Latest Videos
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Downsized Partnerships in Surplus Lines
The surplus lines industry is getting smaller, at least in terms of the number of wholesale partners retail brokers are choosing to do business with. Patrick Ryan, chairman and CEO of Ryan Specialty Group, says that Aon’s announcement this year to limit its wholesale partnerships to just two brokers — Ryan Specialty Group and AmWins [...]
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Pat Ryan Asks, ‘Are You Happy?’
Patrick Ryan is an innovator who sees opportunity. And it was opportunity that drove him to launch Ryan Specialty Group in early 2010. Success lies in hiring “good people,” Ryan says. In this interview from the annual National Association of Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) annual convention in San Diego, Ryan says his newest venture gave [...]
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How to Buy Agency E&O
Not all agency errors and omissions policies are the same. So what are the major differences? Also, how does an agency know what limits to buy? Lisa Doherty is CEO of Business Risk Partners, which counts insurance agency E&O as one of its specialties. Doherty discusses what to look for when buying E&O and whether [...]
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Substantial Catastrophes
Beazley Group’s Judy Patterson took some time out of her schedule at the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices to offer her take on subjects like catastrophes, risk, rate stabilization and surplus lines. One thing that’s important to note, she says, is that this year has seen an almost unprecedented level of substantial catastrophes, [...]
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The Best Practices of Today’s Agencies
Since 1993, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big “I”) and Reagan Consulting have teamed up to investigate why some independent agencies do better than others even in challenging market conditions. The Best Practices Study has grown to become an industry standard for performance benchmarks in revenue and expense growth, profitability, employee productivity [...]
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Consumer Agency Portal (CAP)
For the past two years, Tom Minkler, CIC, vice chair of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) and president of the Clark-Mortenson Agency in Keene, N.H., has been very busy spearheading one of the most significant initiatives undertaken in the Big I’s history. “It is our time to take back personal lines [...]
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Emerging Risks at Lloyd’s
As the leading surplus lines market, Lloyd’s does a lot to stay on top of emerging risks. Part of that effort includes a team of emerging risk researchers based in London. In this interview from MarketScout’s Entrepreneurial Insurance Symposium in Dallas, Hank Watkins, president of Lloyd’s North America, describes the emerging risk unit at Lloyd’s [...]
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The Lloyd’s Market
Lloyd’s has built a reputation over the years as being one of the most innovative insurance markets in existence today. But despite that reputation, the famous Lloyd’s underwriting room may never change, says Hank Watkins, president of Lloyd’s North America. In this interview from MarketScout’s recent Entrepreneurial Insurance Symposium in Dallas, Watkins describes the Lloyd’s [...]
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A View From the HUB
Being on the same page, with the same mind set and the same interests made all the difference for the group of entrepreneurs that founded what is now known as HUB International Ltd. Rick Gulliver, president of HUB, says there’s not one hero in the success of HUB; but rather a group of heroes that [...]
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Catlin’s Peter Dobbs Describes Coverage and Security for Ships at Risk from Somali Pirates
Catlin has launched a comprehensive policy to combat the piracy menace in Somalia. Headed by Peter Dobbs, Catlin’s Asset Protection service focuses on prevention as well as on extracting ship, cargo and crew. In this interview with the Insurance Journal, he describes the problem, some solutions and how it will change global shipping.
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Does Innovation Miss the Mark?
Michael Lee, founder, chairman and CEO of the Tower Group, doesn’t believe innovation runs deep in the insurance industry. The insurance industry is not known as being one of the most innovation industries in the financial services world, and that reputation is somewhat deserved, Lee says. But that trend is changing, and continues to change. [...]
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Best’s Managing Director-Europe: Solvency II is Coming to an Insurer near You
Stefan Holzberger, A.M. Best’s managing director-analytics, based in London, knows both sides of the Atlantic. In this interview he tells U.S. insurers what impact the European Union’s Solvency II regulations will have on their business – both directly and indirectly, and warns them to “join the dance” – the sooner the better.
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High Tech, High Hopes: Applied Systems CEO French
Reid French is the new CEO of insurance technology firm Applied Systems. While a newcomer to insurance, French is not new to technology. In this interview with Insurance Journal’s Andy Simpson, French begins with some of his background and then talks about what lies ahead for Applied Systems users and for agency technology in this [...]
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Expanded Perils
In the Middle East, in Egypt, in Tunisia, in Libya, during the Arab Spring of this year, a wave of revolutionary activity drew the eyes and ears of the world. In insurance, such activities beg an important question: What do clients with insurable assets in countries undergoing violent change need to know? For one, they [...]
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Claims Journal Print Edition
Claims information our readers want about the topics they care most about, will soon be available in a print edition. Claims Journal Magazine will provide regional, national, and international news from claim industry experts who will focus on the news and trends that effect your business. Subscribe today!
Featured
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Norwood on Workers’ Comp
John, principal of Norwood & Associates, has been an lobbyist for insurance and financial services sectors across several decades. Norwood offered a focused looking at the all-important workers’ compensation issue, and he gave his thoughts on health insurance exchanges. In fact, Norwood forecast that 2012 will rank as an important one when it comes to [...]
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Lobbyist Norwood Analyzes Consumer Watchdog Legislation
John Norwood is one of California’s best known legislative advocates for the insurance and financial services sectors. Norwood spoke to the Insurance Journal about legislation and regulation, including a proposal by a consumer advocacy group that would establish prior approval for healthcare insurance and would make major changes to auto insurance and homeowners insurance in [...]
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At-Home Insurance Careers for Disabled Veterans
For insurance agents Gary Trippe and Jim Pender, the idea for DVIC, or Disabled Veterans Insurance Careers, which aims to guide disabled veterans into careers in insurance, evolved in part from their own personal experiences with disabled family members. In this interview with Insurance Journal’s Andy Simpson, the two share their dream of an organization [...]
Popular
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Entrepreneurial Technologists
This year the Entrepreneurial Insurance Alliance (EIA), sponsored by MarketScout, named Vertafore and Risk Metrics, as winners of it 2011 Entrepreneurial Award in technology. Vertafore’s WorkSmart and Risk Metrics’ Insurance 360 technology products received recognition from the EIA as being some of the industry’s most innovative concepts in technology. Each year, the EIA receives hundreds [...]
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How Insurance Distribution Is Changing
Retail and wholesale brokers face the challenge —and opportunity— of redefining their relationships and value proposition in today’s changing insurance distribution world, according to Glenn Hargrove, president, MarketScout Wholesale, Dallas, Tex. In this interview from the recent Western Insurance Agents Association’s Insurance Industry Roundtable in California, Hargrove outlines the value proposition of agents and brokers [...]
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Interesting Times in Medical Liability
The medical liability market continues to perform well even as the nation struggles to implement health care reform. Robert Allen, senior vice presidents at Torus Insurance, says many health care institutions are implementing new strategies to be successful in today’s health care reform world. In this interview with Insurance Journal’s Andrea Ortega-Wells from the annual [...]
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Pat Ryan Asks, ‘Are You Happy?’
Patrick Ryan is an innovator who sees opportunity. And it was opportunity that drove him to launch Ryan Specialty Group in early 2010. Success lies in hiring “good people,” Ryan says. In this interview from the annual National Association of Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) annual convention in San Diego, Ryan says his newest venture gave [...]
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Insuring Lower-Risk Coastlines
Along much of the coastal United State, homeowners face the twin challenges of insurance affordability and availability. But not all coastal states face the same catastrophic threats. In these exclusive interview with Insurance Journal, Ken St.Onge talks with insurance regulators from Connecticut, Maine and Maryland about the market for coastal insurance in their states.
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New Zealand’s Massive Earthquakes Result in Catastrophe Loss Handling Lessons
As recent events have shown, massive natural catastrophes create havoc on societies the world over. Earthquakes in Japan, South America, and New Zealand demonstrate the need for meaningful interaction and prompt resolution of the resulting claims. In an interview with Claims Journal’s Denise Johnson, Lance Dixon, chief operating officer of the New Zealand Earthquake Commission, [...]
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Celebrating 30 Years of NAPSLO
NAPSLO recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with over 2,800 attendees in Orlando, Fla.
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Giving Back and Making a Difference
“On Point, with Peter van Aartrijk and Rick Morgan” is an audio conversation with insurance industry leaders who champion change and challenge all of us to think.
In many respects this is a “feel good” story. Far to often the popular press is quick to criticize the insurance industry and paint our industry as the evil [...]
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