Live theater has the power to transport us to new and unexplored realms of the imagination. Like many things we take for granted, the pure and exhilarating escapism offered by the performing arts could not exist without insurance – something theater fanatic Bob Middleton addresses every day at work.
Middleton has been the director and owner of the Arts Insurance Program, a division of Maury, Donnelly and Parr, since 2006. Specializing in property & casualty insurance for the performing arts community, Arts Insurance Program is the largest insurer of touring Broadway shows and ballet/dance companies. Passion for the performing arts has lived with Middleton from his school days, after his involvement with theater productions in high school and college.
As a college graduate in 1985, young Middleton never really had insurance on his radar. However, he was working weekends as a tour guide at a local historic house, when a relative suggested he go for an interview at Armfield, Harrison and Thomas insurance agency in Northern Virginia. He got a job – and that was that.
Thirty-three years later and Middleton has now converged his passions for theater and insurance. He described working with clients who are “extremely talented and focused on their art” as “tremendously satisfying” and says he has the “best job in the insurance industry.”
“Seeing their [performing arts] product and being a part of that process is a unique opportunity for an insurance organization,” Middleton commented. “There are few insurance companies that are interested in working with the arts, and fewer still that have programs focusing on them. Contractors, retailers and wholesalers have always been a target for insurance companies, but performing artists are anathema to most.
“[At Arts Insurance Program] we’ve had to do a lot of education with the carriers to either develop our own proprietary programs or just to open their eyes to the opportunities that exist in this segment. This process was only accomplished through premium and loss information development, proving that this was profitable business. Pushing this boulder up the hill was a real struggle until we hit an economically viable plateau and was able to back up our concept with numbers.”
Middleton’s “uphill struggle” has certainly paid off. He features as one of Insurance Business America’s Top Producers 2018 for his significant achievements in the arts sector. He attributes his program’s success to the “support of Maury, Donnelly and Parr,” who enabled his vision of working with clients of all sizes in the arts community, not just the largest organizations. Middleton said this enabled him to build credibility in the eyes of new prospects and gain opportunities for new business.
Arguably the greatest factor behind Middleton’s success, however, is his sheer passion for theater and performing arts. Outside of work, he’s a patron and supporter of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater and he makes every effort to see the Broadway shows that he insures. “Seeing your name in a Playbill program is a huge validation of your work,” he added.
Any new producer hoping to succeed in the insurance industry should “find a niche industry that you enjoy and work within that culture,” Middleton told Insurance Business. “Join their associations, become knowledgeable of their needs, support their fundraisers and get to know the people involved, not just the decision makers, but the front-line people. Who are the big insurance players in that market and how are your competitors positioned? Build a network of other professionals that work in these groups - attorneys, accountants, financial consultants can all be a great source of business.
“Once you’re able to obtain referrals and have validated just on business from this group, you have positioned yourself for success. But, remember that your attention to this group has gotten you here, if you lose focus, your mistakes will also bring you down. They all know each other, so keep providing excellent service. Laziness will destroy all of your hard work.”
