Introduction to Risk Management and Insurance

This insurance primer focuses on problem-solving from managerial, consumer, and societal perspectives. It emphasizes both the business managerial aspects of risk management and insurance and the numerous consumer applications of the concept of risk management and insurance transaction. Coverage of the financial services reform act known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Coverage of the financial risk management techniques used as substitutes for commercial insurance. Coverage of current problems facing the insurance industry alerts students to relevant topics such as the future of Social Security, financing AIDS, the feasibility of national health insurance. For corporate directors, new risk managers of small and medium-sized firms, and for state legislators who vote on insurance issues.

Mark S. Dorfman. I have taught introductory risk management and insurance classes for over 30 years at the following universities: University of Illinois, Miami University (Ohio), the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the Wirtschaftsuniversitat Wien (The Business and Economics University of Vienna, Austria). I still enjoy teaching; in fact, most days, I love it. I hope readers that have come this far in the preface already realize that I believe teaching risk management and insurance to students is very important. I continue to find my students stimulating, challenging, and friendly people. I always kept students in mind when writing this book, and I hope they find the writing style "user friendly."

I was born in Chicago and attended Chicago public schools. My undergraduate degree is from Northwestern University. The University of Illinois awarded my Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

I have held high offices, and served on boards of directors of several academic and nonacademic institutions and I have written extensively in the major risk management and insurance academic journals. I look forward to spending part of every summer in Door County, Wisconsin.