A.M. Best Includes Updated Articles on Brick Manufacturing, Fuel Oil Dealers in New Edition of Best's Underwriting Guide.

Business Editors

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2004

Insurance underwriters and risk managers can better evaluate commercial risks--including a new entry for Toy Stores and revised risk descriptions of Armored Car Services, Carpentry Contractors, Public Warehouses and more--as A.M. Best Company releases the first flow of its 2004 Best's Underwriting Guide.

Published since 1974, Best's Underwriting Guide offers underwriters and risk managers descriptions of more than 575 commercial and industrial risk classifications that describe each risk and quantify the degree of exposure in relevant lines of insurance. This guide allows users to quickly become familiar with every aspect of a risk.

This year, Best's Underwriting Guide will be released to new subscribers exclusively in CD-ROM format. With this electronic guide, users can utilize powerful search features and convenient online help.

New and revised classifications are released quarterly. Extensively revised classifications released in the first edition of 2004 include:

-- Brick Manufacturing

-- Carpentry Contractors

-- Freight Brokers

-- Fuel Oil Dealers

-- Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Contractors

-- Marinas

-- Photofinishing Laboratories

-- Plumbing Contractors

-- Upholstery Shops

In addition, several classifications have been updated to reflect new information. Updated classifications in the first release of 2004 include:

-- Armored Car Services

-- Automobile Parking Facilities

-- Dairy Products - Wholesaling

-- Fur Salons

-- Hotels, Motels and Conference Centers

-- Mail Order Houses

-- Mail Receiving Services

-- Public Warehouses

-- Radio Broadcasting Stations

-- Television Broadcasting Stations

A new article on Toy Stores has also been issued to subscribers.

Classifications in the CD-ROM provide risk descriptions, relevant hazards and safety measures, materials and equipment used, lines of liability to consider, special exposures, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, ISO codes and more. New and recently revised classifications also include North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.

Best's Underwriting Guide is revised four times per year on CD-ROM. For more information, visit www.ambest.com/sales/BUG/ or call [phone], ext. 5742.

A.M. Best Co., established in 1899, is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit A.M. Best's Web site at www.ambest.com.