AM Best Radio Podcast

Rob Lewis, CEO, INTX Insurance Software, discusses how Chubb's aggressive automation strategy reflects deeper structural shifts in insurance technology, workforce skill demands and the growing necessity for unified, modern core systems to enable real AI-driven transformation.

AM Best Associate Director David Blades discusses a new Best's Special Report that finds E&S premium market growth increased by 9.7% through the third quarter of 2025, down from 13.5% in 2024, reflecting the impact of competitive market pressures.

AM Best Senior Associate Editor Terrence Dopp discusses the early signs of a softening MGA market, the renewed focus on underwriting discipline and capital management, plus how closer alignment with carriers and reinsurers could shape the sector through 2026.

AM Best and industry experts share their 2026 outlook on the Medicare Advantage business segment, including the key drivers. (Event Date: January 15, 2026)

Associate Director David Blades and Associate Analyst Alexander Winant, both of AM Best, discuss a new Best's Commentary that finds the executive order doesn't immediately resolve insurance issues for cannabis-related businesses, but the move to reclassify marijuana under federal law could be a significant step for the insurance market.

AM Best Senior Associate Editor Steve Hallo breaks down Massachusetts regulatory approval of Liberty Mutual's affiliate reorganization, including the conversion of several mutual insurers to stock companies and what the move signals about capital access.

Maria Long, chief underwriting officer, Resilience, discusses how emerging cyberthreats are transforming cyber insurance and driving the need for stronger underwriting and enhanced client resilience.

Stefan Holzberger, EVP and COO, AM Best, advises emerging leaders to determine use cases for AI and where they can leverage technology to make their work more efficient and to price risk and handle claims more effectively. Holzberger spoke with AM Best TV at the 2026 Emerging Leaders Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

Matthew Genazzini, executive director of the Microinsurance Network, details the emergence of microinsurance as a social safety net in many Asian, African and Latin American nations, while Rishi Raithatha, a member of the network, explains the supporting role of mobile technology in agriculture, life and hospitalization coverage in low-income nations.

Mark Berven, president and chief operating officer, Nationwide Property and Casualty, said that within the next decade, as much as 70% of job skills could be completely different than what they are today.

AM Best Associate Director David Blades and Industry Research Analyst Helen Andersen discuss a new Best's Special Report that finds a benign 2025 Atlantic hurricane season was predominant factor in the P/C industry's enhanced performance through the first nine months of 2025.

Joe Toomey, vice president, underwriting security, Coalition, discusses emerging cyber vulnerabilities such as React2Shell, and how insurers help clients strengthen resilience and manage evolving risk.

AM Best Senior Associate Editor Steve Hallo explains how short-term extensions, political battles over DHS funding and immigration policy disputes have left the National Flood Insurance Program in limbo, impacting policyholders and major flood insurers.

Join AM Best and market executives for a discussion on the evolving global reinsurance landscape and an update on AM Best's global reinsurance outlook. The panel will share perspectives on the 2026 outlook and reflect on themes emerging from the recent renewal season. The conversation will touch on broader market developments, strategic considerations and the forces shaping reinsurer performance in the year ahead.

Danny Aronson, co-founder and CEO of hearing health specialist Tuned, explains how preventative digital hearing care can improve productivity, reduce health care costs, and close an overlooked gap in employer benefits, positioning hearing health alongside dental and vision as foundational offerings.

Cambridge statistics Professor David Spiegelhalter discusses in his book, The Art of Uncertainty: How to Navigate Chance, Ignorance, Risk, and Luck, how insurers use probability and risk assessment to navigate threats and make informed underwriting decisions.

AM Best Senior Director Michael Lagomarsino discusses a new Best's Market Segment Report that finds reinsurance pricing is softening at an accelerating pace in property lines, but overall market conditions support underwriting profitability and solid overall operating performance in 2026.

Justin Sydnor, department chair of risk and insurance, Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses new research on how artificial intelligence, data analytics and automation are transforming risk assessment, consumer behavior and the long-term value proposition of insurance.

AM Best and industry experts share their 2026 outlook on the Medicare Advantage business segment, including the key drivers. (Event Date: January 15, 2026)

Sean Kevelighan, CEO, Insurance Information Institute, discusses how insurers are shifting from recovery to resilience one year after the L.A. wildfires, applying lessons learned to promote smarter rebuilding and enhance wildfire preparedness.

AM Best Associate Director Dan Hofmeister discusses a new Best's Special Report that finds the non-life runoff market continues to exhibit healthy transaction volumes, but its composition is becoming increasingly concentrated.

Paul Vacquier, CEO, Beagle Services, discusses how severe winter freezes are fueling costly water-damage claims, and why monitored leak detection is key to preventing losses.

Amwins co-presidents Sam Bagg and Jeff McNatt break down where pricing pressures are easing, how capacity and E&S submissions are evolving across key lines, and why AI, tort reform, and geopolitical risk will shape insurance strategies this year and in the future.

Please join us for an interactive discussion with industry experts on the latest developments shaping the non-life run-off market. The session will touch on recent research insights, notable activity over the past year and expectations for the year ahead. The panel will provide a broad look at how the market has been evolving, including the growing presence of specialist participants and the continued refinement of the run-off model. The discussion will also highlight general themes around product structures, the types of needs these solutions address and the industry's ongoing efforts to navigate and reshape long-standing perceptions of the legacy space. (January 14, 2026)

AM Best Senior Industry Research Analyst Christopher Graham and Associate Analyst Alexander Winant discuss a new Best's Special Report that finds the annual change in the industry's underwriting expense ratio is much less than year-to-year variability in its loss and loss adjustment expense ratio.

Technology is playing a part in improving workplace safety and acting as a constraint in workers' compensation premiums, according to Paul Zamora, ICW Group's chief underwriting officer, commercial lines.

Sarah Owen, chief product officer, One Inc, discusses new research that shows how speed, flexibility and clear communication in the auto claims payment experience are becoming decisive drivers of customer trust and long-term loyalty for insurers.

Chief Data Officer Anurag Shah, SIAA, explains how agents and brokers can avoid common data missteps, leverage real-time business intelligence and turn rapid technological change into a competitive advantage.

Senior AM Best analytical staff walk through the 2026 outlooks and the global, economic, social and technological trends that are shifting the industry and key factors expected to shape results in 2026. (Event Date: December 9, 2025)

George Hosfield, vice president, Home Insurance, LexisNexis, discusses key findings from the 2025 LexisNexis Home Trends Report, examining rising loss severity, surging catastrophe claims and what intensifying weather-driven risks mean for homeowners insurers.

Eric Wedin, head of North America financial lines, Allianz Commercial, discusses findings from the company's latest D&O Insurance Insight Report, examining how geopolitical instability, cyber incidents, and other global factors are reshaping directors and officers liability exposures heading into 2026.

Torbjorn Soltvedt, associate director of political violence, Verisk Maplecroft, explains how growing political polarization, fiscal strain and the amplified role of social media are driving a global increase in disruptive protests, with commercial property increasingly targeted.

Xceedance Americas President Travis MacMillian outlines six key technology trends, including real-time underwriting, that are redefining insurer operations, governance and customer engagement in 2026.

Jim Williamson, president and CEO, Everest Group, said reinsurance pricing expected to decline moderately in 2026, with ample capacity from major carriers. Williamson spoke with AM Best TV at the Cayman Captive Forum 2025.

Alex Hindson, partner and head of sustainability, Crowe UK, said models for transition and litigation risks don't exist, forcing reliance on scenario analysis. Hindson spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Domenico del Re, director, sustainability, PwC United Kingdom, said climate impacts will extend across food systems, health care and water scarcity. He spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Amy Barnes, head of climate and sustainability strategy and head of energy and power, Marsh, said climate risks impact traditional property lines while energy underwriters capture opportunities. Barnes spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

JC Marais, faculty, African Institute of Financial Markets and Risk Management, University of Cape Town, discusses his research on how insurer capital and market shifts shape the property-liability underwriting cycle that influences pricing, risk and profitability.

Tim Prince and Eli Sanchez, both of AM Best, said rated insurers are rebalancing investment portfolios. They spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Lockton Re CEO Tim Gardner discusses softening markets, client value, AI's impact and navigating global volatility. Gardner spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

Corneille Karekezi, group managing director and CEO, Africa Re, cited diversification into motor, imports and electric vehicles. Karekezi spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

Mark Cloutier, chairman & CEO, Aspen, said climate risk and social inflation help maintain pricing discipline in reinsurance markets despite cycle pressures. Cloutier spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

Greg Carter, managing director, analytics, AM Best, said higher interest rates helped insurers' investment returns and profit retention. Carter spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Sanjay Mokashi, general manager and chief underwriting officer, GIC, said closing India's protection gap requires redesigning existing insurance products. Mokashi spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

Kanika Thukral and Konstantin Langowski, both of AM Best, said captive criteria revisions clarify analytical language without impacting existing ratings. Both spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Dale Kirby and Andrea Porta, both of AM Best, said a greater share of European insurers meet Solvency II standards compared with carriers in Africa and the Middle East. Both spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Charles Mathias, group executive director and group director of underwriting, The Fidelis Partnership, said different capacity providers allows more diversification of risk. Mathias spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

Valeria Ermakova and Stan Stoev, both of AM Best, comment that research across markets and segments shows consistent failure patterns, although the risk environment remains dynamic. They spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

Martin Burke, chief underwriting officer, MS Amlin, said when looking at aggregations, you must be comfortable with your stance in the end. Burke spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

HSB's Sebastien Bert, DOXA's Zach Burdine, Brace Underwriting's Glenn Dorr and Allianz Commercial's Julie Gibbs discuss how MGAs are using “data orchestration” to expedite implementing programs. They spoke with AM Best TV at the WSIA Annual Marketplace in San Diego.

Waleed Jabsheh, CEO, International General Insurance, notes varied recovery across markets, with regions such as the Middle East failing to benefit from hardening conditions. Jabsheh spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo.