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.

Jason Keck, founder and CEO of Broker Buddha, joins us for a discussion on modernizing agency practices and effectively using data.

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.

The impact of work-related stresses can be cumulative. CorVel's Karen Thomas advocates for proactive solutions.

Roger Spears, Cybersecurity Project Manager for Schneider Downs, discusses how businesses can perform a check-up of their cybersecurity practices and limit their vulnerability to online threats.

Insurance is a complex business. When it comes to professional liability coverages, the public at large has at least a basic familiarity with medical malpractice insurance. Most people have doctors, and it grabs headlines when a doctor or health care facility makes a mistake. But in fact, there are many different types of professions other than medicine that benefit from liability insurance, which is also known as errors and omissions insurance. Most any professional whose counsel or service could lead to potentially negative outcomes for customers, should carry some degree of professional liability insurance. In this episode, Argo Pro President Mary Henderson talks about about the state of the professional liability insurance market — one of the few areas within the P&C sector that's not experiencing a hardening.

Casey Cunningham, founder & CEO of Xinnix, explains how insurers can drive their sales teams toward greatness, even in a tough market.

In this interview, Heidi Moore, an insurance agent with Country Financial and host of the "Wine Crush Podcast," discusses common claims that arise from wine, beer and cider businesses. She also shares advice for both insureds and insurance professionals for navigating the adult beverage business, its risks and applicable coverages.

Charlie Sidoti, executive director of InnSure, joins us to discuss the integral role property & casualty insurance has to play in the National Climate Resilience Framework.

Business leaders in the U.S. and the U.K. are increasingly insecure about their organizations’ ability to respond to geopolitical risks such as war or inflation, according to a 2022 survey. What are some of their top geopolitical concerns? The ongoing war in Ukraine, NATO relations, cyberattacks, U.S.-China relations, climate risk, and energy insecurity are among the issues that continue to have widespread economic implications. And here is some more sobering news for insurance and risk advisors: Mass shootings in the U.S. have become “downright commonplace,” according to one of the country’s major news outlets. The U.S. saw 690 mass shootings in 2021; 647 of them in 2022; and 476 active shooter events as of Aug. 29, 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This is the environment in which Andrew Umphress was recently appointed head of terrorism for North America at Markel. There, he will help an already seasoned global underwriting team as well as the firm’s clients assess and navigate risks in the evolving war, terrorism, and political violence landscape. Umphress recently appeared on the Insurance Speak podcast to talk about the evolving geopolitical landscape and how it touches the insurance world.

The economic impact has been severe from concurrent labor strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. While the former announced a tentative agreement recently, actors continue to strike. In this episode of the Insurance Speak podcast, insurance executive Bill Johnson, who once produced major motion pictures, discusses common film and television production risks, coverages and claims.

Bryan Davis, EVP and head of VIU by HUB, explains what’s on the horizon for independent brokers, and how they can best serve their customers in the modern market.

In this episode of Insurance Speak, Rahul Kumar, Vice President and General Manager of Financial Services at Talkdesk, joins us to discuss how insurers can create and nurture loyalty by enhancing the customer experience.

Todd Shasha, Assistant Vice President of Personal Insurance at Travelers, explains how boat owners can safeguard their vessels from increasingly catastrophic weather events.

Andrew Schwartz and Keith Raymond of Celent co-authored a new study that examines many of the issues associated with the use of generative AI, and they share their insights in this podcast.

Independent risk manager Jeff Marshall details an emerging risk for occupations involving changing shifts: Shift work sleep disorder and its impact on brain function.

Bruce Eisler, Chief Executive Officer U.S. and Chief Underwriting Officer for Aspen Insurance shares insights on what he’s seeing in the industry, the factors insurers should be watching and the opportunities ahead.

In this episode of Insurance Speak, we’re joined by Katherine Frattarola, executive vice president and leader of HUB’s Private Client practice, to delve into the unique insurance struggles high- and ultra-high-net-worth families face when trying to properly protect their assets.

In our 100th Episode, Matthew Smith from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud outlines a new study that examines how bad actors commit fraud and then justify their actions.  

Insurance claims consultant Chris Tidball addresses some of the possible litigation and insurance issues surrounding this undersea disaster.

Tracey Santor, Assistant Vice President and Product Manager for financial institution bonds at Travelers, details some of the activities involved in social engineering attacks

Bryan Falchuk, Managing Partner, Insurance Evolution Partners, discusses the importance of partnership between legacy insurers and insurtechs based on research from his latest book.

Jess Keeney, chief product & technology officer for Duck Creek, discusses how technology is changing the customer experience for policyholders.

Eloisa Lewis and Shawn Magill of New Climate Culture discuss the ways in which agricultural operations and communities at large can improve their disaster resilience through biodiversity and permaculture initiatives.

Scott Cornell, transportation lead and crime & theft specialist at Travelers, joins us to discuss strategic cargo theft and how to prevent these supply chain-interrupting crimes.

Mark Debus, clinical manager of behavioral health at Sedgwick, discusses the impact of trauma response and compassion fatigue for insurance first responders.

In this episode of Insurance Speak, we’re joined by Kathleen Bonczyk, founder and executive director of the Workplace Violence Prevention Institute, to discuss how companies can mitigate employee violence and the part insurance companies could play in stopping these incidents.

Artificial intelligence has the ability to sort through and synthesize vast amounts of data, but with that benefit come increased risks for users and their insurers. Andrew Schwartz, an analyst with Celent, and Etay Maor, senior director of security strategy for Cato Networks, take a deep dive into the pros and cons of this new large language model.

Live from the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas, Brittney Meredith-Miller is joined by Michael Pritt, Senior Claim Analyst with Pure Insurance, and Dr. Laura McGuire, CEO of The National Center for Equity & Agency to discuss the importance of trauma-informed care in claims handling and within agencies themselves.

Live from the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas, Patti Harman is joined by Bob Tyson, the Strategic Managing Partner for Tyson & Mendes  Tyson addressed some of the factors behind an increase in the number of high-value jury awards.  The conversation was a follow-up to his keynote presentation at the conference..  

Live from the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas, Brittney Meredith-Miller is joined by Peter Crosa, Executive General Adjuster at Peter J. Crosa and Co., LLC, and Timothy Dowden, Senior Vice President of J.S. Held to discuss how insurers can more effectively mitigate and address severe weather claims.

Alex Kaplan, executive vice president for alternative risk at Amwins Group, discusses how parametric insurance differs from traditional insurance and the benefits it provides to policyholders.

Live from the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas, Brittney Meredith-Miller is joined by Tracey Thompson, Deputy Executive Director of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud to discuss strategies for identifying and preventing fraud.

Lumen Technologies’ Tara Acton shares the secrets behind their award-winning program

Live from the Complex Claims & Litigation Foruhm in Las Vegas, Patti Harman is joined by Rich Wickcliffe, the Complex Claims Manager for Frontline Insurance.  Rich discusses strange claims he's Investigated in a recap of his closing keynote presentation.

Live from the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas, Patti Harman is joined by Hank Watkins, the Regional Director & President of Americas for Lloyd's.  Hank recaps his opening keynote examining the complexities of emerging risk.  

Hosts Patti Harman and Brittney Meredith-Miller are live from the showroom floor of the Complex Claims & Litigation Forum in Las Vegas with a preview of all the guests joining them from the conference.

Tom Eggleston, international claims leader in the UK and Europe for Resilience, discusses the cyber vulnerabilities and issues insurers should focus on for themselves and their policyholders.

An increasing volume of insurance claims has pushed insurers toward new technologies in order to keep up, but one area where we often neglect to discuss insurtech is marketing. This week, Ifty Kerzner, co-founder and president of insurance marketing operating system Kissterra, joins us to discuss how insurers can tap into new tech resources and streamline data to boost customer acquisition and satisfaction.

Green Check Verified SVP Peter Su addresses the financial factors affecting cannabis-touching entities.

Despite laws that make it illegal to discriminate against employees or job applicants based on their age, it still happens far too often.  The AARP reports two out of three workers between 45 and 74 have witnessed or experienced ageism in the workplace. In this episode, workplace ageism expert Patti Temple Rocks joins us to discuss how to recognize and squash ageism in your organization, as well as how to utilize your more experienced professionals.

CEO of NEXT Insurance discusses his 2023 predictions for the insurance industry and how NEXT's business model differs from other competitors in the space.

Supply chain issues from the pandemic and two major hurricanes just weeks apart have affected the rebuilding efforts across much of Florida

Pathpoint CRO and President Ralph Blust shares his expertise on how the increase in destructive wildfires has shifted the market, and why it’s driving insureds to the E&S space.

Small businesses face numerous challenges to success and Pie Insurance CEO and co-founder John Swigart share how they’re using tech-enabled insurance to serve this unique market.

Coalition’s Patrick Mitchell discusses some of the threats small business executives face and how technology is amplifying those risks. 

Steve Tagert, North American environmental practice leader for Allianz, discusses some of the evolving environmental risks carriers are facing. 

Cindy Charleston-Rosenberg of Art Appraisal discusses how appraisers determine the true value of collections and collectibles for insurance and other purposes.

Corvus Insurance CEO Madhu Tadikonda discusses the next generation of insurtech and the lessons learned from early tech entrepreneurs.

The pandemic, the great resignation and work-from-home options are creating new stresses. Industry expert Cathy Ellwood helps managers identify the stressors and symptoms of burnout.

One of the secrets to creating a successful enterprise is hiring the right people.  Duck Creek's Courtney Townsend shares insights for creating a diverse and engaged workforce.  

QBE's Charles Greer highlights what factors risk managers need to consider and explains how inflation is affecting property valuations.

 Editors from ALM's legal, financial and real estate publications discuss the creation of a new one-stop resource for business owners designed to help them find answers to many types of business questions.

Chubb’s Hemant Sarma discusses how insurers are using technology to prevent and mitigate risk.

Industry expert Danielle Hernandez discusses zoning regulations, leasing and coverage exclusions for cannabis-touching businesses.

AXA XL’s Jim DiVirglio reflects on how the pandemic affected claims organizations and shares the trends he’s seeing for the insurance industry.

6 students from St. John’s University Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance & Actuarial Science share their insights on attracting the next generation to the insurance industry in this Insurance Speak podcast.

Celent analyst Andrew Schwartz shares insights from the latest Celent/PropertyCasualty360.com survey on how the insurance industry's adoption of an automated claims process.

Andrew Lipton, head of cyber claims at AmTrust Financial Services, outlines what a cyber attack looks like from a company’s perspective.

Live from the America's Claims Executive Leadership Forum & Expo, host Patti Harman is joined by Matthew Smith, executive director of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.  Smith walks insurance executives through the frauds that emerged during the pandemic.

Live from the America's Claims Executive Leadership Forum & Expo, host Patti Harman is joined by Jodie Hopkins of Westfield Insurance.  Hopkins discusses lessons learned from managing remote teams through the pandemic and why hybrid teams are here to stay.

Live from the America's Claims Executive Leadership Forum & Expo, host Patti Harman is joined by ACORD CEO and president Bill Pieroni.  Pieroni shares insights from two years of dealing with the pandemic and what trends the insurance industry is likely to see going forward.

Travelers executive Chris Williams explains some of the factors related to this increase. 

Executives from Lumbermans Mutual Insurance Co, Zurich Insurance and The Jacobson Group discuss the challenges and solutions for attracting new talent in this edition of Insurance Speak.

Industry expert Chantal Roberts discusses the complexities of cannabis-related property and product claims.

In the latest installment of Insurance Speak, Tom Fitzgerald, president of QBE North America’s Specialty & Commercial insurance business discusses threats to middle-market companies.

Hippo Insurance's Rick McCathron discusses their business model and how the company is harnessing data and technology to help owners better protect their property.

Will Nichols, head of Verisk Maplecroft's global environmental and climate research team, and Bill Churney, president of AIR Worldwide, discuss the expanding risks identified in Verisk Maplecroft's recently released Environmental Risk Outlook.

With cyberattacks at an all-time high, Tim Zeilman of HSB discusses the risks carriers and their clients should be watching in the coming year.

Subject matter expert Jodi Green, an attorney in the insurance recovery and cannabis team of Miller Nash, discusses several risks insurers should anticipate when writing coverage for grow operations, manufacturers and dispensaries.   

P&C industry veteran Bryan Falchuk offers insights on the highlights and lowlights of 2021 for carriers and shares what he sees on the horizon.

Gallagher Bassett's Eric Richardson discusses how the retreat from Afghanistan resulted in an increase in workers' comp claims for civilians based in the war-torn country.

Leaders from Gallagher Bassett, PURE Insurance and Butler Snow discuss how they are prioritizing diversity and inclusion for their employees and the customers they serve.  

Chris Tidball, Chantal Roberts, Michael Skiba and Rich Wickcliffe discuss their writing process and why sharing expertise is valuable to the industry.

Numerous business interruption claims have been filed in the wake of the pandemic and Baker Tilly’s Simon Oddy breaks down what insurers need to know.

Tom Bonji of Argo Pro explains the finer details of errors & omissions insurance and the liabilities it addresses.

A look at how the cannabis industry has grown over the last few years, the opportunities it presents for insurers and what federal legalization could look like.

Chubb's Christie Alderman discusses the cyber risks involved with remote work and how to prevent some of these hazards when working from home.

Following a year of major changes, insurance carriers are adjusting their focus to adapt to some new realities.

Auto insurers trying to compete just on price will find it takes more than just a reasonable coverage rate to keep policyholders.

American Modern’s Rick Drewery discusses insuring collector vehicles in this Insurance Speak podcast.

Germania Insurance’s Lance Ondrej addresses how to build successful remote & hybrid workforces in this Insurance Speak podcast.

Seth Preus of Mivation discusses how to create a good compensation plan, mistakes to avoid and offers ideas on how to pay commissions.

Cover Genius COO, Darcy Shapiro, discusses women in insurance leadership, how technology is changing the industry and opportunities for the future.

Travelers' Chris Williams identifies four trends employers should be watching that could affect claims and premium increases. 

Melissa Jones, EVP & chief human resources officer at CSAA, offers insights to help companies navigate a hybrid workforce and discusses some innovations for supporting remote workers.

Frank Giaoui, the founder of OptimalEx Solutions, discusses how insurers can effectively collect and curate their data for multiple uses.

Susanna Gotsch, industry analyst at CCC Information Services, Inc. and Marc Fredman, CCC's chief strategy officer highlight auto insurance trends from the 2021 Crash Course report.  

Coherent CEOs John Brisco and Todd Buchanan discuss the challenges and opportunities as insurers focus on InsurTech investments.

February is Insurance Careers Month, but students and staff in many leading RMI college programs are focused on churning out top-industry talent year-round. Gary Sullivan, assistant professor and program director for risk management, and Emily Shopene, highlight how colleges are preparing the next generation of insurance professionals and the role insurers can play in training and hiring students.   

Rani Christie, regional head of distribution, sales and marketing for Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, highlights some of the risks insurers are watching based on the 2021 Allianz Risk Barometer.

Companies that, either due to desire to go fast or “just didn’t know better,” build a myriad of “peer-to-peer” connections with carriers. In this episode, Jim Dwane, CRO of bolt, explains to host Danielle Ling why he expects these situations to accelerate as more carriers adopt the model of “plug and play” technology, and discusses the future of short and simple customer journeys.

Moiré Morón, claims practice leader at QBE North America, shares some insights with host Patti Harman on the risks employers will need to manage when considering their policies on vaccines and other issues related to the coronavirus.

Guests Peter van Aartrijk and Troy Korsgaden join host Danielle Ling to discuss the importance of creating, sharing and discussing core values and creating a customer-driven value proposition – especially in the pandemic age.

Host Danielle Ling sits down with author and industry expert Troy Korsgaden to discuss client relationships and maintaining personal interactions as services become more digital.  Korsgaden offers insight into how agents and brokers can increase their relevance in the new insurance distribution ecosystem.  

Host Patti Harmon is joined by Larry Chasin of PAK Programs who provides insights on the impact of an unusual wildfire season on California’s vineyards.

Tony Caldwell shares his insights on how to thrive in a virtual world

Author Troy Korsgaden discusses the challenges agents are facing in an increasingly automated, digital world. Korsgaden identifies some common struggles agents are facing in the digital age and offers solutions to overcome them in order to successfully meet the evolving demands of today's insurance customers.

As business interruption cases make their way through the courts, well-known consumer attorney Brian Kabateck, shares his insights on what insurers should be watching.

The coronavirus has taken a particularly high toll on all segments of the travel and hospitality industries. Ben Howell, Chubb Deputy Head of Accident and Health, Asia Pacific, and John Thompson, Chubb’s Division President of International Accident & Health, join Host Patti Harman to discuss the different aspects of business travel and the role insurers can play in this new environment.

While WFH has presented many challenges, one of the most significant is the loss of “work visibility” for both managers and producers. By using many of the same motivational concepts that drive performance in sports, gamification presents an effective and entertaining way to elevate the metrics that matter most and focus the team on specific income-producing results. Seth Preus, CEO of Mivation, explains how effective gamification programs improve engagement, facilitate regular communication, and drive superior performance –regardless of where the team is working.

With more employees working remotely, the risks for companies have never been greater. Joshua Motta, the CEO and founder of Coalition joins host Patti Harman to discuss the rise of ransomware, who’s being targeted and how hackers are executing their attacks.

Meet the new U.S. head of claims for Lloyd's of London and the regional director and president of Lloyd's Americas to hear their thoughts with host Patti Harman on opportunities for the insurance industry and what they see in terms of emerging risks. 

In the final episode of a four-part series, branding and marketing expert Peter van Aartrijk breaks down the greatest component in building a successful brand.

Melissa-Anne Duncan, executive director of the Western Division of IICF joins host Patti Harman to provide an overview of how the insurance industry is involved in the many communities it serves. 

Bob Peterson joins host Patti Harman to address the challenges and opportunities available in a rapidly changing insurance environment.

Companies are worried about keeping employees and customers safe as they reopen, and the liabilities they may face if someone becomes ill. Two experts share their recommendations with Patti Harman.  

Insurance is all about relationships. From the sale of a policy, to the claims process, it is critical for insurers to deliver on what was sold to their insureds. Co-host Patti Harman interviews Tim Roberts, vice president of workers’ comp claims for Everest Insurance, and Grace Hanson, chief claims officer at Hiscox, on the importance of nurturing relationships with policyholders and the impact those efforts have on building customer loyalty. 

In the third installment of this 4-part series, communications strategist and branding expert Peter Van Aartrijk outlines numbers two, three and four "Powers" of branding. With 10 in total, the "Powers" are essential factors to successful brand-building, drawn from Aartrijk's published work, The Powers, 10 Factors for Building an Exponentially More Powerful Brand, co-authored by Tony Wessling.  

Host Patti Harman is joined by guest Aaron Mutnick who discusses the two types of depositions that may involve insurers, explains the different types of witnesses that could be deposed and shares how an insurance professional can prepare for the deposition process

In the second installment of this 4-part series, communications strategist and branding expert Peter Van Aartrijk outlines the next five "Powers" of branding. With 10 in total, the "Powers" are essential factors to successful brand-building, drawn from Aartrijk's published work, The Powers, 10 Factors for Building an Exponentially More Powerful Brand, co-authored by Tony Wessling.

David Vanalek and Ian Stewart discuss legalized marijuana, cybersecurity, the sharing economy and more in the latest podcast.