Best`s Review Magazine Examines How Athletes Are Protecting Themselves With Disability Insurance

OLDWICK, N.J.--(Business Wire)--
Top college athletes have the opportunity to sign huge contracts once they turn
professional, but if they sustain a career-ending injury, all the prospective
paydays vanish. Best`s Review`s November cover story, "Pre-Game Coverage,"
reports how insurance agents help top-rated players insure their futures.
Oklahoma`s quarterback Sam Bradford is an example of how pro careers can be
placed in jeopardy. During the Sooners` season opener, Bradford, the 2008
Heisman winner, sustained a shoulder injury. He returned to the turf Oct. 10 and
later that month, underwent surgery for the injury. He is expected to make a
full recovery. A permanent injury can cost a marquee name like Bradford a
fortune. For example, N.Y. Giants quarterback, Eli Manning, the first pick in
the 2004 NFL draft, signed a six-year contract extension with the Giants that
will pay him up to $97.5 million.

Ted Tafaro, president and chief executive officer of Exceptional Risk Advisors,
underwrites coverage for top draft picks and is a Lloyd`s cover holder.

Typically, he insures first-round players for $1 million to $3 million. Among
all sports, basketball`s top-rated players generally seek the highest limits.
"That`s a function of how small the professional basketball population is and
how big the compensation rewards are for the players in the industry. The flip
side is football, which has many more players on its teams, and the average sums
tend to be smaller."

As part of the underwriting process, Tafaro requires players to undergo medical
exams and, depending on the size of the policy, an independent orthopedic
surgeon`s report. Tafaro estimates that less than 1% of insured National
Collegiate Athletic Association players file claims.

November`s Other Highlights:

* Find out how redesigned catastrophe bonds have brought stability to the
marketplace.
* In an exclusive profile, discover how Travelers` focus on metrics-based
business decisions is a profitable business model.
* How much does the National Association of Insurance Commissioners expect to
spend next year? Find out in "Hold the Line."
* It`s the 10th anniversary of Gramm-Leach-Bliley. Our retrospective questions
whether it`s been a culprit or savior for the financial services industry.
* Insurers reveal their social media strategies in "Branding a New Social
Norm."

Best`s Review is published by the A.M. Best Co., for insurance professionals,
including home office executives, agents, brokers and others who are affiliated
with the industry, such as bankers, lawyers and educators.

To read these articles and more, subscribe to Best`s Review by visiting our Web
site at www.bestreview.com, calling the A.M. Best customer service department at
(908) 439-2200, ext. 5742, or e-mailing your request to
customer_service@ambest.com.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating
organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service
industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care
system providers. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

A.M. Best Co.
Lynna Goch, (908) 439-2200, ext. 5381
lynna.goch@ambest.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009