My Thoughts Exactly is not your typical underwriting informational book; instead, the author shares her real-life stories and experiences mixed with valuable information that those in the insurance industry need to know. Why was this an important book for you to write?

Over many years as an Underwriting Specialist, I accumulated raw material consisting of hundreds of questions I had fielded. Many of the queries were asked repeatedly, by different underwriters, often with different underlying details. Clearly, there were concepts that many insurance professionals struggled to understand.

The industry sources were the go-to for questions, and during my career I was exposed to dozens of insurance textbooks. I used some for study, some for reference, and others to prompt ideas for case studies when I was training others. Some were impenetrable. That approach doesn’t work for every learner, especially for those new to insurance. I prefer to transfer information with a touch of humor and easily digestible examples. My view was that an educational void needed to be filled.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

Three of several concepts I hope to pass along are that:

• Familiarity with Commercial Lines Rules, particularly those that apply to the General Liability line of business, is critical;
• CGL forms impact general liability exposures; going in blind is asking for a negative result; and
• Pricing the risk requires an educated view of the coverage provided as well as knowledge of controls in place.

What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?

My primary goal was to get it right. While I abhor typos, any factual errors would be untenable.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from My Thoughts Exactly?

There is no substitute for thoughtful consideration during the underwriting process, and that requires continuous learning.

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