Heartfelt congratulations to dear friend Tom Petersen, Vice President of Petersen International Underwriters, honored as the 2018 recipient of the W. Harold Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award by the association board and members of the International DI Society (IDIS) at their annual conference. Tom is the 14th recipient—his recently-retired father being the first recipient and the award’s namesake. The DI industry and IDIS’s most prestigious award was created to honor an individual who has demonstrated dedication to the field of expertise in disability insurance, exhibits leadership in his or her professional life and, most important, has made a distinctive contribution to the disability insurance industry while practicing their profession with the highest ethical standards attainable.
Tom began his insurance career in 1986, specializing in the outside sales and marketing of supplemental, high-limit and international disability insurance products for the multi-generational firm Petersen International, which he has helped grow into the largest American personal accident Coverholder for Lloyd’s of London. Petersen International Underwriters specializes in unique disability, life and health insurance platforms for high-net-worth individuals, small businesses and large corporations.
Tom has taken on an even more crucial role in the industry over the past 12 years, working to expand the market for disability insurance by promoting and overseeing regulatory changes in 11 states that now allow excess DI to be written through the surplus lines market where it was previously prohibited. Working closely with industry trade groups, producer groups, lobbyists and state legislators, he has led the drafting of the required changes to existing regulations in each of those 11 states, opening the disability market for individuals and groups previously denied access to these insurance product lines.
Introduced by his lovely wife Anita at a special awards luncheon, Tom was treated to thunderous applause by a legion of friends and respected peers as IDIS President Greg Nelson presented the award.
I am delighted to add my voice to those many who owe Tom Petersen a debt of gratitude for his tireless work to promote and expand the disability income market. Congratulations dear friend, and thank you for a job exceptionally well done! [SPH]
