News

Before you read any further, I need to provide a disclaimer. Jinny (my editor) is on vacation and I am channeling my inner Bill Tuscano geopolitical views. So if you prefer not to mix world news and headlines with your bi-monthly dose of Rob Tuscano-isms, best to stop here.

As a baby-boomer and a child of the anti-war era, the invasion of Ukraine completely shocks my sensibilities. How can a sovereign nation with a democratically elected government be brushed aside by an aggressor nation led by an autocrat?

I am a pacificist by nature – I just want everyone to get along! But it feels like Mr. Putin has wiped out 50 years of progress. I can’t wrap my head around his motivation or intention. How anyone can accept conflict and aggression as a legitimate exercise of leadership is beyond me. My being incensed will not make any difference, and my comments to a group of businesspeople will not probably do any good (but hopefully no harm). However, as a kinder, gentler version of my father, I believe in standing up for freedom and peace, and expressing my sadness when I see evil in the world.  

So, there you have it, two generations of leaders who have ‘gone political’. Another sign that Tuscano Agency is not your typical wholesaler. We put people over profit, which means we act in the best interests of our customers. We believe in the story behind each risk and will champion the cause to provide quality insurance coverage over cheap or slip-shod. We love getting the bind order but we also love being able to solve a customer’s insurance problem. According to my sister, I have “White Hat Syndrome”, wanting to be the hero. Anyway, whoever heard of a hero being in the Insurance business?

When I tell non-insurance people what the Tuscano Agency does, I usually lead with “we work on difficult types of insurance” and I always use Liquor Liability as an example. Liquor is a core class of business for Tuscano; we’ve been specializing in it since Bill started the business. For the past 50+ years, it has been one of the most difficult to write profitably. Back in the ‘80s when I sat at an underwriting desk, there was really only one market in the state and they only offered $50,000 limits and a limited coverage form. Nowadays, there is rarely a small loss in this line of business, and if there is an incident it is inevitable that the defense will be slow-moving and expensive.

Liquor law varies from state to state, so much so that most carriers will classify states in their underwriting guidelines. When you are looking for coverage it’s good to have a wholesaler to work that knows what they are doing and how to protect the client. Tuscano represents several carriers that are willing to look at all kinds of exposures and we have a dedicated team of underwriters that are just good people willing to help. Give Lily or Betsey a call and they will be happy to be your insurance hero! 

If you want to learn more about writing liquor liability then be sure to register for our free online CE, Wednesday, March 9th. The course is approved for one CE credit in the states of CT, MD, NY, PA & VA. We want to help you become more comfortable writing this coverage, what to know and how to explain the coverage in and outs. And, when it comes time for you to seek out a wholesaler to place this business with, we hope you will think Tuscano first!