For someone who spent the spring navigating through the labyrinth of politics in the close quarters of the Capitol, there is something to be said about traveling to some of the summer conventions held by the various agent and trade groups. For by its very nature, the legislative process is tedious, conducted in a seemingly foreign language, and is far removed from the colloquial language that marks the contours of the daily ins and outs of business. That is why it has become a clich? to say that politicians exist in a bubble while insurance professionals must deal with the "real world." Nowhere is that more apparent than standing in an exhibit hall listening to agents, claim adjusters, and others in the industry, noticing just how much of a gap there is between the rarified air of the Capitol and the street-level concerns of industry professionals.

The recent Florida Association of Insurance Agents summer convention was a case in point. By all measures, the conference was a tremendous success with a large crowd, a wide variety of educational sessions, and an exhibit hall full of brokers, company representatives, and other vendors. Standing in the National Underwriter and Florida Underwriter booth, I was first impressed by the number of optimistic attendees I spoke with. Then again, property and casualty markets such as workers' comp and auto insurance are performing at close to an optimum level. And while there was the usual grumbling over this or that legislative change in certain regulations, or the failure of the legislature to really tackle PIP insurance, many were pleased that the legislature followed the old adage of "first do no harm."

Then like a character out of a Charles Dickens novel, in walked an apparition — a ghost, if you will, of hurricanes past and hurricanes future — in the form of an agent with a sign around his neck bearing the words, "Hungry agent, need wind coverage." One sign does not a party end. In fact, many saw the humor in the agent's one-man public protest. But it did make graphic the issue for which there is no escape. When it comes to wind insurance, there are few takers.