8717 West 110th Street
Suite 630
Overland Park, KS 66210

 

What are the benefits of joining the SFCI?
Many. Foremost are the educational programs held at our Annual Meeting. In addition to the presentation of law review quality papers by nationally known experts, programs typically offer more informal roundtable type discussions with considerable opportunity for participation by those in attendance. The Institute also prides itself on the promotion of long-term rapport and relationship building among the Membership. Finally, we hold our meetings in settings that offer both personal and family recreational opportunities to accompany the formal learning experience. You almost certainly already know one of our Members. Call him or her and ask this question. Our best endorsements come from our existing Members.

 

How much will joining the SFCI cost me?
Annual dues for Company representatives are seventy-five dollars. Private attorney and consultant Members pay a higher annual fee.

 

How is the SFCI different from other industry organizations I could join?
The SFCI has never striven to be the biggest organization of its kind. Nor does it detract from the accomplishments of larger sister groups, who meet different industry needs. However, SFCI does try to be the best it can be within its stated goals and objectives. In a smaller and more selective setting, the SFCI can simply pay greater attention to the individual and offer the Member more opportunity to actually participate in the activities and events that are our lifeblood. We are and have been here for the long term and look for members that share this type of commitment.

 

I get a lot of educational material in the mail and electronically. Will the SFCI just be repetitive?
No. A tremendous amount of effort each year goes into selecting program topics that are current, fresh and meaningful. Likewise, our Newsletter does not attempt to be all things to all people, but instead provides in-depth focus to a limited number of topics. Here, too, Membership involvement and input is key.

 

Is the SFCI doing anything to hold down the cost of program attendance?
Yes, a lot. SFCI leadership is very aware of the economic times in which we all live. It is committed to the premise that Company support will continue if and only if the cost of program attendance is justified through the learning experience. On the cost side of the ledger, every effort is made in facility selection to keep as low as feasible the cost of attendance, travel considerations included.

 

What percentage of the Membership is Company people?
Approximately one-third of our Members are from insurance companies, including reinsurers. This has generally run true throughout the life of the SFCI and is expected to continue.

 

How many Companies send representatives to SFCI meetings?
Company attendance at Annual Meetings has averaged 52 people per meeting over the past five years. Currently, 62 insurers and reinsurers are on our membership roster. The President of the Surety & Fidelity Association of America also sits on our Board of Directors.

 

Does the SFCI do anything to foster participation by women and minorities?
The SFCI actively fosters participation by women and minorities. This is readily seen not only in our Membership, but also in our Leadership.

 

If I wanted to become really active in the SFCI, would I have to be a Member for several years?
Definitely not. SFCI actively discourages any type of "old guard" mentality and constantly strives for renewal through the participation of its more recently admitted Members. Again, a glance at our leadership list and roster of those involved in Committee participation will instantly show this to be so.

 

I'm interested in the family aspect of the Annual Meeting. How will attendance be something my family can benefit from?
Since the days of our earliest programs, the SFCI has believed that a valuable educational experience for the Member could be coupled with recreational opportunities for his/her family. We have accomplished this goal through careful site selection, such as Williamsburg, Hershey, Cape Cod and the Adirondacs. A significant percentage of our Membership makes SFCI attendance a family event. In fact, there are even children of our Members now in or entering college who have grown up together at SFCI functions. Please refer to the "Past Events" section of this Website.

 

What are the long term plans for the SFCI?
A diamond is hard to improve upon. Having said this, all of us at SFCI appreciate that the challenges of our industry grow larger, not smaller. The Fidelity and Surety field is vastly different than it was five, ten years ago and will be more so five and ten years from now. Meeting the demands of the future will be a difficult thing to do standing alone. Membership in the Institute, we believe, provides a unique opportunity to shoulder these challenges together.