BestWeek: Insurers Redesign Producer Incentives.

OLDWICK, N.J. -- As more major insurers and brokers settle contingent compensation investigations with state attorneys general, some insurers are experimenting with new ways to reward producers, according to an article in the Jan. 8 edition of BestWeek. Another article discusses additional federal regulations that will change how banks do business in the coming year.

And, with the start of new terms for several governors, one of the first items on their agenda was to name new insurance commissioners.

Also in BestWeek, Best's Global Insurance Composite Index finished the week of Jan. 4, 2007, up 13.15% from a year ago. The composite index reflects the performance of 185 insurance stocks. The week's top performers were DBV Winterthur Holding AG, Corporacion Mapfre S.A., Penn Treaty American Corp., Beazley Group PLC, and Atlantic American Corp. The bottom five performers were Dongbu Insurance Co. Ltd., Korean Reinsurance Co. Ltd., LIG Insurance Co. Ltd., Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Ltd., and Tower Ltd.

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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.