AAIS ANNOUNCES NEW
AAIScompliance SERVICE

AAIS has enhanced the filings and compliance service it offers companies on a custom basis. The expanded service is called  AAIScompliance, and is available to all property/casualty companies, whether they are members of AAIS or not.

The specific services available through AAIScompliance include, among other things:

• Management of administrative tasks of state filings;

• Expedited filing of forms, manuals, and other materials through the "SERFF" system (where permitted); and

• Compliance reviews for new and existing programs.

AAIS filings and compliance staff will be at Booth #15 to provide information and answer questions at the 2006 annual conference of the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals, Oct. 8-11 in Orlando, Fla.

For further information, send an e-mail message to compliance@AAISonline.com.

"RISK METER" NOW A REGULAR FEATURE
OF AAISdirect INTERNET SERVICE

Following completion of a successful trial period, all companies that use AAISdirect will now have regular access to the "Risk Meter" risk mapping service for use in connection with lines of insurance for which they are affiliated with AAIS.

Risk Meter, a service of CDS Business Mapping, Boston, Mass., provides online access to more than 30 categories of geographic information related to hazards at a location. The information provided specifies a location's distance from coastlines, fault lines, and flood zones, as well as its exposure to hail, tornadoes, wildfires, crime, and other hazards.

Of particular importance to companies that use AAIS programs is Risk Meter's information on the distance from an insured location to the nearest fire station. That distance is a determining factor in the application of AAIS's simplified fire protection definitions ("protected," "partially protected," and "unprotected"). Having the distance available automatically through Risk Meter saves time and improves accuracy.

To sign up for AAISdirect service, contact Rick Maka, director of marketing, at rickm@AAISonline.com or by calling 800/564-AAIS.

AAISdirect ADDS RESIDENTIAL VALUATION
AND AGENT ACCESS FOR HOMES AND FARMS

Effective immediately, all insurers that use the AAIS Homeowners, Mobile-Homeowners, and Dwelling Properties programs can have access through AAISdirect to the "Residential" online property valuation service provided by e2Value, Inc., a leading developer of automated valuation applications.

This marks the latest step in an ongoing expansion of services provided to AAIS affiliates through AAISdirect. Since November 2005, AAIS Farmowners and Farm Properties affiliates have had access to e2Value's "Farm & Ranch Estimator" application, one of the first programs to implement automated valuation for farm property.

The latest expansion of AAISdirect service will also allow agents of AAIS Homeowners, Mobile-Homeowners, and Dwelling Properties affiliates to continue to access the Residential valuation service. Likewise, agents of AAIS Farmowners and Farm Properties affiliates can now access the Farm & Ranch Estimator.

The e2Value applications and agent access will be provided without additional charge to AAISdirect users for the appropriate lines.

NEW JERSEY ISSUES ORDER CALLING FOR 
QUARTERLY WINDSTORM MARKET SURVEYS

A recent order from the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance reminds licensed homeowners insurers that they are required to fill out "Windstorm Market Survey" reports each calendar quarter.

The surveys seek information on the number of in-force policies, new policies, renewal policies, cancelled policies, and non-renewed policies for specified ZIP Codes. If asked, insurers are required to be able to identify individual policies by name, address, and policy number, and to provide specific reasons for which individual policies were cancelled or non-renewed.

For the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2006, insurers are to use the survey format and instructions implemented in 1997, but a new template and instructions will be in effect for the quarter ending Dec. 31.

For purposes of the survey, "homeowners insurance" entails any type of personal lines insurance that covers "loss to real and personal property as defined in the standard fire policy and extended coverage thereon," plus "a dwelling policy, the homeowners, tenants, and condominium unit owners multiple peril policy, mobile homeowners insurance policy, insurance against the perils of vandalism, malicious mischief, burglary, or theft, or liability insurance, or any combination thereof."  

"AAIS MAIN EVENT" BOOKED FOR
APRIL 22-24 IN CHARLESTON, S.C.

The Mills House Hotel in Charleston, S.C., has been selected as the site for the "AAIS Main Event," an updated successor to AAIS's annual conference, scheduled for April 22-24, 2007.

The full name of the enhanced meeting--"The AAIS Main Event: Where insurance leaders come together to explore product issues, discuss solutions, exchange ideas"--signifies the importance of this event as a venue for AAIS customers and other insurance professionals to network with each other and share ideas.

Among other things, the program content and format will be designed to strengthen the connection between AAIS and its member companies, prospective new members, and business partners. The program will focus on product-related issues of strategic importance to company CEOs and heads of operational units. AAIS also plans to vary the format with concurrent sessions and small group discussions to provide more opportunity for exchanging ideas.

For more information, contact Joseph Harrington, director of corporate communications at joeh@AAISonline.com or by calling 800-564-AAIS.