"This year we expect to write about $30 million in premiums," says Philip Twietmeyer, head of NewMarkets. "We have a marvelous relationship with ACE. They encourage us to seek out those niche markets that we believe will be the most profitable and to continually increase our areas of expertise. We started out in 2001 with just four people on our staff. Today we have 18."

Twietmeyer says he chose the health care industry as a starting point for his agency to fill a void in the marketplace. "The players in the health care insurance industry were dwindling," he says. "There was the demise of Frontier and the demise of Reliance. St. Paul had pulled out of the health care market. We saw an opportunity, and we have been successful."

NewMarkets' health care professional liability coverage is available to home health care operations, hospices, labs (dental, diagnostic, ocular and X-ray), surgicenters, imaging facilities, dialysis centers, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, mental health counselors, student health centers, lithotripsy facilities and wellness programs. The coverage is available in all 50 states.

With architects and engineers, Twietmeyer saw yet another opportunity. "Contractual requirements that keep getting harder to meet, expanding theories of liability, and the rising and sometimes unrealistic expectations of clients are just a few of the challenges faced today by architects and engineers," he says. "Our professional liability program is intended to help protect design professionals from the unexpected claim that could damage the reputation they worked so hard to build."

The program includes coverage for disciplinary actions, personal injury and disclosure of proprietary information. Supplemental coverages are available for pre-claims assistance and for sanctions or penalties under ADA, FFHA and OSHA. In addition, coverages are available for punitive and exemplary damages and the multiple portions of multiplied damage awards, where insurable under law.

Targeted markets in this class include architects, land surveyors, landscapers, construction managers, interior designers, land planners, space planners, technical consultants and engineering risks, including mechanical, electrical and structural.

Another niche for NewMarkets is the public arena, Twietmeyer says. "Elected and appointed officials at every level of government face a growing number of lawsuits relating to myriad activities--zoning, budgets, administration, distributing permits and more," he says. "Employment practices claims against officials alleging failure to promote, discrimination and sexual harassment continue to skyrocket. And defense costs are higher than ever, even when a suit lacks merit. Our public officials liability program helps protect officials who have chosen public service so that they can continue to focus on their communities."

The NewMarkets public officials program includes coverage for errors and omissions in the provision of duties such as management, administrative and employment practices activities. There is a broad definition of insured, including municipality, government body, boards, members, employees, volunteers and appointees. Prior acts coverage is available.

Under NewMarkets' International Advantage program, the agency has partnered with ACE USA to provide coverages for U.S.-based companies with overseas operations, according to Twietmeyer. Those coverages include commercial general liability, commercial auto, employers' responsibility, international medical and AD&D, commercial property and business income, kidnap and extortion, and product tampering.