Insurance Speak

Individuals and groups with shared occupations or preoccupations often have similar insurance and risk-management needs. That’s where affinity insurance marketing and sales come in, explains Ann Dieleman, executive director at the Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA). Dieleman elaborated on the topic during this episode of “Insurance Speak.” In it, she talks about why affinity insurance programs remain crucial, and where they fit with the growing push for digital transformation.

Mark McKinney, Vice President of Market Intelligence at Gryphon.ai, joins us to discuss how insurers may need to adjust their practices in light of new robocall regulations.

The recent uptick in “nuclear verdicts” or “runaway verdicts” reflects the growing power of the plaintiff’s bar to influence juries and secure record-setting wins – a phenomenon due in part to social inflation, or the stereotype that large corporations are bad actors with deep pockets. The trend has far-reaching implications for the insurance industry, which often must shoulder the cost of such lawsuits along with the verdicts and settlements they produce, as well as the average consumer, who can count mounting lawsuit expenses as one of the reasons that insurance rates are inching ever higher. And of course, insurance carriers must defend against their fair share of lawsuits. In this episode of "Insurance Speak," James Whittle with the American Property Casualty Insurance Association dives into the impact of what the organization has dubbed "legal system abuse."

Sara Kane, EVP, power and renewables practice leader at CAC Specialty, delves into insurance and risk trends in power and renewable energy in 2024.

How serious are runaway (or nuclear) verdicts?   Consider this summation from a 2022 article on the topic:   "What happens when you mix major damages, a large corporation, a denial (or half acceptance) of fault, and an angry jury that wants to send a strong message? In the courtroom, the result just might be a colossal verdict.”   The trend toward colossal or runaway/nuclear verdicts, or multi-million or even billion-dollar decisions against insurers, is one phenomenon that gave rise to the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum, an event happening Feb. 26-28, 2024, at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas.   Longtime insurance defense attorney Jeff Vernis is one of the litigation experts who will lend his wisdom to the event program. His workshop will be titled, “How to Roadblock Runaway Verdicts: Tactics to Mitigate Your Risks in Court.” In this episode of Insurance Speak, Vernis shares what he knows about the development of runaway verdicts and how they impact the economy at large.

The history of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) reaches back nearly eight decades to a time when independent producers first began to recognize the value of peer-to-peer networking, education and support. Similarly, the insurance industry publications that gave birth to PropertyCasualty360.com boast more than a century of providing actionable insights for P&C insurance industry professionals. Each year since 2017, these two hallmark insurance-industry operations have come together to field the Independent Insurance Agent Survey, an annual look at the challenges and needs of today's producers. Here, PIA National CEO Mike Becker talks about how this annual research partnership ultimately fosters valuable resources for insurance professionals.   Here's a link to the 2024 Independent Insurance Agent Survey...   https://alm.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abMKaeBepPF5NOK

When it comes to complex claims, an array of factors can contribute to their intricacy including: numerous stakeholders, the involvement of several insurers or reinsurers, and the possibility of litigation. Claim complexity often arrives when determining liability and how or where coverage will apply. Understanding these issues can reduce mistakes and help insurers be more proactive. In this episode of "Insurance Speak," we talk with Ruben Pinto, director of large loss casualty at Allstate. Pinto is scheduled to give a keynote address during the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum happening Feb. 26-28, 2024 at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas. Here, he provides a sneak peek at his upcoming speech.

Discussion on modernizing agency practices and effectively using data. Exploring the significance of digitization in the insurance industry. Four levels of the 'Enlightened' agency pyramid. Challenges faced by commercial insurers and strategies to address them. Benefits of standardizing agency management systems and data. Importance of simplifying digitization for insurance agents.

CoreLogic is a global property information, analytics and data-solutions firm, recently compiled a review of the most impactful storms, wildfires and natural disasters of the past year. During 2023, catastrophes such as severe hail across the central and southeastern U.S., hurricanes Idalia and Hilary, which battered the Florida Gulf and California Coasts, and devastating wildfires on Maui all caused widespread destruction and loss. Add to that severe thunderstorms, which are also called severe convective storms, to round out the year’s most damaging weather events. In this episode, CoreLogic Catastrophe Response Director Jon Schneyer talks about recent weather trends in order to pinpoint the environmental and climate trends that insurance pros and risk managers should monitor during the year to come.

Private Risk Management Association Executive Director Diane Delaney talks about pressing issues facing these clients and their insurance advisors.