This session will provide an overall economic outlook of the property/casualty insurance industry. This session will include a high-level look at industry trends and disrupters. The always-popular Robert Hartwig, Ph.D., will provide important insights that will help you manage your company’s risk.

This webinar qualifies for one FMDC credit in the Operations & Insurance module under the course name Emerging Industry Trends.

Robert Hartwig, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Risk & Uncertainty Management
University of South Carolina

This session is intended to introduce those inexperienced in reinsurance to its basic concepts, enabling them to define the purpose of reinsurance, identify the different types of reinsurance commonly purchased, understand how the transactions are structured, understand how the relationships between the parties to the reinsurance agreement work, and determine the scope of coverages and basic calculation of cessions.

This webinar qualifies for one FMDC credit in the Operations & Insurance module under the course name Reinsurance.

Barbara Murray

Director
PwC Actuarial Services

What lies beyond claims file auditing? It involves engaging leaders and team members, adopting best practices, eliminating walls and silos between staff, and redefining roles and accountability. In this session, attendees will learn how an organization evolves beyond claim file auditing and how a rebranded audit process leads to improved outcomes and a culture shift within the organization.

Ron Nott

Assistant Vice President – Claims
Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company

While the insurance industry has experienced significant changes the past 10 years, it still lags behind other industries in the adaptation of technology. However, with changes in customer demographics and the rapid expansion of insurtech, the industry is set to experience revolutionary change in the next five years, and the role of the claims adjuster will ultimately have to evolve and adapt. This session will explore the next generation of claims management and the future role of the adjuster.

Robert Clark

Claims Expert, P&C Business Management Americas
Swiss Re

Jason Feldman

Claims Specialist, R&N Property & Casualty
Swiss Re

Reinsurance 101 is recommended as a prerequisite for this session This session is intended to introduce those inexperienced in reinsurance to common treaty reinsurance terms and conditions that impact the interpretation of coverage. It will also cover common obstacles to identifying and securing the reinsurance asset. Upon completion of this session, participants will have working knowledge of the key treaty terms and conditions and know how they impact cessions and challenges in processing and collecting reinsurance.

Barbara Murray

Director
PwC Actuarial Services

It’s more critical than ever to leverage large, industry-wide data sets to uncover emerging trends that are driving fraud risk and impacting your book of business. This session will explore the latest trends based on industry consortium data and explain what investigators can derive from the trends. It will focus on new data insights that are particularly valuable to special investigation unit leaders in adjusting strategy to enhance operations. It will explore how to allocate appropriate resources, including investigators, to develop action plans for companies to stay ahead of the ever-changing fraud trends.

Jim Hulett

Assistant Vice President of Product Innovation
Verisk Analytics

This session will discuss the application of predictive analytics in identifying suspicious claims and how this approach can be implemented with a smaller number of claims than one might think. Through multiple detection methods, companies can use their specific claims experience to improve the effectiveness of industry fraud detection models.

Roosevelt C. Mosley

Principal & Consulting Actuary
Pinnacle Actuarial Resources

Today’s digitally immersed consumers have grown accustomed to interacting with a company anytime, anywhere, and from any device. To supplement these expectations, this new digital land of opportunity enables insurers to leverage data from sources such as telematics, wearable devices, sensors, and GPS. Claims is an especially crucial touchpoint through which insurers can demonstrate their value. Carriers can ensure a positive claims experience and gain internal efficiencies by enhancing the digital capabilities that underpin this interaction. This session focuses on the impact of digital in insurance claims and provides insight on key elements of digital claims evolution.

Deb Zawisza

Vice President, Research & Consulting
Novarica

The prevalence of cyber coverages offered by mutual insurance companies makes it important to understand the different nature of cyber coverages compared to traditional coverages. An emphasis on incident management and service support is the most meaningful aspect to cyber claims. Claims units servicing cyber coverage need to understand it is not just about writing a reimbursement check but ensuring that policyholders get the help they need from service providers that have the correct skill sets. Time frames are also important since traditional claims responses may take weeks, but cyber timescales shrink to days. This session aims to provide more clarity to the unique aspects of cyber claims.

Eduard Goodman

Global Privacy Officer
CyberScout

There’s no doubt about it, Artificial Intelligence is going to significantly change the way we underwrite. However, AI may sound obscure to many of us and without much practical application in today’s underwriting practices. Join this session to learn about the insurance industry’s journey to modernize its underwriting processes. Discover how using big data and AI together can help grow your book, reduce expense, minimize loss, and provide a modern, near real-time customer experience.

Targeted Audience: IT Professionals | Actuarial Staff | Claims Professionals

Phil Alampi

Vice President of Marketing
DataCubes

When asked the question of whether labor is subject to depreciation in the same way as materials, some might be inclined to say “no.” By framing the question this way, the trial bar has developed a cottage industry around class action lawsuits in which insurers calculate ACV by applying depreciation to an entire damaged item such as a roof or a deck-. This session will help claims professionals understand this emerging exposure and revise their adjusting practices to reduce this risk.

Todd Noteboom

Partner
Stinson Leonard Street

Pete Thrane

Partner
Stinson Leonard Street

The future is now – is your company prepared? This session will review the latest developments in 3D printing, the internet of things, and other disruptive technologies. The speaker will provide insight on how to conduct an annual checkup to evaluate these risks and explain how to implement operational practices to stay ahead of emerging technology. Whether you think of yourself as a tech junkie or you’re still playing your old LPs, this will be a fun and enlightening session about some big changes coming to our industry.

Jura Zibas

Partner
Wilson Elser

Carriers are increasing their use of drones and image analytics to adjust claims and respond to catastrophic events. This session will discuss several of these applications, how they integrate into the current claims process, the implications for adjusters, and potential issues that are arising in the market as a result of their use. This session will also discuss expectations for future applications and the resulting impact on the industry.

Graham Hall

Manager
PwC Actuarial Services

Mark Jones

Director
PwC Actuarial Services

Auto policies primarily cover vehicles designed for use on public roads, leaving a host of other types of motor vehicles that may or may not be covered by homeowner’s policies, including scooters, Segways, personal mobility vehicles, “Barbie cars,” and riding lawn mowers. This webinar examines these and other motorized vehicle exposures and reveals potentially serious coverage gaps that many consumers and insurance professionals may not be aware of.

Bill Wilson

Founder & CEO
InsuranceCommentary.com

Seeing claims like everyone else doesn’t provide an advantage but zeroing in on the most complex claims and taking action early can. Analytics-driven insights can help claims professionals identify key segments and proactively apply resources to higher-risk claims — right from the start — to achieve cost and efficiency gains, fast. Many organizations are gaining a competitive advantage from such tools as workflow automation and predictive analytics, using them to ensure consistency in execution and to achieve desired outcomes. This session will provide insight on how to utilize claims analytics to improve operational efficiency and gain a competitive advantage.

Matt Carrier

Principal
Deloitte

Designed for those new to claims adjusting, this session will focus on what is expected of adjusters when investigating and adjudicating claims. Attendees will learn how to define the work of an adjuster, compare and contrast the adjuster’s function to the activities of others within the company, and understand what skills and abilities are necessary to succeed in a more challenging world.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

This session will discuss how the successful adjuster approaches investigation of each claim in the context of the real world of time and quality pressures. By participating in this session, attendees will learn how to apply investigative techniques in variable and unique claim situations, recognize when more in-depth investigation is necessary, and develop processes so that sufficient investigation is conducted that leads to claim resolution. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

There are years of insurance insight, rules, and data locked up in unstructured or semi-structured formats. Emerging technologies and big data are making this data accessible, interrogatable, and actionable for carriers of all sizes. The session will focus on research, progress, and case studies of successes and lessons learned around the use of unstructured data and big data analytics in the property/casualty claims industry.

Alan Louison

Vice President of Research & Consulting
Novarica

Once thought uninsurable, the private flood market now represents a largely untapped opportunity at a time when many in the industry are facing profitability challenges. Hear about the technological advancements that have turned the tide on the industry's thinking on flood and find out why flood is a peril that can now be written with confidence. This presentation will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims series.

Targeted Audience: Management | Products Departments | Claims Professionals

Matt Junge

Head of Property Solutions, U.S. & Canada
Swiss Re

This session will evaluate the tools used by adjusters in investigating claim facts, including a discussion about the use of official reports and statements and gathering other evidence. Attendees will gain insight into which investigation tools are necessary, learn how to develop the facts of each case efficiently, and select investigation steps that are necessary. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

This session will examine a process for coverage review and analysis, beginning with exploring the impact of contract language when applying and interpreting coverage. Attendees will learn how to identify areas of questionable coverage, explain coverage issues to insureds, and recognize how coverage will apply in various fact situations. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

As new technologies aimed at increasing efficiencies and functionality within the insurance industry are introduced, many contain sophisticated controls or mechanisms that increase the complexity and vulnerability to equipment breakdown. To best provide a potential or existing insured with the right equipment breakdown and property coverages, insurers must be able to identify potential pitfalls and create solutions to them on the basis of their customers’ level of risk complexity. In this session, attendees will be introduced to three emerging issues relative to underwriting equipment breakdown coverage across a broad cross-section of industries and services. This presentation will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims series.

Kevin Perry

Vice President – Underwriting
Travelers BoilerRe

This session will examine the pervasiveness of insurance fraud and how the adjuster can assist in combatting it. Attendees will learn how to analyze new techniques, the tools available to adjusters, how to recognize fraud indicators, define investigation that may become necessary, develop a process for reducing fraud, and assist in criminal prosecution. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

You've just settled a market conduct investigation expecting that your issues were behind you, when you noticed a class action addressing the same alleged violations. The class action is now over, but your sigh of relief is disrupted when the regulator comes calling asking questions. Unfortunately, market conduct examinations and class action litigation are often managed in isolation, without considering the implications of them. Regulatory action creates material class action exposure and, conversely, class action exposures creates material regulatory risk. Hear from experienced insurance class action lawyers and insurance market conduct practitioners on how to protect your company. This presentation will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims series.

Targeted Audience: Corporate Legal Professionals | R&D Staff | Executive Underwriting Staff | Product Departments

Chuck Hatfield

Partner
Stinson Leonard Street

Todd Noteboom

Partner
Stinson Leonard Street

Pete Thrane

Partner
Stinson Leonard Street

Internet of Things is quickly becoming an important tool to mitigate the frequency and severity of property/casualty insurance perils, especially those causing extensive damage and business interruption. Sensor technology and smart devices are being leveraged to identify potential threats and risks that can cause business interruption and claims. But how can insurers harness the power of IoT, especially if they are unfamiliar with the technology? This session will show types of IoT hardware, software, and smart devices designed specifically to help mitigate risk. The presenter will also discuss how claims data can be used to identify and pinpoint specific groups within an insured’s book of business that have a higher risk factor. Attendees will learn how different types of IoT programs provide different results, and the factors insureds should consider when choosing a program. This presentation will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims series.

Targeted Audience: Loss Prevention Staff | Claims Professionals | R&D Staff | Marketing Teams

Robin Luo

Vice President, Risk Consulting
The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company

Insurers face an increasingly aggressive market environment, as attorneys and resourcing issues are driving severity within claims departments across all lines of business. To experience optimal performance, aligning performance measures and effectively managing data across service, quality, and process are more important than ever. Aon Inpoint’s claims group will show participants how to successfully leverage data in a balanced scorecard approach to improve adjuster performance by focusing on operational, quality, and customer service key performance indicators. Additionally, the presenters will explore emerging Insurtech and Artificial Intelligence solutions that are addressing gaps in the claims handling process to improve performance.

Michael Cummings

Principal Consultant
Aon Inpoint

Michael Williams

Principal Consultant
Aon Inpoint

From farming to aerospace, every business today uses technology integral to business operations. The rapidly emerging proliferation of technology, the use of social media, and the interconnectivity of technology create new exposures for business. What are the potential risks/liabilities as these and other technology trends continue to emerge and evolve? How will these trends shape businesses’ expectations for commercial insurance coverages and their insurance relationships? This session explores emerging technologies and the legal risks and opportunities they present for insurance companies in commercial lines to consider. This session will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims Series.

Alan Wernick

Attorney
Wernick & Associates, LTD.

The proliferation of technology, the use of social media, and the interconnectivity of technology create new exposures for the average homeowner. What are the potential liabilities as these three technology trends continue to evolve and develop? How will these trends shape customer’s expectations for personal insurance and their insurance relationship? This session will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims series.

Alan Wernick

Attorney
Wernick & Associates, LTD.

This session will focus on reclaiming dollars after a loss, including subrogation, salvage recovery, and third-party involvement. Attendees will learn how to develop facts that will support a theory of liability resting with another party, pursue subrogation effectively, and obtain funding through salvage disposal processes. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

This session will analyze processes for improving outcomes when litigation occurs and will include management of defense counsel through hands-on support of the defense strategy. Attendees will learn how to identify defense counsel appropriate for the type of loss and coverage involved, develop a panel of defense attorneys, and apply defense strategies appropriate to the jurisdiction. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

Today’s modern economy is driven by businesses that are increasingly reliant on evolving technology. Technology trends such as miniaturization, portability, the internet of things, and cloud computing are creating different, costly, and complicated new risks for business owners. This presentation will explore these trends and the impacts on equipment breakdown exposures on all types and sizes of businesses, including retail, service, and manufacturing. Equipment loss examples involving these technologies and industries will be shared. This presentation will also look at how the insurance marketplace has recently begun to embrace these exposures by offering new coverage solutions. This presentation will be available as part of both the Underwriting and Claims series.

Targeted Audience: Product Development Departments | Claims Professionals | Loss Prevention Managers

Corey Dunbar

Assistant Vice President of the Treaty Division
The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company

Setting appropriate reserves is both a skill and an art. This session will discuss the how and why of reserve setting. Attendees will learn how to state reserves based on the facts and application of coverage to the ultimate value of the case, identify processes for setting accurate reserves, and weigh the importance of reserves to actuarial analysis, rate making, and overall profitability of the company. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

Fewer than 20 percent of CFOs say their organizations are investing in new technologies to enhance the efficiency of their financial processes. For auto insurers, this limits the potential to elevate the policyholder experience. When companies cling to outdated methods of claims payment, it results in a highly fragmented policyholder experience. It also adds unnecessary administrative costs.

During this presentation, the speaker will explore ways to modernize the claims payment process from start to finish – significantly reducing costs while improving the policyholder experience.

Jeffrey Brown

President
VPay

Negotiating skills are one of the most important areas for claims professionals. This session will analyze how various approaches can impact outcomes. Attendees will learn how to identify the goals of all parties in the negotiating process, develop a path for effective negotiation, and construct negotiation strategies based on the leverage held by all parties. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting

This session will wrap up the Claims Foundations Series by exploring how adjusters can become better at what they do and will include a discussion about improving communication skills and recommending continuing education. Attendees will learn how to identify personal skills and abilities that can be enhanced or improved, understand how to communicate more effectively in claims situations, and learn how to formulate a process for continual improvement. This session is part of the foundations series and teaches foundational skills for those new to the industry or a claims role.

Elise Farnham

President
Illumine Consulting