AM Best Radio Podcast

Bridget O'Donnell, Oscar Health's vice president of technology strategy and operations, discusses how technology is not “going to be about adding more chatbots to today's insurance experience,” but a focus on being proactive about assisting plan members to understand coverage benefits.

Joe Park, executive vice president and chief digital & information officer at State Farm, provides an outlook about how technology will reshape property/casualty insurance and build value, but maintaining trust is a key priority for the insurer. 

Janet Ruiz, director of strategic communications, and Lewis Nibbelin, research writer, both with the Insurance Information Institute, discuss the expanding U.S. wildfire threat and how insurers are adapting underwriting, modeling and resilience.

David Duffy, global head of property, Marsh Re, discusses earnings protection, innovative structures and broader coverage options amid changing market dynamics. Duffy spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo.

A new Best's Market Segment Report discussed by Christopher Graham, senior industry research analyst, finds the line's continued profitability indicates that as the complexity of inland risks has expanded, insurers have been up to the challenge.

Bill Nash, vice president and head of member relations and sales, LIMRA and LOMA, discusses retirement readiness challenges, the growing demand for guaranteed income and how insurers can help consumers bridge the retirement planning gap.

Mark Warshawsky, senior fellow and Wilson H. Taylor chair in healthcare and retirement policy, American Enterprise Institute, discusses his co-authored research, commissioned by the American Council of Life Insurers, on retirement income strategies and the growing role of annuities in helping retirees achieve greater financial security.

Julian Enoizi, CEO of Europe, and Francois Dagneau, head of analytics for Continental Europe, both with Marsh Re (formerly Guy Carpenter), discuss Europe's growing wildfire risk, rising losses and how the insurance industry is evolving its strategies to better manage the peril.

Tanguy Touffut, CEO, Descartes Underwriting, discusses a coverage gap some insurers have overlooked. Touffut spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-vous de Septembre conference in Monte Carlo.

MetLife's $3.2 billion in tech investments over the past five years aim to personalize services, while driving growth and efficiency. Bill Pappas, executive vice president and head of global technology and operations, said the company's modernization efforts are far-reaching, affecting claims, distribution, underwriting, and customer service.

Luca Albertini, CEO, Leadenhall Capital Partners, discusses strategic capital, investor interest in private ILS, cat bond growth and capital efficiency. Albertini spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo.

Catastrophe modeling and secondary perils are increasingly central to global treaty negotiations, said Mohamed Kotb, managing director, Treaty Division, United Insurance Brokers Limited. Kotb spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo.

In a book she co-edited “Insurability of Emerging Risks: Law, Theory, and Practice,” Ozlem Gurses, professor, maritime law, Tulane University Law School, discusses emerging risks and the evolving legal frameworks needed to address them.

Comprehensive data will help delegated underwriting authority enterprises meet the increased need to report, said Tony Russell, chief revenue officer, VIPR Solutions. Russell spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo.

The podcast has garnered over 2.5 million downloads and averages 175,000 monthly listeners across 60 countries in Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific, said Sabine VanderLinden, host of the Scouting for Growth podcast and 30-year insurance industry veteran.

Alexander Braun, associate professor, director, Institute of Insurance Economics, University of St. Gallen, discusses his co-authored study on how severe storm risk is priced into equity markets and the resulting impact of underinsurance on insurers and capital markets.

The life/annuity segment is fueling the industry's Level 3 bond holdings, according to a new Best's Special Report discussed by Kaitlin Piasecki, industry research analyst, AM Best.

Whether reinsurers can maintain the discipline that produced profitable results is key, according to a new Best's Market Segment Report discussed by Michael Lagomarsino, senior director, AM Best.

Industry executives, innovation leaders and AM Best analysts discuss the complexities of cyber capacities, underwriting and what to expect in the future from cyber insurance.

The asset-intensive reinsurance market remains competitive as annuity growth slows at primary insurers, according to a new Best's Special Report discussed by Jason Hopper, associate director, AM Best.

A new Best's Market Segment Report discussed by AM Best Senior Financial Analyst Christopher Pennings finds the California wildfires in January 2025 led to a rough start for the year, but nearly all reinsurers were able to book strong underwriting results by year end, a strong testament to the favorable pricing environment.

Jayson Taylor, Head of Casualty at MSIG USA, said by focusing on long-term portfolio quality and partnership, the company is well positioned to support brokers and clients as the casualty landscape continues to evolve.

Amir Prodensky, CEO of Strada, said the organizations that will lead are treating artificial intelligence as an operational lever rather than a technology project.

Russ Johnston, president of Commercial, E&S and Specialty at Nationwide, said that one of the company's fundamental pillars is its trust.

Brad Ash, Chief Underwriting Officer for ISMIE, said the forces of consolidation and the growing presence of private equity money within healthcare have affected all medical professional liability carriers.

Vikas Acharya is Senior Vice President of Global Products and Technology Solutions at Xceedance said organizations that struggle to move beyond pilots often treat AI as a technology initiative.

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance has built its business around serving policyholders first. Lindsey DiGangi, senior vice president and chief operating officer, discusses how the mutual model supports long-term stability, stronger relationships and disciplined decision-making in today's evolving insurance marketplace.

Senior Associate Editor Renee Kiriluk-Hill details her BestWire reporting that shows MS&AD US Insurance Group vaulted from fourth to first among private U.S. flood insurers in 2026, growing premiums 31.8% to $175 million as the overall market declined 1.9%.

AM Best's analytical staff and industry experts assess the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) in the insurance industry.

Terry Dopp, senior associate editor, AM Best, details the 2026 Best's Rankings of the U.S. group life in force top carriers.

Durable program changes have raised the floor for return on equity over the past three years, according to a new Best's Market Segment Report discussed by Helen Andersen, industry research analyst, AM Best.

AM Best Senior Vice President Lee McDonald and Senior Director Sridhar Manyem discuss the company's 2027 Student Challenge, which invites college and graduate students to develop creative, real-world solutions to pressing insurance issues.

Senior Associate Editor Renee Kiriluk-Hill details her BestWire story that reports Progressive Insurance Group tied State Farm Group for the largest share of the U.S. private passenger auto insurance market last year, based on direct premiums written.

AM Best analytical staff and industry experts explore dynamic developments within the delegated underwriting authority enterprise segment.

Global Captive Podcast host Richard Cutcher explains how firsthand insight from captive owners, risk managers and industry leaders help uncover emerging trends and innovative risk-financing strategies.

Professors Mary Kelly, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Anne Kleffner, University of Calgary, discuss their research on California wildfire risk, exploring how it is reshaping insurance and the role of risk-sharing in sustaining insurer participation.

Over 10,000 acres of uncontained, fast-moving wildfires have destroyed hundreds of homes, according to a newly released Best's Commentary discussed by AM Best Senior Director Sridhar Manyem.

In his book "The Forms and Functions of Tort Law (Concepts and Insights), Sixth Edition," University of Virginia School of Law Professor Kenneth Abraham explores tort law's evolving landscape and its impact on liability, insurance and risks.

The D&O insurance landscape continues to face mounting external pressures, including geopolitical instability, economic volatility, regulatory uncertainty and sustained soft market conditions. These dynamics are reshaping corporate risk profiles and influencing how organizations, boards and insurers assess governance, liability and exposure management. This briefing examined the key developments impacting the D&O market and the broader liability environment.

Senior Associate Editor Dave Pilla discusses AM Best's 2026 rankings that show California still leading the nation in private passenger auto direct premiums written, followed by Texas, Florida, New York and Georgia.

Keith Golembiewski, AVP and director of annuity research, LIMRA, discusses the forces behind record annuity sales, rising demand for retirement security and the key trends driving the next phase of annuity growth and innovation.

NAIC's new principles-based bond definition went into full effect in 2025, according to a new Best's Special Report discussed by Kaitlin Piasecki, industry research analyst, AM Best.

The outlook remains stable owing to rising interest rates, implementation of the Japan Insurance Capital Standard, and greater regulatory oversight, among other factors, according to a new Best's Market Segment Report discussed by AM Best Senior Financial Analyst Charles Chiang.

BestWire Senior Associate Editor Terry Dopp discusses TruStage Financial Group's response to a recently disclosed cybersecurity incident, the impact of the company's network shutdown on customers, and what the event signals about the growing cyber challenges facing the insurance industry.

Michel Léonard, chief economist and data scientist, Insurance Information Institute, discusses the improving underwriting outlook for property/casualty insurers and how emerging risks, stress testing and AI are shaping the industry's future.

The maturing MGA market will need greater discipline in building portfolios and adept adoption of newer technologies to produce coverage solutions for emerging risk, according to research discussed by AM Best Associate Director David Blades and Industry Research Analyst Helen Andersen.

Sarah Griffin, senior vice president, Nationwide personal lines product and underwriting, said her company sees a real opportunity to help homeowners prepare, rather than just react, through the right education and protection.

Rob Walling, principal and consulting actuary with Pinnacle Actuarial Resources, said the province of Alberta is demonstrating an encouraging, business-forward approach to captive insurance.

Data center development and construction would benefit from innovative P/C industry solutions to meet non-traditional insurance coverage needs, according to a new Best's Special Report discussed by AM Best Senior Director Sridhar Manyem and Associate Director David Blades.

BestWire Senior Associate Editor Renee Kiriluk-Hill reviews AM Best's latest rankings of the nation's largest pet insurers, highlighting strong premium growth, rising competition among the market leaders, and continued expansion of the fast-growing pet insurance sector.

Charles Symington, president and CEO, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, discusses independent agency growth, Big I's 2026 Market Share Report findings and what lies ahead for agents and insurers.