour—travel and medical complications coverage for the medical tourism industry.

QuickClinics—turnkey protection for medical clinics residing in retail operations (i.e. Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, Kmart, etc.).

Lighthouse Underwriters

Take 1: Entertainment and Presentation Industry—all lines of coverage on a national basis.

StaffPak—all lines, except workers compensation, for the staffing industry on a national basis.

Eldercare Plus—all lines, except workers compensation, for assisted living, independent living, and CCRCs. All on a national basis.

Beyond those key program areas, U.S. Risk/Lighthouse recently announced five new products:

CostShare—A first party liability policy designed to pay a governmental entity’s share of disaster recovery cost as assigned by FEMA. Available on a national basis.

In addition to program launching and new product development, U.S. Risk/Lighthouse is continuously active in terms of innovative technology that’s helped propel the company’s momentum.

“Right now we’re in the process of putting several of our programs on an Internet accessible platform in collaboration with an outfit known as Virtual MGA,” announced Seifert. “It enables agents to have easy, automated accessibility to products, and it jointly creates efficiencies for improving programs we already underwrite.” Seifert notes that agents writing smaller policies in the seven to ten thousand dollar range are prime targets for fitting comfortably with the U.S. Risk and Lighthouse books of business.

Conducting program administration out of Irvine, California, and Scottsdale, Arizona, and from its Dallas and Annandale headquarters, U.S. Risk/Lighthouse Underwriters operates a total of 13 wholesale and underwriting offices to serve today’s growing program business industry. *