Its that time of year for year-end results and all manner of lists, those inevitable lists, looking back at the Best of, Least of and the rest.

We choose, instead, to look ahead with a polite list of 10 good ideas " randomly accrued over the past year " but worth review in 2006. In no order of importance:

Conversion of Subrogated claims to assets: Keith Minella of Subro Capital has a huge pool of capital and is buying insurers and institutions books of subrogation business. This is really bright " a win-win-win. Deserves greater adoption;

Privatize TRIA: Tal Piccione (US Re), has architected a creative way to do this, taking the U.S. government a little off the hook and creating free market controls;

Re-regulate: NYIAs Bernie Bourdeau has a model for a mixed form of state and federal regulation, in place of the current system of controls. Makes sense and deserves legislative attention.

Ouch! Workers Comp laws include absurd provisions, contra employers, contra-insurers, contra common sense and ultimately contra-worker. IIABNY has carried much of the industrys water in this, through its NYCAN effort, but only the surface has been nicked. The Legislature really needs to take this seriously.

Recruiting is not as sexy an assignment for industrys associations as lobbying, elaborate board meetings and golf outings, but failure to establish local links and courses with community colleges, (e.g.) will doom the aging system to the use of accidental staff. Create a profession, will you?

AIG and Robert Plan should find a way to come to terms. These institutions " vastly different in size, scope and psychology " cannot take the beatings that lie ahead for many years, should they wage a long, bitter litigation. Besides the two octogenarians who founded each deserve a little peace!

Industry leaders should gather on a teleconference and buy three Super Bowl spots to brag about the enabling that is the underwriting of risk and that claims perform after floods, hurricanes and even tsunamis " as it did in 2005. Every one in the field, take a bow and change the perception that insuring is a needless requirement that supports indifferent money centers.

Legislators and communities take steps: Legislature, please revitalize upstate communities by limiting the Medicaid mess. The effects of decay are far reaching for all New Yorkers. Insurers " agents in particular " need to protect the bases of their business with a bolstering of the economic picture and with the sustaining of local vitality. The turn around of Hudson, N.Y. offers a textbook case of a worst to first evolution.

All associations: Reach outside of the industry for speakers, honorees and instructors. Dont you feel, sometimes, that this business is a little incestuous, overly in need of reinforcement, or just suffering from a need for compensatory self-love? Speakers from Manhattan Institute, CATO Institute and a host of similar entities left and right offer excellent perspectives on the trends that ultimately affect the insurance industrys front lines.

Pull together, associations! Use all the political muscle you can, as openly and quickly as you can to work for your members elected advocates. Arm them. The Pataki years are coming to an end and may augur an end to reasonable conditions for insurers. Some candidates really imply problems. Identify your choices and do at it with no diplomatic restraint. Such restraint is not always wisely exercised. We see heightened, clear activism based on line in the sand issues. Go for it!

There are more ideas in this dusty old woodshed. Theyll come out later in 2006.