In Focus

For many captive insurance and other alternative risk transfer arrangements, fronting insurance is an essential ingredient in making the program work. Some ART program parents sometimes find it difficult to find the necessary fronting coverage, however. Here's a look at some of the key players in the fronting insurance market, and a brief overview of the types of business they do and some of their requirements.

Discover Re

Discover Re is the unbundled alternative risk transfer unit of St. Paul Travelers Cos. Inc. for individual risk and captive program customers. The company's captive business focuses on Discover Re as the issuing insurer and the captive as a risk-assuming partner.

Location: Farmington, Conn.

Phone: 860-284-2762

Fax: 860-674-2671

Web site: www.discover-re.com

Coverage lines served: All commercial lines: workers compensation, auto liability, auto physical damage, general liability, property

Jurisdictions served: All 50 states

Collateralization requirements: Collateral up to the captive layer "loss pick" plus a buffer for unexpected loss development. Typical buffer ranges from 20% to 75% beyond the expected captive losses.

Fronting compensation: Fee and premium based on limits

Principal contact: Brian First

Prudential Insurance Co.

Prudential Insurance Co., a Prudential Financial company, is among the largest U.S. group life and disability insurance insurers and has established a formal infrastructure to support its captive business.

Location: Silver Spring, Md.

Phone: 301-562-7821

Web site: www.prudential.com

Coverage lines served: Group life and disability

Jurisdictions served: Entire United States

Collateralization requirements: Case-specific

Fronting compensation: Premium based on limits

Principal contact: David Brooker

Old Republic Risk Management Inc.

Old Republic Risk Management, a unit of Old Republic Corp., provides alternative risk insurance products and services that help corporate and group clients manage their insurance programs and stabilize their insurance costs.

Location: Brookfield, Wis.

Phone: 262-797-3440

Fax: 262-797-0486

Web site: www.orrm.com

Coverage lines served: Primary casualty

Jurisdictions served: Entire United States

Collateralization requirements: Collateral required

Fronting compensation: Fee-based

Principal contact: Michael Weber

Liberty Mutual Alternative Markets

Liberty Mutual Alternative Markets, a unit of Liberty Mutual Group Inc., offers alternative risk transfer products for clients who want to reduce their cost of risk, have had difficulty obtaining coverage or want the potential to share in risk.

Location: Conshohocken, Pa.

Phone: 866-355-1983

Fax: 610-397-0670

Web site: www.lmalternativemarkets.com

Coverage lines served: Workers compensation, general liability, auto liability, certain professional liability and errors & omissions

Jurisdictions served: United States and Canada

Collateralization requirements: Based on creditworthiness of the captive and local regulatory requirements

Fronting compensation: Fee and premium based on limits

Principal contact: Richard G. Turner