The annual Business Insurance directory of wholesale marketers lists underwriting managers, managing general agents and surplus lines brokers that responded to a Business Insurance questionnaire.

Listings begin with the company name, address, telephone and fax numbers.

Companies were asked for premium volume, gross revenues (defined as commissions and fees after commissions to producers, including investment income and contingent commissions), number of employees, the percentage of premiums related to commercial lines and the percentage of premium volume placed with admitted and non-admitted insurers.

Business specifies the percentage of premium volume placed in the market as an underwriting manager, managing general agent and wholesale broker. In addition, the percentage of business conducted as a Lloyd's of London coverholder is provided. Companies acting as underwriting managers listed companies for which they have underwriting authority. Managing general agents gave the names of companies for which they have binding authority, while brokers supplied names of companies with which they place the most business. If a company is listed as a coverholder for Lloyd's of London, the company holds the authority to bind and/or issue insurance documentation on behalf of a Lloyd's underwriter.

Business Insurance defines an underwriting manager as a company that handles all the affairs of an insurance company, including underwriting, reinsurance and claims, with the possible exception of investments.

A managing general agent is defined as an entity that has underwriting authority for an insurer, which includes the ability to determine rates on individual risks; it can bind and issue policies on behalf of the insurer. The managing general agent may or may not have reinsurance and claims supervision authority related to the insurance it has written.

A broker places business with markets but has no underwriting authority or binding authority without approval of the insurer.

Following the financial information, the year founded and parent company (if applicable) are noted. Locations of branch offices, subsidiaries and specialties are also listed.

Included next are states in which the company is licensed to do business as an excess/surplus lines broker and memberships in either of the two national surplus lines organizations-the American Assn. of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) and the National Assn. of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO).

Principal officers and a contact name are also given.

In addition to this directory of wholesale marketers, a listing of excess and surplus lines insurers begins on page 39.

The directory is published as an editorial service; there is no charge for companies to be listed.

Although Business Insurance makes every effort to publish complete and accurate information, we are unable to verify all the information provided.