Podcasts - Insurance Journal

How Insurers Are Adapting to Emerging AI Data Center Risks

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:32 +0000

As AI data center development accelerates, insurers are expanding coverage capabilities and exploring innovative solutions like parametric insurance to address emerging risks and close gaps in traditional insurance policies. Check out this clip from the latest Insuring Cyber Podcast with host Elizabeth Blosfield and Joe Macejak of Marsh. To watch the full interviews, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/27178/

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Overheard at Applied Conference

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:36 +0000

What are some of the latest developments with independent agent and broker technology? On this episode we’re joined by a variety of industry leaders attending Applied Net 2026, held recently in Washington, DC. We hear about Applied’s approach to AI support for agent-carrier submissions and renewals from Michael Streit and Rob Bourne. Other guests include Kasey Connors, who outlines key initiatives from the Agents Council for Technology; Dave Evans, who moderated a session on agency succession planning; executives with Cogneesol, which structures data to help merging agents and brokers maximize the value of the acquisition; and James Li, a young founder who launched an insuretech with AI to free up agency staff from keystrokes.

This episode is supported by Liberty Mutual® for small business. Explore new products, enhanced quoting, and more than 650 classes on our small commercial agent portal. Find out more at https://cloud.smallcommercial-libertymutual.com/writesmallbusinesswithlimu

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Property Claims Severity on the Rise: What’s Driving Higher Costs?

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:30:21 +0000

Claims Journal’s Don Jergler talks with Verisk’s Susan Fleming about why property claims severity continues to climb, how rising repair costs and supplemental estimates impact losses, and why early claims data may not reflect the full cost of a claim. To watch the full interview visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/27113/

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EP. 119: A New Era of Risk with AI Data Centers

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:01 +0000

As artificial intelligence fuels investment in data centers, insurers are facing a set of complex and interconnected risks as massive digital infrastructure projects are challenging traditional approaches to underwriting and coverage.

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Joe Macejak, U.S. Property Digital Infrastructure Practice Leader at Marsh, discusses the unique exposures associated with data centers and how insurers are adapting to meet growing demand. He also shares Marsh’s newly launched Stratus insurance exchange, which offers up to $10 billion in property insurance capacity for digital infrastructure risks, and what its potential expansion into cyber and other coverage lines could mean for the industry. Check it out!

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How to Build Customer Relationships That Last Beyond the First Policy

Ashley Waldrop — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:00:46 +0000

Steve O’Brian, Executive Vice President of Marketing, and Vickie Valdez, Financial Services Solutions Marketing Director, both of Act-On Software, join Jim Flynn and Leslie Castillo on the IMCA Peer2Peer Podcast to explore why insurance marketing budgets still cluster at the top of the funnel when so much of the value comes after the sale. They break down what lifecycle marketing really means, diving deeper into moments throughout a policy that carry the most weight and ways that a renewal journey can begin long before the renewal date. Steve and Vickie share practical ideas and tips that will make you think differently about your next reminder email.

Key takeaways from the episode include:

· The biggest lifecycle miss is knowing the generic customer journey but not the specific one

· A renewal journey must start well before the renewal date, with regular, useful communication

· When in doubt, start with onboarding, and use a cross-department workshop to find the gaps

The Peer2Peer Podcast is in a partnership with IMCA, the insurance industry’s premier community and most trusted advocate for advancing marketing excellence.

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EP. 09: Why Claims Volume Has Been Dropping for Years

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:00:04 +0000

A look at the second quarter shows the lowest claim assignment volume in several years. According to Verisk, there was a 12% decrease from last year, putting the volume 13% below the five-year average. We spoke with Susan Fleming, vice president of intelligence and insight at Verisk Property and Restoration Solutions to discuss Verisk’s Q2 Property Report and what this means for the claims space.

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Coming Soon: Lifecycle Marketing That Delights Customers

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:50:32 +0000

Act-on’s Steve O’Brien and Vicki Valdez preview their upcoming IMCA peer2peer podcast conversation, with hosts Jim Flynn and Leslie Castillo, on how strategic lifecycle marketing helps B2B and B2C companies delight customers throughout the customer journey! Be sure to tune back in for the podcast release on October 20th!

This podcast is in partnership with Insurance Journal and IMCA.

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LinkedIn Ad Doctor

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

To be sure, LinkedIn is the dominant social media hub for the risk and insurance business. It serves perfectly for professionals connecting within the industry—and for producers building relationships with prospects in regional areas or in commercial specialties like trucking, construction, manufacturing, etc. Beyond posting, LinkedIn can supercharge your visibility and connections via paid ads. But how do you wisely spend money on the platform? We have just the resident expert to walk us through how that all works. Our guest on this installment is AJ Wilcox, a LinkedIn ads expert who’s consulted with 800+ businesses and hosts a podcast of his own. Not surprisingly, paid ads featuring your firm’s thought leaders—especially on video—will perform the best, AJ says. He also offers tips to improve how you personally show up on LinkedIn.

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Crisis Communications: What Insurers Should Expect Before an Incident

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 10:00:16 +0000

Carriers should look for proof that policyholders have made key crisis communications decisions in advance, starting with a designated company spokesperson and an alternate. Check out this clip from the latest Insuring Cyber Podcast with host Elizabeth Blosfield as she speaks with Mitch Cohen, Founder and CEO of crisis communications platform ClearLine.

To watch the full episode, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/27009/

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EP. 118: The First 48 Hours After a Cyber Breach and Why They’re Crucial

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:00:11 +0000

Cyber insurance has become increasingly sophisticated at preparing for and responding to the technical side of a breach, but what happens when the incident becomes public? In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Mitch Cohen, founder and CEO of crisis communications platform ClearLine, discusses the communications gap that can turn a technical incident into a reputational problem. He shares the decisions companies should make in advance and how it could affect underwriting as insurers begin treating communications readiness as an active form of risk reduction. Check it out!

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Binding Policies Faster

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:00:28 +0000

“AI is really starting to help us execute real insurance work. It’s not just about summarizing documents; it actually can turn the conversation into action,” which means binding coverage, says Nga Phan, head of product at bolt, a P/C distribution platform connecting insurers, distributors and customers. AI is helping agents and brokers move faster from quote to bind, reducing manual work and head counts, and improving retention. “We’ve seen doubled quote-to-bind performance when you use AI to lead qualification,” says Nga. “The bound policies increase by 34%. Quoting time can decrease as much as 57%. Human talk time reduces by 36%.” There are challenges ahead, she acknowledges. “Can the industry put AI into production successfully? Can we all be ready to integrate AI into how our teams work in the way that is accurate, secure and accountable within a very regulated industry?” Nga envisions a world where “insurance should feel like nothing at all until the moment it matters. Protection will show up when life actually happens—when you buy a car, sign a lease, bring on a new employee… It’s not a separate errand that you want to or have to put off.”

This episode is supported by TomTom — AI‑ready location intelligence that insurers can trust, with validated map and traffic insights for sharper pricing, smarter claims and agentic workflows. Learn more at https://www.tomtom.com/insurtech

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Agents Fight Through Personal Lines Stresses

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:00:56 +0000

Our guest on this lively episode is Pat Sullivan with Risk Information, a firm analyzing trends in auto and home insurance. He is bullish on the future of independent agents. Why? “In part because products have gotten better, lives have gotten more complex, and people need help.” Renters, too, have kids, cars and a small business, Pat says. “They need a package. The IA is great for servicing somebody in this sweet spot.” He raves about Progressive’s growth via independent agents. It has passed State Farm (the last big captive carrier left) in private-passenger auto market share. Progressive is “in the middle of one of the greatest runs in American business in the last 100 years,” Pat says. “They’re firing on all cylinders. They are incredibly focused. They are better at failure; they’re better at iteration.” Agents are struggling with bundling home and auto because each has its own issues, Pat says. Consumers are frustrated with premiums. Pat thinks carriers could gain goodwill by proactively sharing risk management and claims data—and speaking directly with policyholders and agents. “AI is the step change that’ll allow carriers to unlock and share that information securely and at scale to make the world a better place.”

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How Insurers Are Expanding Risk Management for AI

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:00:41 +0000

Insurers are exploring AI-specific loss prevention services, but the wide variety of AI applications makes it difficult to identify solutions that work consistently across businesses. Check out this clip from the Insuring Cyber Podcast with Carrier Management’s Elizabeth Blosfield and Jeff Kulikowski, Executive Vice President and Head of Cyber and E&O at Westfield Specialty Insurance. To view the entire interview, watch the latest episode at https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26909/

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EP. 117: When AI Agents Go Beyond the Guardrails

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:00:42 +0000

AI is rapidly changing the way businesses operate, but as companies embrace increasingly autonomous AI systems, they’re also confronting a new and evolving set of risks. This episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast looks at what happens when an AI agent doesn’t just generate information, but takes action on its own. Jeff Kulikowski, executive vice president and head of Cyber and E&O at Westfield Specialty Insurance, discusses the recent OpenAI incident in which AI models reportedly broke out of an isolated testing environment and accessed another AI platform. He shares what the event can teach insurers about the risks of agentic AI, how these incidents differ from traditional cyber attacks, and whether companies are moving fast enough on AI governance and guardrails. He also shares how underwriters are adapting the questions they ask about AI use, and the role insurers can play in helping clients manage these emerging risks. Check it out!

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AI Tools for Agents

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:00:39 +0000

Earlier this year, Vertafore rolled out a series of AI-supported tools for agents, MGAs and carriers that automate manual work and allow them to focus on customers, says James Thom, the chief product officer at the insurance tech provider. On this podcast, James walks through the tools as well as broader observations on where the industry is headed. The AI tools allow users to “focus on more high-value work and take them out of the drudgery of data entry.” The tools focus on email management, commission reconciliation, commercial lines submission, and more. With all the “bright shiny objects out there right now,” tech leaders should “respect the workflow,” James says. “Insurance buyers don’t buy technology because it’s clever. They buy because it fits into their workflow. Don’t think about solving clever problems; think about solving actual problems.” He adds that AI offers “massive tailwinds for growth,” but people shouldn’t focus on the problems of the past. “Help people shift into the new roles you need. The personalized advice, human in the loop, the care our clients give to customers doesn’t go away.” James outlines an ideal vision for insurance: “The key feeling—if you put yourself in the customers’ shoes—working with insurance feels like a more proactive business. It feels very reactive today. In the future we take noise and friction out of the process and we shift our time. It’ll feel more connected, understandable and proactive. Things are faster. Less adversarial. As an industry, it’s less about manual work, and more on advice and service.”

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Why Restricting Public Adjusters Could Send More Claims to Attorneys

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:00:57 +0000

Steven Badger explains how limiting the role of public adjusters could drive more policyholders to hire attorneys, increasing costs and making insurance claims more difficult to resolve. Check out this excerpt from the latest Claims Journal Podcast with host Don Jergler as he talks with Steven Badger of Zelle Law. To watch the full interview visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26805/

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No MFA? A Cyber Attack Could Leave Your Business Uninsured

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:00:40 +0000

Learn how failing to meet multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements can jeopardize cyber insurance claims and why many small businesses remain financially vulnerable to costly cyber breaches. To view more from this interview with host Elizabeth Blosfield, watch the full episode with Alvito Vaz, executive director of ID Federation here https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26818/

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Why Public Adjusters Are Facing Growing Scrutiny Across the Insurance Industry

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:07 +0000

Industry experts discuss how misconduct by a small number of public adjusters is fueling insurer pushback, restrictive policy changes, and legislative efforts that could reshape the future of the profession. Watch this clip from the latest Claims Journal Podcast as host Don Jergler talks with Steven Badger of Zelle Law. To view the entire interview, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26805/

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EP. 116: Protecting the Protectors: Cyber Risk for Agents and Carriers

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:00:39 +0000

In a fast-changing cyber landscape, agents and carriers have a lot on their plates navigating how cyber risk is affecting their clients, but on this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, the tables are turning as Alvito Vaz – executive director of ID Federation – discusses the impact of cyber risk and changing regulatory standards on agents and carriers themselves. He shares how his company seeks to provide standardized tools to implement better cybersecurity measures like multifactor authentication into an agency’s business. Check it out!

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EP. 08: Pressure on Public Adjusters Mounts as Bad PAs Get All the Attention

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:17 +0000

The majority of public adjusters are doing good, and most agree there’s a need for the profession. But there are those frequent reports of bad PAs and they are getting all the attention — that attention has the ire prompted of the insurance industry, regulators and politicians. Changes are underway, and like everything else, some sound good and some sound bad. We spoke with Steven Badger with Zelle Law about proposed changes and laws popping up.

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‘Old Soul’ Young Agent Loves Contracts

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:00:21 +0000

A mentor suggested insurance to emerging talent Patience Noah — and lucky us, she went for it! You’ll sense the energy from this agency owner as she outlines a career starting in phone sales and then service and production roles. As a carrier field rep, she became curious about owning an agency. The principals “were mostly older, white and male and there were fewer women in the industry,” Patience says. “I thought, ‘Maybe there’s an opportunity for me to start an agency. I’m in my early 30s. I have no kids, no bills, no mortgage. What’s the worst thing that could happen?’” Soon thereafter, the pandemic arrived. Turned out to be a good thing for Patience, as the world slowed and she figured out how to run the firm. “Once things settled down I focused on the producing side of the business.” With her prior experience, she says, “I understood what carriers are looking at when they come into an agency.” Patience specializes in commercial lines, particularly nonprofits and healthcare-related clients. She realizes she faces stereotypes about her age. But she immerses herself into the policies. “I took an interest in really learning insurance contracts,” she says. “People mostly look at the price tag. Insurance is an art…a dying art. For me as an old soul, I thought, ‘How can I tap into the older generations with longevity in the business for 30, 40, 50 years where they are passing on to the next generation the value of learning about the policy?’ It’s not about the price.”

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AI adoption isn’t just a technology challenge—organizations that invest in young professionals with AI-native skills will be better positioned to accelerate innovation and future growth.

Check out this clip from the latest Insuring Cyber Podcast with host Elizabeth Blosfield as she talks with Will Ross, CEO and co-founder of Federato. To view the entire interview visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26761/

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James Benham operates in a lot of areas: insurance thought leader, entrepreneur, technologist, TEDx speaker, author, podcaster and pilot. Naturally, he’s also a chatty fella—an engaging guest you’ll enjoy as he unpacks how he learned early to bootstrap, mowing lawns at age 12 to earn money because dad wasn’t opening up the wallet. That led him to an entrepreneurial world first in construction-related technology, and later in insuretech. Listen as he talks about leadership and core values. “Leadership is motivating ordinary people to do extraordinary things. The sum is greater than the individual parts. Management is managing individual people, tasks and projects to conclusion. The #1 rule of leadership is to feed your people’s emotional needs. Do you understand the vision of what we have, and the direction we’re headed? And do you understand the why?” James founded JBK, a global tech firm powering major carriers, and Terra, a cloud-native platform reimagining work comp. Insurance “is a harder business than people think. It doesn’t always make money!” he observes. He also points to “a self-reinforced internal myth,” that insurance is slow to adopt new technology. On the contrary, the industry was an early adopter of mainframes, software and databases.

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Embedding AI Into Insurance Workflows: Where the Real Transformation Happens

Ashley Waldrop — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:28 +0000

Insurance organizations unlock the greatest value from AI not by improving algorithms alone, but by embedding AI into customer education, data intake and analysis, and workflow guardrails that enable safer, smarter, and more efficient decision-making. Check out this clip from the latest Insuring Cyber Podcast with host Elizabeth Blosfield of Carrier Management and Daniel Herrington of The Zebra.

To watch the full interview visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26659/

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Why Hail Is Becoming One of Insurance’s Most Unexpected Catastrophe Risks

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:05 +0000

Andrew Higgins of Allianz Risk Consulting explains how increasingly severe hailstorms are causing catastrophic property and business interruption losses that would have been nearly unimaginable a few decades ago, transforming hail from a minor concern into a major industrial risk. To watch the full video of Don Jergler’s interview with Andrew Higgins, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26650/

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EP. 114: Underwriting, Workflows, and Digital Transformation

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:24 +0000

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, two guests discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping the insurance industry. First, Michael Streit, president of Ivans at Applied Systems, talks about the biggest technology challenges in commercial insurance, how large language models are transforming underwriting and submissions, and the future of carrier-agency connectivity. Later in the episode, Daniel Herrington, chief AI officer at The Zebra, shares insights on moving beyond AI hype to embed AI into insurance workflows, the importance of hybrid human and AI models, and what rapid AI adoption could mean for the industry’s future. Check it out!

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EP. 07: Why Are Severe Convective Storms All The Rage Nowadays

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:00:54 +0000

Severe Convective Storms are kicking up a lot of interest for insurers, reinsurers, modelers and weather watchers. Several reports out this year show these storms are becoming more damaging and dangerous in recent years. SCS events amounted to $60 billion last year, or nearly half of all insured natural catastrophe losses, according to one report. We spoke with Andrew Higgins with Allianz to find out what’s going on.

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Parametric ‘No Longer a Niche Product’

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:05 +0000

Parametric insurance is expanding in usage, particularly when paired with traditional policies, according to Dr. Megan Linkin, who heads the parametric natural catastrophe team in the Americas for Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. On this installment, Megan outlines the benefits of parametric, which settles claims based on the intensity of the event itself versus estimated property loss. (Example: amount of rain or level of wind speed.) Parametric is transparent in what is covered, the claims settlement is quick, and the funds can be used immediately for a wide range of uses, Megan says. “It covers things your insurance policy does not. You can use it to jumpstart your recovery efforts.” While public entities were early adopters of parametric, it also is resonating with hospitality, retailers, construction project owners and manufacturers. “It’s no longer a niche product; it’s an accepted insurance product,” she says. Megan grew up fascinated with meteorology, and recalls being glued to Weather Channel’s coverage of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. “We can observe storms, but there’s nothing we can do about them,” she says. “We have to prepare for them and live with them.” We also dive into a favorite topic for we two Jersey natives: food!

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Consulting Critical for Benefit Brokers

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:48 +0000

Employee benefits is “a fast-growing vertical” that often outpaces the rest of agents and brokers’ p/c business, says Tammi Shapiro, who leads benefit solutions at Applied Systems. On this installment she covers the value of technology in a complex and process-heavy space. But more than tech and efficient processing is needed, she says. With research showing a third of employers are considering changing brokers in the next 1-3 years, consulting and advisory about developments such as industry trends is critical. “The human being needs to be the consultative part of the process,” Tammi says. Amid all the agent and broker M&A activity, the value of change management is often overlooked, she adds. “Tech and AI is a critical part of the story, but it’s not the only piece. While AI drives digital transformation, it can’t be successful without organizational transformation. “Yes, you need to invest in new technologies,” Tammi says, “but you also have… to train people who have done things the same way for decades. Use AI to almost reimagine how work gets done. When you’re doing things the same way, that doesn’t scale.” For insurance careers, AI “resets the playing field,” Tammi says. “There is a window now for someone wanting to grow their career. Ask yourself, ‘How can I embrace it and have my teams embrace it?’ And almost leapfrog.”

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Closing the Gap, Fixing Pricing, and Facing Catastrophic Risk

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:01 +0000

Chris Methven breaks down the three defining challenges in today’s cyber insurance market: a massive protection gap, growing pressure on pricing adequacy, and the looming inevitability of a catastrophic cyber event that could reshape the entire industry. In this sneak peek, check out what Chris Methven, CEO of CyberCube has to say about the industry as he talks with Carrier Management’s Deputy Editor and the Insuring Cyber Podcast host Elizabeth Blosfield.

To view the entire episode, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26534/

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EP. 113: An Inside Look At CyberCube’s Next Chapter

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:06 +0000

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Chris Methven talks about recently stepping into his new role as CEO of CyberCube and shares how a major investment is fueling the company’s long-term vision. He unpacks the biggest challenges facing cyber insurers today—from the protection gap to pricing pressures and looming catastrophic risk—while exploring how AI is reshaping the threat landscape. Check it out!

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Quantifying Investment in Brand

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:22 +0000

We all love our favorite consumer brands. We feel like they understand us, like good friends. Why? In part because for years they’ve invested in branding targeted to us. Those investments are often difficult to explain to insurance finance pros, as insurance organizations typically grow by buying talent, books of business, and other firms. Insurance industry branding guru Lorraine Jeckells joins us to research she says will tie long-term branding investments to growth—specifically in the insurance industry. That’s just the ammo insurance marketers need, she says. “Share of voice equals share of market. The data is there, but mostly in the B2C world.” While insurance leaders are reassured by ROI showing results of tactical digital marketing campaigns, “on the brand level you’re still see a lot of underinvestment.” Lorraine is incoming chair of the Insurance Marketing & Communications Association, which hosts its annual conference in June. She will unveil the research results at the conference. Lorraine also outlines reasons for young people to join a dynamic industry like insurance. She encourages young professionals to “be brave, even if you doubt yourself. Everyone doubts themselves. It doesn’t matter how senior or impressive they are, they always have the little worry of failure. The difference is doing it anyway.”

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Fun with Financials

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:00:42 +0000

What could an insurance company finance guy bring to the On Point Podcast table? Turns out a lot of insight about the business… And some fun as well. We chat with Rob Looney, Westfield’s CFO. Rob grew up destined to be a numbers whiz—his mom was an insurance exec herself and his dad a banker. He is rooting for his peers around the insurance business to be more strategic, analytical and long-term focused—versus just crunching numbers. Finance professionals “are no longer in silos,” Rob says. “We used to just audit what happened in the past. Now we really require a focus on next year and the year after that.” He says an ideal state is for insurance leaders to be “calling finance before they make a decision… instead of just asking about last year.” Rob sees his leadership role as helping people do their jobs better and faster. “It’s very important to make decisions with sometimes imperfect information and stay calm under pressure,” he says, adding: “I tell people I want to hear about bad news right away. I’m not going to kill the messenger. I learned early on that clarity matters. I cannot possibly micromanage people who work for me, so I need to know what matters and teach them to make decisions and take risks—as long as they can back it with reasoning.”

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AI on Trial: Navigating the New Frontier of Legal E&O and Professional Liability

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The Insuring Cyber Podcast host Elizabeth Blosfield talks with Jencap’s Sean Burke about how generative AI is reshaping the legal landscape, forcing a radical evolution in E&O exposure as firms balance cutting-edge innovation with emerging malpractice risks. To watch the full episode with Sean Burke, and even more insights with Andy Sambandam of Clarip, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26478/

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EP. 112: Balancing the AI Tightrope of Innovation vs Liability

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:53 +0000

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, two guests explore how AI is reshaping risk, governance, and liability across industries. Andy Sambandam, founder and CEO of Clarip, shares how insurers can strengthen data governance, improve data quality, and build privacy frameworks that support AI innovation while managing risk. Sean Burke, managing director at Jencap, also breaks down how generative AI is impacting the legal industry, from attorney use cases to evolving professional liability and E&O exposure. Check it out!

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Middle Ground is Collapsing

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:00:19 +0000

After working at carriers for 20 years, strategic consultant Brando Guerrero offers up some strong opinions on the future of insurance distribution. Listen as he dishes out some tough love. Driven by tech and competitive forces, the model is splitting into two very different paths, he says. Path 1 is high-touch, relationship-driven distribution, with independent agents providing consultative advice, deep expertise in complex risks, and higher premiums justified by service and risk selection. Path 2 is low-touch, tech-enabled distribution, with direct-to-consumer platforms, straight-through processing, and volume play with razor-thin margins. “Trying to be both won’t work, Brando argues. “Carriers that try to compete on price and service end up being mediocre at both.” He outlines ways carriers can get out of the middle. Who are the real winners in all of this? Probably MGAs and program administrators, Brando says. “They can bridge both sides with narrow risk classes. Their entire model is built around specialization. They don’t have the legacy problems carriers have. They can gin up capacity and go to the market very fast.” Agents and brokers too must face the music: Specialization is key. “If you’re a generalist agency trying to be everything to everyone, you’re in the same trap as a generalist carrier.” Brando is bullish on the future of the IA channel, especially for more complex risks. “Relationships have become more important. You need a human who understands the risk. AI can’t do that.”

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Today’s Claims Departments: Caseloads, Culture, and Change

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:00:22 +0000

A behind-the-scenes look at how claims organizations are using data, training, and teamwork to balance caseloads, manage rising litigation pressures, and support adjusters in a rapidly evolving claims environment. To watch the full interview with Claims Journal’s Don Jergler and Broadspire’s Rob Evans visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26270/

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‘Scrappy’ Learner Champions AI in Claims

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:00:20 +0000

Here’s an engaging chat with Heather Wilson, who challenged herself early to grow in her career—starting with Girl Scout cookie sales in grade school. Then, professional work beginning as a teenager in health care and financial services consulting in Japan and Russia launched a tech career. “I was just mesmerized” by data, she says. “I had a knack for language and…data was a language to me. I had an epiphany, and it was: This is the future. Not just for financial services, but for every industry.” Today, Heather is CEO of CLARA Analytics. The firm provides AI-driven models for carriers and self-insured firms to improve back-to-work and litigation reduction in BI claims. The claims process will improve, she says. Today, the adjuster’s load is very task oriented and administrative. “We will see AI take those over. Then the adjuster can really spend time with the patient and gain trust…” Heather says the insurance business doesn’t get enough credit for adopting change. “I find insurance executives are right there with other industries. They’re in their labs trying new things. All of them are just trying to figure it out, given the environments they’ve inherited…” In the same way she was mentored by teachers and bosses, Heather outlines some advice for young professionals: “You are going to have to do some grunt work and be scrappy at times. Learn the details. Have a work ethic. Be the eager beaver, be a listener and learner. Sign up for more, go the extra mile. Attitude is so worth it.”

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EP. 06: Making The Most of Technologies And Trends Impacting Adjusters

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:43 +0000

Being “really intentional” about ensuring that companies are using artificial intelligence to actually helping adjusters and not hindering their work or replacing them should be the ultimate goal of new technology adoption. That’s according to Rob Evans, director of claim process technology with Broadspire. Evans, who’s been in claims for more than 25 years, spoke about everything from the benefit of litigation prediction models to AI notifications to the retirement cliff to balancing adjuster workloads in the latest podcast episode with Claims Journal’s Don Jergler!

This episode is brought to you by Eagleview. Eagleview offers accurate roof and wall measurements, over 100 property data attributes and high-resolution aerial images to help adjusters process claims accurately and quickly. Learn how Eagleview helps property adjusters reduce cycle times and close more claims by visiting eagleview.com/insurance.

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AI Is Supercharging Ransomware. Is Cyber Insurance at Risk?

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:00:05 +0000

Beazley’s Head of U.S. Cyber, Melissa Carmichael, breaks down the mounting pressures in the 2026 cyber insurance market and explains how insurers are balancing profitability, coverage, and emerging risk with Insuring Cyber Podcast host Elizabeth Blosfield. To watch the full interview with Melissa, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26356/

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EP. 111: Navigating AI-Driven Risk and Cyber Market Pressure in 2026

Ashley Waldrop — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:00:35 +0000

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Beazley’s Head of US Cyber Melissa Carmichael discusses the mounting pressures shaping the cyber insurance market as it heads into 2026, including low pricing, rising ransomware severity, and the accelerating influence of artificial intelligence. She explains how Beazley is balancing profitability with broader coverage while using long-term claims data to guide underwriting discipline. Check it out!

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Underwrite People First and Foremost

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:00:58 +0000

We check in with Joe Zuk, an insuretech guru with private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners. It’s an “exciting” time to evaluate new and established firms, he says. After a bit of a lull in insuretech chatter over the last few years, “Now we’re seeing a resurgence.” Joe outlines several categories of action: Augmented underwriting vendors using third-party data to bring risk fidelity and granularity in underwriting and claims. Data organizers using large language models to organize foundational data in the insurance value chain. Predictive AI in climate, weather tech and liability. Category disruptors working to upset the value chain in going direct to consumer or truncating the value chain with AI or other technology. And the MGA and program sectors remain hot. At the same time, AI is not a panacea, Joe cautions. “We still work in a heavily regulated industry… A lot of folks are saying lets slap AI onto everything and surely that’ll be the fix. I’m really worried about a loss of institutional knowledge and foundational and fundamental skills in underwriting, risk selection, aggregation management and claims. And let’s not forget the relationship aspect of it.” In his PE work, Joe likes to “underwrite people first and foremost” when choosing where to invest in firms. He loves insurance. “I get to never be bored. I get to challenge my mind to solve problems daily. I see it as a big puzzle. It’s a very addicting and fun industry.”

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Work is Not Meant to Love You

Ashley Waldrop — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:22 +0000

Imagine a world where we all loved our work. And work loved us back! Okay, that’s just not gonna happen, says professional development and executive coach Jenn Urso. And this is okay, because employees and employers still can reach a peaceful coexistence and understanding amidst a stressed-out world. On this engaging conversation Jenn unpacks lots of insight for improving work focus, productivity and personal happiness, which are tightly connected. Jenn built her company, The Leadership Project, after a six-month sabbatical traveling the world. During her time abroad she learned that people in all cultures and countries share a deep connection with their work; and, simultaneously, they feel “frustrated and burned out and swallowed up by work.” Jenn believes that “work is not meant to love you.” A profit-making organization doesn’t always align with many employees’ yearn for warm-and-fuzzy emotional connections. Over the last 100 years, and evolving more recently, “work originally was about survival, and then stability, status, self-actualization, and now a state of stress,” Jenn says. Listen as this leader whisperer outlines what we can do about the stress, with On Point host Peter van Aartrijk!

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EP. 104: 280E Is Key to Understanding Impact of Federal Shift on Cannabis

Ashley Waldrop — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:00:55 +0000

The effects of the change in the federal stance on the scheduling status of cannabis may have many impacts on what insurers and those who service the industry do. However, if you don’t know what it means for the 280E tax code and the changes that may follow, then you should pay attention to what Griffin Basden has been talking about to clients following a December 2025 presidential executive order to expedite rescheduling. Basden with AlphaRoot talked about the changes for this episode of the podcast with host Don Jergler.

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Wildfires, Lawsuits, AI, and M&A: A Look Back at Insurance in 2025 | The Insurance Wrap-Up

Ashley Waldrop — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:00:49 +0000

Insurance Journal recaps the biggest stories of 2025, from record-breaking wildfires and climate losses to broker mega-deals, litigation reform, cyber threats, AI-driven layoffs, and signs of recovery in key insurance markets heading into 2026. Watch this end-of-year exclusive with Carrier Management’s Elizabeth Blosfield, Insurance Journal’s Ezra Amacher, and Insurance Journal’s Allen Laman! Catch up on all of the Insurance Wrap Up episodes at https://www.insurancejournal.tv/channels/the-insurance-wrap-up/

Top Insurance Journal News of 2025:
1. Brown & Brown to Acquire Risk Strategies, One80 Parent for $9.8 Billion https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/06/10/826916.htm
2. California Wildfires Will Likely Lead to Large Economic and Insured Losses https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2025/01/08/807438.htm
3. As in Florida, Georgia Saw Big Jump in Lawsuits Ahead of Major Litigation Limits
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2025/11/10/846976.htm
4. Deadly Floods Reinforce Texas’ Challenge as Crisis Epicenter
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2025/07/07/830367.htm
5. Can a More Unified Front Be Formed Against Legal System Abuse?
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/10/17/843927.htm
6. With Uber Boost, Group Seeks Reforms to Lower New York’s High Insurance Costs
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2025/01/15/808302.htm
7. Don’t Look Now, But Citizens Is No Longer the Largest Property Insurer in Florida
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2025/11/03/846101.htm
8. Jamaica Catastrophe Bond Has Now Triggered, Government Says
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2025/11/03/846093.htm
9. Acrisure to Lay Off 400 Employees, Citing Tech Advancements and AI Integration
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2025/10/08/843154.htm
10. Marsh Sues Aon, Ex-Team Leader Over Exit of 20 Construction Surety Employees
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/04/22/820698.htm
11. Erie and Philadelphia Insurance Still Working on Restoring Their Networks
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2025/06/16/827897.htm
12. Tariffs Will Negatively Affect Insurance Industry, Says AM Best
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/03/06/814597.htm

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