Wilmington Trust has just updated a popular White Paper entitled "Captive Insurance Companies - What to Consider When Establishing and Operating Captives" by Patrick Theriault. This is an outstanding "Captives 101" white paper that we know you will appreciate, newly-updated to reflect recent changes in the industry.

Because this article is so helpful, we maintain links to it in numerous areas of the website: Captive Basics, the Learning Center (see section near the bottom of the page featuring White Papers), and the News/Library Index of Articles by captive.com members.

The April Risk Retention Reporter headlines are now available from the Captive Headlines section of the News/Library. This month's lead article is entitled, Draft Bill on LRRA Expansion Presented to Bi- Partisan Supporters.

The issue also features an article by this month's RRG CEO of the Month, Danny Carlisle of American Feed RRG entitled Unusual Journey from Open-Wheel Race Cars to Insurance CEO. This issue also features an article entitled Are Risk Retention Group Boards Prepared for the New Corporate Governance Standards?, by Glenn D. Saslow, Saslow Lufkin & Buggy, and Dan Labrie, Housing Authority Insurance Group. This sounds like an outstanding issue indeed!

Following the RRR Headlines, you will find a sample issue to browse. If you currently operate an RRG, or have an interest in RRGs, the Risk Retention Reporter is a mission-critical publication. Order this and all RRR publications directly from our secure server in the Captive.com store.

Captive Press Release: IRMI GLOSSARY OF INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT TERMS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT NO CHARGE.

This nifty resource is yet another in a rich listing of glossaries we have available from the captive.com News/Library page (see Glossaries). We will also maintain a link to it on the Captive Basics page.

The inaugural Spring View Newsletter, published by Spring Consulting Group, LLC. is now available for download from the Newsletters page in the captive.com News/Library. This is an information-rich resource, offering helpful articles on issues impacting your business. The 1st Quarter 2008 issue's lead story is entitled, "DISABILITY MGMT: WEEDING THROUGH THE OPTIONS." In this issue you'll also find IRS regulatory news, health insurance solutions for association and industry group members, a "Captive Corner" and much more!

Also on the Newsletters page, we just posted the link to the latest BSX Shorts newsletter, bringing you up to date on what's happening on the Bermuda Stock Exchange.

It's time to start planning for the 2008 VCIA Annual Conference -- the captive industry's biggest conference event.

The conference website is up and running, and the button just posted above will take you there with one click!

Please join us in welcoming yet another new captive.com Silver Member, Specialty Risk Services (SRS). This fine organization has "...mastered the art of third party claims administration." The company prides itself on providing flexible and creative programs for newly formed or existing heterogeneous and homogenous Captives.

Find links to SRS in the Business Members pull-down menu in our main navigation bar , the Links to Member Websites page, or for a quick contact name and phone number, find SRS in the Claims Management, Loss Prevention/Control and Risk Management sections of the Captive Yellow Pages. Mike Cirillo is at the ready, awaiting your call.

The partners at captive.com are delighted to welcome our newest Silver member, SPARTA Insurance. SPARTA is an acronym for Specialty Program and Risk Transfer Alternatives. Formed in 2007, SPARTA provides a dedicated, long-term commitment to the specialty and alternative risk program marketplace. Unbundled program structures are available on an admitted basis for commercial auto, general liability, property, and workers compensation. Targeted classes include retail, wholesale, service, light manufacturing, habitation, hospitality, trade contractors, and transportation.

Links to the SPARTA website may be found in the Business Members pull-down menu in our main navigation bar , the Links to Member Websites page, or for a quick contact name and phone number, find SPARTA in the Program Business, Fronting, and Group and Rental Captives sections of the Captive Yellow Pages. An old friend to many of us, Brian First, is looking forward to your call!

This is a new, innovative company, and we anticipate hearing lots more about them in the future.

"What is a Reinsurance Captive and how is it used?" This question came in to our Ask the Expert forum this week. It has been asked before, so we decided to share the answer with our readers on the Ask the Expert FAQ page, available from the Captive Resource Center on our main navigation bar .

Follow this link to find the answer to this question and many more!

Association News announced at the 2008 CICA Conference:

• March 7: International Insurance Association Names New Officers [includes photo].
• March 7: CICA Releases Results of 2008 Captive Survey on Fronting, Reinsurance and Employee Benefits.

Three events were posted on the Conference Calendar this week. See the following dates for more information:

• April 1-2: 4th Annual and Canada's only CAPTIVE INSURANCE STRATEGIES SUMMIT
• April 11: The Friendly Society Restored Networking Breakfast
• April 11: The NAIC, Accreditation and the ARTS industry