Managing general agents and underwriters occupy a distinct space in the insurance world due to their broad policy oversight and administrative responsibility. Many MGAs must lean on limited resources while delivering an entire insurance experience, from underwriting to claims resolution. This is where technology solutions such as AI-powered automation can have a far-reaching impact. On this episode of Insurance Speak, Michael Parcelli, senior vice president and head of the MGA business at Xceedance, discusses the ability of AI to drive efficiency and profitable growth at MGAs.

Meg O’Toole Herman, agency owner with Goosehead Insurance, shares her advice for helping insureds prepare their homeowners' policies for a potentially active hurricane season.

Andrew Sabolic of the WCI discusses the organization’s work and what makes an excellent workplace safety program.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.