Podcasts about Reinsurance

On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley is joined by Val Rahmani, a leading board director across insurance and financial markets, currently serving on the boards of London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), RenaissanceRe, and Entrust. Val shares how a 28-year career at IBM, followed by startup CEO experience, shaped her approach to leadership, strategy, and governance.Val reflects on her early career, starting as a chemistry PhD student who wanted to move into sales, and how IBM redirected her into systems engineering so she could learn the product before selling it. She describes the pivotal moment when she was selected to work in the CEO's office and how that fast-tracked her exposure to top-level decision-making. Val shares practical lessons from that period, including how to think clearly under pressure, how to listen to specialists on the ground, and why taking opportunities quickly can change the trajectory of a career.The conversation then moves into Val's transition from big tech to startup leadership. She explains what changes when you move from a large organisation with abundant resources to a startup where every decision is constrained by funding, headcount, and time. Val discusses the realities of raising capital while running the business, why she enjoyed fundraising, and how sales skills translate into leadership by focusing on understanding what people actually need.Nick and Val then explore her board journey and how her first board roles helped her shift from hands-on executive work into governance. Val explains why private company boards can be a strong entry point for executives looking to build board experience, including the higher involvement, the pace, and the learning curve without the full weight of public company regulation. She shares how her first public board appointment at Aberdeen Asset Management came about through a recruiter, and why culture fit matters as much as capability when board appointments are long-term commitments.Val also breaks down what LSEG actually does beyond the exchange, including clearing and its evolution into a data and analytics business, particularly following the acquisition of Refinitiv. She shares how she approached joining RenaissanceRe without an insurance background, and how structured induction, one-to-one time with executives, and asking direct questions helped her get up to speed. Val and Nick discuss the people-centric nature of the insurance market, the importance of understanding industry relationships in reinsurance, and what it takes to become useful before offering strategic input.The episode closes with practical guidance for building a board portfolio. Val explains why her board roles have largely come through recruiters, why those relationships need to be long-term rather than transactional, and how recruiters can match for culture when they know the person behind the CV. She shares what she believes makes an outstanding board director: listening, being selective about where you contribute, respecting time in the boardroom, and doing the work outside the meeting so the questions you bring are truly value-add. Val also outlines how she stays current, including structured reading habits and monitoring market signals, and why every board member needs at least a working awareness of AI and its implications.Connect with Val Rahmani on LinkedIn to follow her work across technology, governance, and board leadership.The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance...

Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, is more than a buzzword, it's a critical lever for decarbonizing air travel.In this episode, Michel Krenzer, Head of Energy at SCOR Business Solutions, and Gerald Fahrenthold, SVP Energy Head for North America, unpack this fascinating topic. Together, they explore what SAF is, how it's produced, and the different ways it can be used across the aviation sector.Whether you're new to the concept or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode offers a clear, accessible introduction to an innovation shaping the future of flight.

Sunstone Health CEO Joshua Resnikoff joins Chris Lustrino to explain how Sunstone uses AI on healthcare claims data to proactively identify children with developmental delay—starting with epilepsy and autism—and help families reach the right specialists and diagnostics faster.They break down what claims data is, why the healthcare system is reactive by default, and how Sunstone's approach can compress what often takes years into roughly weeks by flagging high-need cases, coordinating advanced diagnostics, and delivering actionable next steps. Joshua also shares Sunstone's go-to-market strategy (positioned as an employer-paid benefit), why the pricing model is designed to reduce “point-solution bloat,” and how expansion could move across employers, TPAs, reinsurers, and large insurers. 00:00 Needle-in-a-haystack intro03:13 What Sunstone does (AI + claims data)05:32 Flagging patients vs. diagnosing07:21 Employer benefit + privacy model15:54 GTM + sales cycle reality17:57 Outcome-based pricing model20:16 Unit economics ($10k per case)22:11 Expansion paths + other diseases26:23 Fundraise use of proceeds28:03 Investor closing

GUARANT has partnered with DXC Technology as their reinsurance software provider, implementing SICS and DXC Assure Reinsurance platforms to advance operational capabilities and technology infrastructure for reinsurance management.https://www.guarantre.com/ GUARANT City: Kigali Address: 2nd Floor Tower B Sanlam Towers Building Website: https://www.guarantre.com

Insurance is a multi-trillion dollar industry. Yet in crypto, real protection is still rare.In this episode, I sit down with Ralf Taner from Nexus Mutual at the Digital Asset Forum in London. We unpack how on-chain insurance actually works. Why it matters more than ever. And how Nexus has already underwritten over $6.5 billion in risk.We talk about DeFi exploits. Exchange bankruptcies. Institutional adoption. The rise of vaults. And even kidnap and ransom cover for crypto founders.If you are building, investing, or allocating capital in Web3, this episode is for you.Key Learnings (With Timestamps)00:00 – The Big OpportunityInsurance is a multi-trillion dollar industry.Crypto still has very few serious providers.02:46 – What Nexus Mutual Actually IsThe first and leading on-chain insurance alternative.Think “Lloyd's of London” but on blockchain.Members underwrite risk and earn yield.04:34 – $6.5B Underwritten & Real Claims PaidOver $6.5 billion in notional coverage.Tens of millions paid out in claims.Real examples during exchange failures.08:30 – Complex Claims Like EulerWhy insurance isn't fully automated.Handling exploits where funds are later recovered.Preventing double payouts.12:04 – 2026: The Year of VaultsInstitutional demand for DeFi yield.Embedded insurance inside vaults.Reducing friction for LPs.15:04 – Scaling CapacityPlans for regulated structures (Bermuda/Cayman).Reinsurance via restaking platforms.Building second-loss capital layers.18:28 – Kidnap & Ransom for Crypto ExecutivesTriggered by real-world attacks.Tailored for crypto whales and founders.Pay premiums in ETH, BTC, or stables.21:44 – Come Before You Get HackedEngage at testnet stage.Risk modeling and pricing transparency.Creating new cover types based on demand.Connect with Nexus About: Founded in 2019, Nexus Mutual is the first crypto insurance alternative. Having covered more than $6.5 billion worth of digital assets while paying out $10s millions in valid claims, Nexus Mutual is the largest and most trusted underwriter for crypto risk. A true pioneer in the space, Nexus Mutual wrote the whitepaper for decentralized insurance alternative solutions. Since then, they have gone on to help thousands of people, protocols and institutions protect their digital assets against smart contract hacks and more. You're Covered with Nexus MutualX: @NexusMutualWebsite: nexusmutual.iohttps://nexusmutual.io/blogDisclaimerNothing mentioned in this podcast is investment advice and please do your own research.It would mean a lot if you can leave a review of this podcast on ApplePodcasts or Spotify and share this podcast with a friend.Be a guest on the podcast or contact us - https://www.web3pod.xyz/

On Aon — Episode 100Title: Building Climate Resilience: Insights from Aon's 2025 Climate and Catastrophe ReportIn the first Risk Capital Insight episode of On Aon, host Alexandra Lewis is joined by Aon leaders Tracy Hatlestad and Michal Lorinc to discuss the findings of Aon's 2025 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report. They explore another year of more than $100 billion in insured catastrophe losses, driven largely by secondary perils, and what a changing climate means for people, infrastructure and the global economy.Key Takeaways:Climate risk is increasingly blurring lines between property and people risk, demanding more integrated decisions.Secondary perils, including severe convective storms and wildfire, are now major drivers of global insured catastrophe losses.Alternative risk transfer and parametric solutions complement traditional reinsurance to manage climate‑driven volatility.Experts in this episode: Tracy Hatlestad — Executive Managing Director and Global Head of Property, Reinsurance, AonMichal Lörinc — Head of Catastrophe Insight and Impact Forecasting, AonKey moments: (1:35) In 2025, secondary perils were the primary driver of insured catastrophe activity, totaling around $100 billion.(5:40) The insurance protection gap was the lowest on record in 2025, but half of the losses still went uninsured globally.(6:05) Heat waves are one of the primary impacts on human health and we saw the impacts of heat waves around the world in 2025 with 42,000 fatalities from heat-related issues alone.Soundbites:   Michal Lorinc:“One ‘under-average' year is no reason for complacency. Organizations need to keep strengthening their resilience for the future.”Tracy Hatlestad:“We also saw the lowest protection gap on record for the year 2025, and that's predominantly as a result of the fact that 81% of losses are coming from the United States.” Find out more:2026 Climate and Catastrophe Insight 

In this second chapter of our CCS series, we shift from theory to action. After exploring the future of CO₂ capture, our experts, Michel Krenzer, SBS Energy Global Head, and Figen Lipley, Senior Onshore Energy Underwriter, dive into what comes next: safe and scalable CO₂ storage. Together, they unpack real‑world applications, emerging business models, the policy frameworks required for momentum, and the critical role of risk management in building a resilient CCS ecosystem.

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.

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.

Today we're diving into all the stuff everyone seems to be arguing about lately: AI and whether it is actually a bubble, why nobody wants small value, international, or bonds anymore, and what to say to the growing crowd of S&P-500-only investors. We also break down the world of alternative investments in a way that is simple and actually useful, from real estate and crypto to reinsurance, annuities, peer-to-peer loans, commodities, and all the messy complexity in between. And of course, we talk about your new book Enrich Your Future. It is a packed episode, so settle in and enjoy. Today's episode is brought to us by SoFi, the folks who help you get your money right. Paying off student debt quickly and getting your finances back on track isn't easy, but that's where SoFi can help — they have exclusive, low rates designed to help medical residents refinance student loans—and that could end up saving you thousands of dollars, helping you get out of student debt sooner. SoFi also offers the ability to lower your payments to just $100 a month* while you're still in residency. And if you're already out of residency, SoFi's got you covered there too. For more information, go to https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/Sofi SoFi Student Loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Additional terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. The White Coat Investor Podcast launched in January 2017, and since then, millions have downloaded it. Join your fellow physicians and other high income professionals and subscribe today! Host, Dr. Jim Dahle, is a practicing emergency physician and founder of The White Coat Investor blog. Like the blog, The White Coat Investor Podcast is dedicated to educating medical students, residents, physicians, dentists, and similar high-income professionals about personal finance and building wealth, so they can ultimately be their own financial advisor-or at least know enough to not get ripped off by a financial advisor. We tackle the hard topics like the best ways to pay off student loans, how to create your own personal financial plan, retirement planning, how to save money, investing in real estate, side hustles, and how everyone can be a millionaire by living WCI principles. Website: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com  YouTube: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/youtube  Student Loan Advice: https://studentloanadvice.com  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhitecoatinvestor  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhitecoatinvestor  Twitter: https://twitter.com/WCInvestor  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhitecoatinvestor  Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/whitecoatinvestor  Online Courses: https://whitecoatinvestor.teachable.com  Newsletter: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/free-monthly-newsletter  00:00 WCI Podcast #456 03:43 Larry Swedroe Interview 08:17 AI MAG7 Bubble 24:36 Investing in Real Estate 38:28 Investing in Crypto? 42:06 Investing in Reinsurance 54:27 Investing in Private Credit 01:04:44 Optimizing vs. Satisficing 01:07:32 Larry Swedroe's "Enrich Your Future"

Our sister publication Reinsurance News spoke with David Flandro, Managing Director, Head of Industry Analysis and Strategic Advisory at Howden Re, just weeks after the reinsurance broker released its comprehensive January 1st, 2026, renewal report. During the interview, Flandro discussed the opportunities and risks that could emerge from what Howden Re describes as a period of re-balancing, highlighting the important focus on geopolitics and macroeconomics as these trends are a big part of what's happening in the commercial insurance and reinsurance market. As geopolitical and macroeconomic trends reshape an increasingly risky world, and reinsurance pricing comes off of its peak in numerous lines of business, there's a clear need for rationality, with plenty of opportunity for underwriters to continue to achieve profitable growth, according to Flandro. Listen to this full interview with Flandro of Howden Re, as he discusses reinsurance market conditions in 2026 and how use of capital within reinsurance has changed.

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.

I am joined by Andrew and Tim from Sherpatech to discuss updates and new challenges in the insurance market. If you missed last year's episode you'll find it here Episode 338 - Ensure to Insure. We discuss what impact AI is likely to have and how the insurance market is shaping up for 2026. I also have a few interesting updates and information from the Microsoft cloud for this first episode of 2026. So listen along and enjoy! Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  CIAOPS Publications: https://directorcia.gumroad.com  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Show Notes ‘AI adoption is accelerating, but confidence is collapsing': The more workers use AI, the less they trust it. Baby boomers show a 35% drop   Data Security Posture Management for AI | Microsoft Community Hub   GitHub Copilot CLI   Bringing work context to your code in GitHub Copilot - Microsoft for Developers   PowerShell script to extract M365 security data for your own AI analysis – CIAOPS   Essential 8 AI report via PowerShell – CIAOPS   Unlocking Microsoft 365 Security: How I Automated AI-Powered Risk Analysis with PowerShell   YouTube   Microsoft and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team unite to drive innovation from factory to circuit - Source   Microsoft OneDrive, a year in review: AI-powered file management and smarter collaboration   Demystifying Exchange Online Mailbox Quotas | Microsoft Community Hub   SherpaTech Insurance Health Check MSP/ IT Professional Insurance Quote and Policy portal  Insurance Checklists

Climate-driven shocks are rippling across sectors, from rising insurance premiums to lower property prices and tax revenue. With the costs of severe weather rising, Moody's experts share their insights into key themes and possible solutions. Learn more at https://www.moodys.com/outlooks Explore our outlook: https://www.moodys.com/web/en/us/insights/credit-risk/outlooks/global-sustainable-finance.html Want to know more on the sustainable finance trends in 2026? Join us:EMEA/US: https://events.moodys.com/2026-mie26362-sustainable-finance-outlook-emea-usaAPAC: https://events.moodys.com/2026-mip26493-sustainable-finance-outlook-apac Host: Chandra Ghosal, Vice President, Senior Credit Officer, Moody's Ratings Guests: Jennifer Chang, Vice President, Senior Credit Officer, Moody's Ratings; Sarah Hibler, Associate Managing Director, Moody's Ratings Related Research: Sustainable Finance – Global – 2026 Outlook – Transition shifts, extreme weather and AI boom drive credit risks 13 Jan 2026Emerging economies are most exposed to the credit effects of severe weather 30 Oct 2025US Public Finance – Florida – Miami Cat-5 storm would test economy and insurance market even with federal aid 24 Sep 2025Environmental Risk – Global – Adaptation can support credit strength, but faces race to keep up with climate risks 22 Sept 2025 © 2025 Moody's Corporation and/or its licensors and affiliates. All rights reserved. Go to www.moodys.com/pages/globaldisclaimer.aspx for complete legal terms and conditions governing use of Moody's information made available in this video.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Most independent dealers already have a reinsurance company. The problem is knowing what to do after it's set up.In this episode of The Independent Dealer Podcast, we go past the basics and into advanced reinsurance strategy for dealers who are already in the game. If you've been running reinsurance for years and still wonder whether you're maximizing it, this conversation is for you.Bret from Buckeye joins us to break down how experienced dealers should be optimizing their reinsurance companies, from product performance and loss ratios to CPI penetration and cash management inside the reinsurance entityIn this episode, we cover:How to evaluate reinsurance performance using real loss ratiosWhich products dealers commonly underutilize (and why it matters)CPI penetration mistakes that limit profitabilityHow point-of-sale process impacts insurance enrollmentWhen and how to adjust premiums, coverage, and reservesWhat to do with excess reinsurance cash beyond letting it sitUsing reinsurance funds to eliminate high-interest debtHow reinsurance fits into dealership exit planning and buy-sell scenariosWhat happens to your reinsurance company if you sell or close your dealershipThis episode is ideal for:Buy Here Pay Here dealersIndependent retail dealersDealers with existing reinsurance programsOperators focused on cash flow, portfolio protection, and long-term planningIf you already have reinsurance and want to be smarter with it, this episode will help you see what's working, what isn't, and what to fix next.Support the businesses that support the podcastBuckeye Risk ServicesReinsurance, tax planning, and long-term wealth strategies built for independent dealers.BlytzPayBuy Here Pay Here payment processing with fast funding, text-to-pay, and real support.Tax MaxTax season systems that help dealers sell more in Q1 with same-day advances and customer-facing tax solutions.Ituran GPSGPS and payment technology for BHPH and retail dealerships focused on asset protection, recovery tools, and customer management.Follow & ConnectWebsite: www.theindependentdealer.comEmail: info@independentdealer.comFacebook Group: @independentautogroupLuke Godwin: @lukegodwinJeff Watson: /sendtojeffwLike, subscribe, and share with another dealer who needs a fresh perspective.

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.

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.

Angela Yeo and Mahesh Mistry, AM Best, said requirements forcing reinsurance in local markets are spreading from emerging to developed economies. Both spoke with AM Best TV at AM Best's Europe Insurance Market & Methodology Briefings – London.

In this Academy aftershow, George and Patrick talk with this week’s instructor, Chris Burand, about identifying weak carriers, understanding industry missteps, and why intangible assets may determine what … Read More » The post Zombie Accounts, Broken Surplus, and the 2026 Forecast | IJA Aftershow: Chris Burand appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

End of the year creeping up on you?

On this episode of the Insurance Coffee House, Nick Hoadley sits down with Antonia Hold, CHRO at MS Reinsurance who joined in April 2021. Based in Zurich, Antonia leads the company's global people strategy, with a focus on hiring the right talent, supporting their growth, and creating an environment where people want to stay and do their best work. She brings a practical, people-centred approach to leadership, fostering collaboration, encouraging learning, and helping teams grow through trust and shared goals. Antonia works closely with business leaders to ensure HR is aligned with MS Re's direction and values. Her career spans more than 20 years across four continents, with senior HR roles at Jones Lang LaSalle, Prudential plc, and Zurich Insurance Group. She has led teams and projects across EMEA, Africa, and APAC, gaining broad experience in shaping HR strategies in diverse environments, and holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Bern.Connect with Antonia Hold on LinkedIn to learn more about MS Reinsurance.The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.Copyright Insurance Search 2025 - All Rights Reserved.

Robert Wiest, CEO, MS Reinsurance, discusses reinsurance trends, the importance of underwriting discipline and strategies for managing risk in a changing market. Wiest spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

In this episode, Dealership Fixit Podcast host Jacob Berry talks with Gene Silas, Vice President of Sales at Brightline Dealer Advisors, about how the best dealers turn process into profit.Gene's story starts in the Marine Corps and leads through decades in automotive and powersports leadership. He shares what's working right now in F&I, how dealers can audit for silent profit leaks, and why training accountability is the missing link in most stores.Highlights:The biggest training mistake in dealership F&IWhy GMs must stop managing by spreadsheetWhat reinsurance really means for powersports dealersHow to spot internal theft before it drains your storeBuilding retention with real career paths, not empty promisesHow AI can simplify dealership auditing overnightConnect with Gene:Gene Silas on LinkedInBrightline Dealer Advisors: https://brightlinedealeradvisors.comListen and Follow:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/32L4getcOmBCYL3fRxDlyHApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dealership-fixit-podcast/id1449367603YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8RWgq6pFKN8dHurvKa858ASponsor:Smarter inventory, faster turns, better buys: dealers.motohunt.com

In this episode of (Re)thinking Insurance, Rick Hayes is joined by Nick Komissarov, Martin Laframboise and Cédric Thibault to discuss Bermuda's significant role in the global reinsurance sector. They explore the jurisdiction's robust regulatory framework, political stability, and financial expertise. Key topics include the Bermuda Economic Balance Sheet (EBS), recent updates to the Bermuda Solvency Capital Requirement (BSCR) and new public disclosure requirements. The experts advise insurers to prepare for these changes by enhancing their modeling and governance frameworks and reviewing asset portfolios.

Floods, fires and spiralling premiums are pushing millions of Australians out of insurance. Can the system itself survive?

Ben Rose, co-founder and president of reinsurtech Supercede, said firms lose time pulling data from inconsistent spreadsheets, highlighting the need for cleaner information. Rose spoke with AM Best TV at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre conference, Monte Carlo.

Insurance companies turn to reinsurance companies when they have to pay out many claims at once, like after a hurricane or other disaster. Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/ 

Before Clarence Birdseye, frozen food was perceived as being low-quality and kind of gross. But after spending time in extremely cold climates, Birdseye figured out that speed freezing was the key to retaining freshness. Research: “$1,900,000 Fraud Attempt Alleged in Insurance Deal.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 2, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/138253870/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22 “Alleged Clean-up of $1,900,000 in Two Days.” The Bennington Evening Banner. May 2, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/546110078/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22 Birdseye, C. “Animal Food Product.” U.S. Patent Office. Aug. 12, 1930. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/ff/f3/e3/ea3d0a5d1b6b7a/US1773080.pdf Birdseye, C. “METHOD OF PRESERVING PISCATORIAL PRODUCTS.” U.S. Patent Office. April 18, 1924. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b7/d9/5a/aeb7fae023f47e/US1511824.pdf Birdseye, Clarence, 1886-1956. Some Common Mammals of Western Montana in Relation to Agriculture and Spotted Fever, pamphlet, 1912; Washington D.C.. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc87555/ Britannica Editors. "Clarence Birdseye". Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Clarence-Birdseye “Celebrating American Innovation: Clarence Birdseye.” Council for Innovation Promotion. Sept. 14, 2023. https://c4ip.org/celebrating-american-innovation-clarence-birdseye/ “Clarence Birdseye.” Lemelson-MIT. https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/clarence-birdseye “Clarence Birdseye Is Dead at 69; Inventor of Frozen-Food Process; Developed Method for Quick Freezing and Also Devised System for Dehydrating.” New York Times. Oct. 9, 1956. https://www.nytimes.com/1956/10/09/archives/clarence-birdseye-is-dead-at-69-inventor-of-frozenfood-process.html “Frozen Food Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Frozen Ready Meals, Frozen Seafood & Meat Products, Frozen Snacks & Bakery Products, and Others), Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Convenience Stores, and Online Retail), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032.” Fortune Business Insights. Oct. 6, 2025. https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/frozen-food-market-10413 “How Did Clarence Birdseye Shape the American Diet?” National Inventors Hall of Fame. Nov. 28, 2022. https://www.invent.org/blog/inventors/clarence-birdseye Kile, O.M. “Food That Is Fresh Though Frozen: New Preserving Process Aims to Maintain Cell Structure.” The Baltimore Sun. Nov. 10, 1929. https://www.newspapers.com/image/373627550/?match=1&terms=%22quick-frozen%22%20 Kurlansky, Mark. “Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man.” Thorndike Press. 2012. “Reinsurance for Policyholders in Defunct Concerns.” New-York Tribune. Nov. 11, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894239796/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22 “Supervisory Methods Lax.” The Kansas workman. Nov. 1, 1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/480092568/?match=1&terms=%22Clarence%20Birdseye%22 “Who invented frozen food?” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/technology/item/who-invented-frozen-food/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our sister publication Reinsurance News spoke with Urs Baertschi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Property & Casualty (P&C) Reinsurance at industry giant Swiss Re in the run up to the annual Monte Carlo Rendez-vous event to discuss his view of the market and outlook to end of year renewals. Baertschi said the reinsurance industry has been operating reasonably efficiently in 2025 and has shown resilience to large losses like the Los Angeles wildfires in January. “When you look at the supply and demand side, there's plenty of capital here to match up with the risks that the industry is facing. And then when you look at the behaviour of the various market participants, it is still reasonably disciplined. It is a dynamic and a competitive market, but it's still reasonably disciplined,” said Baertschi. During the interview, Baertschi also commented on the January 1st, 2026, reinsurance renewals, noting that while it is too early to predict as a lot can still happen between now and year-end, he expects the current environment around discipline and wordings to persist. Listen to this podcast episode to hear more from Urs Baertschi of Swiss Re on the state of the market, the end of year reinsurance renewal outlook and Swiss Re's priorities going forwards.

Warranties aren't the enemy of profit—bad accounting and fuzzy reporting are. We sit down with Bret Buike of National Reinsurance to unpack a simple shift that helps automotive recyclers stop bleeding cash on claims and start building a durable revenue stream: move the warranty risk into a reinsurance company you own and pair it with clean, actionable reporting.We walk through the nuts and bolts without the jargon. What does it mean to reserve for 90-day warranties and extended terms? How do you net claims, keep access to cash, and still gain the tax advantages of a specialized entity? Brett breaks down a million-dollar monthly example, shows how to right-size reserves for your cash cycle, and explains why pooled programs and trust-heavy structures held recyclers back. The punchline: you can achieve better tax outcomes at year-end without panic-buying equipment, then start Q1 with cash in hand.Data is the second engine. Together, we outline a practical way to fix credits and codes so refunds, exchanges, defective returns, partial credits, brokered vs in-stock parts, and second-ship freight are accurately captured. With URG's warranty program and enhanced Pinnacle/Easy Suite reporting, ASE-certified techs triage claims, sales teams get back to selling, and owners finally see true loss ratios by 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year terms. We also dig into upstream insights—auction source, buyer, dismantler, QC—that reveal why certain parts or customers drive outsized failures and how to correct course fast.If you've wondered whether your warranty program could be a profit center, this conversation gives you the roadmap: reserve, measure, price, and review every 90 days. Own the risk, keep the cash, and use the surplus to buy cars, reduce debt, or fund growth. If this resonates, tap follow, share with a fellow recycler, and leave a quick review—what's the one change you'll make to your warranty process this quarter?

Michael van Wegen, head of client and market insights international, Gallagher Re Global Strategic Advisory, discusses how reinsurers are balancing strong returns with rising catastrophe losses and market headwinds.

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews James Swanke, Lecturer in Risk and Insurance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconsin School of Business. He currently serves as Director of the Risk Management and Insurance MBA program. Justin and Jim talk about his 42 years of experience in Risk Consulting with Willis Towers Watson, and his specialties there, particularly with captives. They discuss the University of Wisconsin-Madison Risk Management and Insurance MBA program, what the students learn, and the competitions they have won in the last year, and they look forward to winning this year. Also, Jim tells of disc jockeying in college, from Classic Rock to Polka.   Listen to learn about captive design, how to prepare for emerging trends, and who wrote the best music of the '70s.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. This is our special International Podcast Day episode because it's released on September 30th. We will be joined by Jim Swanke. He's a lecturer in the Risk Management Program of the University of Wisconsin. [:46] Jim started his career in broadcasting, and he still has the voice. We've got a lot to talk about today! [:54] RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops! The next RIMS CRMP Prep Workshops will be held on October 29th and 30th and led by John Button. [1:06] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Virtual Workshop will be held on November 11th and 12th and led by Joseph Mayo. Links to these courses can be found through the Certifications page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:23] RIMS Virtual Workshops! RIMS has launched a new course, “Intro to ERM for Senior Leaders.” It will be held again on November 4th and 5th and will be led by Elise Farnham. [1:39] On November 11th and 12th, Chris Hansen will lead “Fundamentals of Insurance”. It features everything you've always wanted to know about insurance but were afraid to ask. Fear not; ask Chris Hansen! RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on virtual workshops! [1:58] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [2:09] Several RIMS Webinars are being hosted this Fall. On October 9th, Global Risk Consultants returns to deliver “Natural Hazards: A Data-Driven Guide to Improving Resilience and Risk Financing Outcomes”. [2:22] On October 16th, Zurich returns to deliver “Jury Dynamics: How Juries Shape Today's Legal Landscape”. On October 30th, Swiss Re will present “Parametric Insurance: Providing Financial Certainty in Uncertain Times”. [2:39] On November 6th, HUB will present “Geopolitical Whiplash — Building Resilient Global Risk Programs in an Unstable World”. Register at RIMS.org/Webinars. [2:51] We're very excited that today is International Podcast Day! Before we celebrate, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and mourn the passing of Todd Cochrane. Todd was a podcast pioneer. [3:06] I've linked in this episode's show notes to a wonderful obituary from Podnews®, about his career, starting with his time in the Navy up to launching his own podcast, and writing Podcasting: The Do It Yourself Guide, from Wiley Publishing in 2005. [3:25] Over the last couple of months, I've had the pleasure of communicating with Todd over email for the Podcast Awards, and it was only last week that I saw the unfortunate news of his passing, which occurred suddenly on September 8th. [3:30] Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and the greater podcasting industry. [3:47] On with the show! This is our special International Podcast Day episode, and I am delighted to be joined by James Swanke, the Director of the Risk Management and Insurance MBA Program at the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [4:06] Jim spent four decades at WTW, specializing in financial and strategic planning issues, as well as captive insurance company design. [4:18] Jim was recently quoted in a new professional report, available on the RIMS Risk Knowledge page, and sponsored by LineSlip Solutions, titled “The Future of Captive Insurance: Governance, Technology, and Performance Optimization.” [4:32] Jim got his start at the University of Wisconsin in broadcasting. We're going to talk about his career path and how being a disc jockey led him to where he is today, educating the next generation of risk professionals. Let's get to it! [4:50] Interview! Jim Swanke, welcome to RIMScast! [5:38] When Jim was in high school, he competed in forensics, in extemporaneous speaking. He did very well. He did well at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and it got put in the newspaper. WLDY, in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, saw it in the newspaper and contacted him. [6:03] They were looking for a radio jock to “spin vinyls,” do some DJing, and read sports and news. That job helped Jim get into the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [6:21] Jim studied actuarial science and risk management. He went into the Bachelor's program, the MBA program, and the graduate program in risk management, insurance, and corporate finance. [6:40] Jim was hired by the Wyatt Company and did lots of feasibility studies. After 42 years at Willis Towers Watson, he retired. Now he teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [6:57] Broadcasting set Jim on his path. He says that everything about what we do in the captive and risk management area is about communication. If you're not communicating, listening, helping out, and building stuff, you're not going to be a success. [7:28] When Jim was a DJ at WLDY, they played different kinds of music. On Sundays, he played polka music. On Saturdays, it was country western, and Monday through Friday, it was rock music. Rock music is what he enjoys. At the top of every hour, he did the news and weather. [8:13] Justin recalls his own career. He was just waiting for podcasting to be invented, then he was able to make it all work out. [8:31] Jim worked with captives at Willis Towers Watson. He is quoted in a new LineSlip paper, “The Future of Captive Insurance: Governance, Technology, and Performance Optimization.” Justin saw his name there and thought it would be good to have him on RIMScast. [8:53] Jim described captives as a lifeline during extreme market conditions, comparing today's hard market to the turbulence of the 1980s. Jim tells what makes captives effective under hard conditions. Captives allow organizations to control their own destiny. [9:20] When you're in a hard market, having a captive allows you to take premiums that you normally pay to a commercial insurance carrier and put them into your captive insurance company. A captive is a subsidiary of the captive owner. [9:41] Most of the Fortune 500 companies in the United States have a captive. It allows them to arbitrage whatever's going on in the insurance marketplace. When we're having a difficult market, they put more of their premiums into the captive and rely on the captive more. [9:58] When the market softens, carriers may provide insurance at premiums that are lower than the expected losses. Organizations will buy commercial insurance all the time when the premiums are less than their projected losses. [10:14] Depending on where it is in the market, a captive has a role in an organization's risk management program. [10:27] Jim says a lot of organizations have looked to captives since 2020. We were in the midst of the pandemic, with all kinds of economic hardship. The insurance industry was in despair, as well. A lot of insurance companies cut back on the limits they were willing to offer. [10:49] Insurance companies put additional exclusions onto their insurance, so organizations had to rely on their own sophisticated ways of financing their losses. If they hadn't set up a captive, they set up a captive. If they had a captive in the past, they re-engineered it to do more. [11:15] They also used their captives to access the reinsurance marketplace. Reinsurance is insurance for insurance companies. A captive can be used as a platform to access reinsurers. [11:37] Even in difficult markets, having reinsurers involved created more competition, provided more limits, and there was more flexibility in the coverage terms. [11:48] That was when the pandemic was going on, which triggered the hardening of the market and the lack of availability of insurance. Organizations with captives relied on them and did more. Organizations without captives had captive feasibility studies done and formed captives. [12:09] Jim says the CEO of a captive should be a senior person who will monitor what's going on, fairly senior in the organization. It's not a full-time position. It takes three or four hours a month, plus board meetings. [12:46] A captive is required to have a captive manager, who is an accountant. They keep the books and interface for the captive with the regulator. The President or CEO of the captive relies on the captive manager to do a lot of the daily work. [13:09] Jim says you need a senior person involved so people take the captive seriously. The senior person is going to be the driver in reducing the severity of loss through loss prevention and loss reduction. Having a senior person is so important to the success of the captive. [13:40] There are lots of considerations when you're looking to make changes to your captive. Changes could include adding emerging types of risks, like cyber risk. If you're a hospital, a lot of medical malpractice captives have been hugely successful and have grown surplus. [14:08] Healthcare institutions are passing on some of their capitated risk exposures into their captives because they've done quite well with their medical malpractice. These risks are not correlated with each other, so there is a diversification benefit. [14:22] As you look to make these changes, you need to look at increasing risk assumptions, different attachment points on reinsurance, and changing your investment policy. You have lots of levers, and if you make changes, you need to analyze what the impact will be on your captive. [14:52] Jim talks about leaning into technology. Before 9/11, we didn't have the sophisticated software we've created in the last few years. [15:06] To look at covering all the possibilities and changing your captives, from adding new coverages to reinsurance reattachment points, was a monumental amount of actuarial work to figure out how to optimize your captive. [15:19] Recently developed software looks at all the possibilities in terms of changing your captive to optimize what you're doing. 20 years ago, Jim would spend months doing the actuarial work, working with an investment bank and charging them heavy fees. [15:39] Now, with new software, what took Jim months and months to do can be done in a matter of two to three days. The productivity today, in terms of optimizing your captive, is far greater than it was 20 years ago, because of the software that has been developed. [15:55] Jim likes that the software looks at all the risks and how these risks interact with one another. Looking at risks in a captive holistically is very important because many of these risks are hardly correlated with one another. [16:15] Looking at risks holistically, you can figure out the diversification benefit of having all of these risks within your captive, which has a major impact on the amount of economic capital that your captive will need to maintain. This software has been a game-changer. [16:34] RIMS Events! On October 1st through the 3rd, the RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held in North San Jose at the Santa Clara Marriott. The agenda is live. It looks fantastic! Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and register today! [16:55] On November 17th and 18th, join us in Seattle, Washington, for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025. The agenda is live. Check out Episode 357 for Justin's dialogue with ERM Conference Keynote Presenter Dan Chuparkoff on AI and the future of risk. [17:14] Visit the Events page of RIMS.org to register. [17:17] RISKWORLD 2026 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 3rd through May 6th. RIMS members can now lock in the 2025 rate for a full conference pass to RISKWORLD 2026 when you register by September 30th! [17:32] This also lets you enjoy earlier access to the RISKWORLD hotel block. Register by September 30th, and you will also be entered to win a $500 raffle! Do not miss out on this chance to plan and score some of these extra perks! [17:46] The members-only registration link is on this episode's show notes. If you are not yet a member, this is the time to join us! Visit RIMS.org/Membership and build your network with us here at RIMS! [17:56] If you are listening to RIMScast on our broadcast day, that means today is September 30th. It is last call for registration at the Earlybird rate! [18:08] In the spirit of it being September 30th, which is International Podcast Day, let's return to our interview with Jim Swanke! [18:22] Jim is the Director of the Risk Management and Insurance MBA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The curriculum includes technology, AI, and automation. In his classes, Jim is using the new software he discussed earlier. [18:46] Jim taught a class the day before on the principles of risk management. He talked about how risks are interrelated with each other and how you need to analyze them holistically, figuring out how they are correlated, not in siloes. [19:13] The holistic view will give you the best answer in terms of the economic capital that will be required to put into your captive. If you're analyzing risks silo by silo for each risk, that will lead you to having more economic capital in your captive than you need. [19:35] Jim has learned, in 42 years of consulting, that the CFOs in these organizations don't want to trap cash in their captives. Teaching this software to this new generation of students, they will be able to step into the roles of captive managers that the industry will need. [20:07] We're at the tip of the iceberg with AI. We're still learning in Academia what the power of AI is going to be. Jim foresees AI being very important in handling claims and in underwriting. [20:30] AI will allow commercial insurance companies to have a better way of doing their pricing and making decisions on whether or not risks should be accepted. It will also be beneficial to captives. [20:43] Jim thinks AI will advance the technology far ahead. We're just beginning to touch on some of the advantages within the insurance industry and within captives. [21:05] Jim started teaching in 2011. When University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Dan Anderson retired, Jim was chosen to teach a class on sustainability that was started by Professor Anderson. He has taught it since 2011. [21:41] At the time, some students did not think anything was going on with climate change. A couple of students stood up in class and said all of this was just made up. It was a fantasy. [22:03] Today, when Jim goes into class, students are there a half-hour early and stay late. They are very connected and working together to figure out how to reduce CO2 emissions to slow down the heating of the planet and the extreme weather events that are coming more often. [22:24] The class has evolved over the years, and the students are more engaged than they ever have been. [22:33] The students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison were the winners of the Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge at RISKWORLD 2025 in Chicago. Jim knows all of those students and had a couple of them in his class yesterday. [23:04] The students won with the Huntington, West Virginia case study, a six-month project. Huntington is on the Ohio River, and with extreme weather events, flooding has become a big issue in that community. They competed with students around the world to solve the issue. [23:49] Each school's team came up with things that could be done and conducted an analysis on what they thought was the best way of handling it. The University of Wisconsin-Madison's team focused on resiliency with levees and dikes to hold back the flooding. [24:27] The four Wisconsin students presented their paper and won, out of 61 schools competing. The University of Wisconsin-Madison received $10K. The second-place university, DePaul, received $7.5K, and the third-place school, IIRM Hyderabad (past year winner), got $5K. [25:04] The University of Wisconsin-Madison team entered two other contests last year and won them both. The CICA Captive competition involved case studies around Kaneka captives. It required an essay and a PowerPoint deck. [25:52] The MBA students entered the A.M. Best competition for insurance solutions to a global issue. The students used a combination of parametric and indemnity triggers to provide insurance to the disadvantaged in the Caribbean and Latin America. [26:23] If there was hurricane damage, it would trigger a parametric to allow an amount of money to be paid immediately to these disadvantaged families. Then there would be the indemnity insurance that would look at the actual losses and true them up to the loss amount. [26:49] It involved the combination of parametrics and conventional indemnity insurance, which was noteworthy and probably pushed the team over the top. [27:11] The professor who was the advisor in the Spencer Challenge is Carl Barlett. Carl is an attorney by training, and he has the energy to work with bachelor's students. He's graduated hundreds of people out of his program over the last four or five years. [27:59] The University has Career Fairs where 60 or 70 companies will come to meet with students. That's a credit to Carl. Not a lot of companies will come to a university to meet with students. Because of the program he put together, lots of organizations want to hire students. [28:21] The University of Wisconsin-Madison business school is typically ranked number 1. [28:31] A Final Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [28:50] Since 1999, Spencer has awarded over $2.9 million to create more than 570 Risk Management Internships. The Internship Grants application process is now open through October 15th, 2025. [29:06] To be eligible, risk managers must be based in the U.S., Canada, or Bermuda. A link to the Internship Grants page is in this episode's show notes. You can always visit SpencerEd.org, as well. [29:19] Let's Get Back to Our Interview with Jim Swanke of the University of Wisconsin-Madison! [29:46] Jim tells his students that we don't know today what the emerging risks are going to be. What we need to do is design our risk management program and keep our eyes and ears open to what is going to happen next. [30:04] Jim cites The Black Swan, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. It gets into what we need to do as people of risk management and societies to try to identify the emerging risks that will impact us going forward. [30:21] In risk management, we look at the past to try to project what's going to happen in the future. We were caught by the pandemic. Very little business interruption insurance was offered. If we had been forward-thinking, we would have thought about coverages for the emerging risks. [31:19] An emerging risk after 9/11 was that insurance companies put exclusions on their insurance policies, excluding terrorism. The Federal Government passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) and offered it as a backstop to insurance companies. [31:55] Anybody with a captive could access that reinsurance through the U.S. Treasury, using their captive insurance company. [32:23] Jim sees more employee benefits going into captives. The advantages you have in the P&C area are also in place for employee benefits. Organizations with large workers' compensation self-insurance programs are putting excess workers' compensation into captives. [32:57] Jim says you need to be nimble and on your toes. Emerging risks are going to come out over the next 10 to 15 or 20 years. Keep your eyes and ears open so when they emerge, you can deal with them to reduce the frequency and severity of loss and see how to finance them. [33:19] Jim highly recommends reading The Black Swan. It's a good way to begin to think about how you should think about emerging risks. [33:42] Jim says school is going really well. One thing he noticed this year is the diverse nature of his students. There are more disciplines within the risk management area that people are interested in. [33:56] In class recently, Jim had a group that was in the investment banking area, a group that was in HR, and a couple of students from China. There was a broad diversity in the class. [34:16] It enriches the conversation to have people coming from different places with different backgrounds and different educational experiences. It shows the power of having diversity in the classroom. It's exciting. [34:32] The class will write papers on Enterprise Risk Management and talk about captives, and more. They'll compete in the CICA Captive Competition again, to maintain their number one rating there! They're off to a great start! It's nice to see students so highly energized! [34:53] Jim says the future is bright with the students graduating from the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. [35:22] Justin and others have liked Jim's broadcasting voice. Jim thanks Justin for commenting on it. [35:55] Jim's time as a DJ was 50 years ago. He recalls two or three instances of hot mikes, when some of the FCC's seven deadly words may have been spoken. He says nobody wants that, but it was a real learning experience. [36:29] Jim recalls when the studio tower was hit by lightning. Jim was alone in the radio station when it happened. Lightning bolts were flying around the building after the tower got hit. The station went off the air, and Jim had to figure out a way to put it back on the air. [36:58] Jim highly recommends to young people, if you get an opportunity to get involved with radio or TV, give it a shot, because it's a lot of fun! Justin ties it to podcasting and video blogging. [37:42] Jim likes all the music of 1976 and didn't have a favorite album. He likes Deep Purple and Bob Seger. He says there's no better songwriter than Bob Seger. There was a diversity of good music going out at that time. It was a wonderful time to be working in a radio station. [38:47] Justin is a father of two young people under 12 who like to listen to classic rock. “Dancing in the Moonlight,” by King Harvest, is a greatest hit in the family. They love Van Morrison. [39:56] On the subject of podcasting, Jim thinks there is an opportunity to develop content that helps the everyday American with their personal insurances, like homeowners, auto, health, life, and how they buy their insurances. [40:45] In class recently, the MBA students, the brightest and best, designing plans for New York investment banks and worldwide financial institutions, told Jim that they had questions about what to buy in auto policies and homeowners policies. [41:07] Jim states that an insurance podcast for the everyday American is something the industry needs to be doing. Justin suggests that members of the global RIMScast audience could pick up the baton and get to work! [41:27] Maybe it becomes part of the coursework for a class like Jim's. It could be part of a challenge, like the Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge. [41:48] Jim says being able to talk about this with graduate students gives them some familiarity with what risk is, in terms of the instability of results. They can relate to it because they need to buy an auto policy or a homeowners policy. [42:03] While these coverages don't match up perfectly with what's going on in the commercial insurance marketplace, learning about them gives students a sense of what insurance is about, what risk management is about, and how to reduce the frequency and severity of losses. [42:22] Jim, it has been such a pleasure to speak with you and to pick your brain on risk management education, broadcasting, and music! Thank you so much for joining us here on RIMScast! [42:33] Good luck to you and your students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as you look to the 2026 competitions. I can only imagine they're going to do great things! [42:58] Special thanks again to Jim Swanke for joining us here on RIMScast! For more information, check out the links in this episode's show notes. [43:06] Remember to check out “The Future of Captive Insurance: Governance, Technology, and Performance Optimization”, a Professional Report sponsored by LineSlip. It is available through the Risk Knowledge Page of RIMS.org. That link is also in this episode's show notes. [43:22] The paper features a lot of Jim's fascinating perspective and insights on captives. [43:28] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [43:56] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [44:14] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:33] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [44:48] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [45:02] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [45:15] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continuous support!   Links: RIMS ERM Conference 2025 — Nov. 17‒18 Spencer Internship Program — Registration Open Through Oct. 15. RIMS Western Regional — Oct 1‒3 | Bay Area, California | Registration open! RISKWORLD 2026 — Members-only early registration through Sept 30! — Last Call! RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRO Certificate in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management — Featuring Instructor James Lam! Next bi-weekly course begins Oct 9. RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy | RIMS Legislative Summit SAVE THE DATE — March 18‒19, 2026 RIMS Risk Management magazine | Contribute RIMS Now “The Future of Captive Insurance: Governance, Technology, and Performance Optimization” — Professional Report, Sponsored by LineSlip | Featuring insight from James Swanke University of Wisconsin-Madison Wins 2025 Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge Internationalpodcastday.com Obituary for Podcasting Trailblazer Todd Cochrane RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Natural Hazards: A Data-Driven Guide to Improving Resilience and Risk Financing Outcomes” | Oct. 9 | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants “Jury Dynamics: How Juries Shape Today's Legal Landscape” | Oct. 16, 2025 | Sponsored by Zurich “Parametric Insurance: Providing Financial Certainty in Uncertain Times” | Oct. 30, 2025 | Sponsored by Swiss Re “Geopolitical Whiplash — Building Resilient Global Risk Programs in an Unstable World” | Nov. 6 | Sponsored by HUB   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Virtual Exam Prep — Oct. 29‒30, 2025 RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep Virtual Workshop — November 11‒12 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule Risk Appetite Management | Oct 22‒23 | Instructor: Ken Baker Intro to ERM for Senior Leaders | Nov. 4‒5 | Instructor: Elise Farnham Fundamentals of Insurance | Nov. 11‒12 | Instructor: Chris Hansen Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management (Part I) | Dec 4. See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes about Education, Risk Talent, and Captives: “Risk Management Momentum with Lockton U.S. President Tim Ryan” “RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack”   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs” | Sponsored by Zurich “Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding” | Sponsored by Zurich “What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RMIS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: James Swanke, Lecturer: Risk and Insurance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconsin School of Business, Director of the Risk Management and Insurance MBA program Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Matthew Eagle, Head of Global Model Solutions and Advisory at Guy Carpenter, to explore how one of the industry's most respected voices sees the future of modelling, capital management and advisory in reinsurance. With three decades of experience, Matthew reflects on what's changed — and what hasn't — in how reinsurers view risk. From the early days of catastrophe models to today's generative AI agents and open modelling platforms, he shares how his team is helping insurers manage volatility, optimise capital and drive profitable growth. In this episode, Matthew shares: Why flood, wildfire and severe convective storm are the perils to watch — and model — more closely How generative AI is already reshaping pricing, underwriting and actuarial workflows What insurers need to know about build vs buy when it comes to new analytics tools How Guy Carpenter is scaling open-source tech through Oasis and data standardisation What skills are now essential for new analysts entering the industry How AI agents are being used to replicate complex actuarial decisions in seconds Why “good enough” modelling still matters, and where precision can be a false economy The link between terrorism modelling and gaming engines — and what it signals for future innovation If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Richard Hartley or Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme. By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives: Define the evolving skill sets required for analysts working in catastrophe risk and capital modelling. Identify the trade-offs in choosing between ‘build' and ‘buy' approaches when adopting new analytical technologies. Produce a framework for helping clients achieve profitable growth, manage volatility and optimise capital. If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 374 page of the InsTech website or email cpd@instech.co to let us know you have listened to this podcast. To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

On Aon — Episode 92 Title: From Risk to Resilience — What's Driving the Re/insurance Market In the latest episode of On Aon, Emma Crookes and Dave Nicholson explore the latest trends in the insurance and reinsurance markets. The conversation covers key trends in Property and Casualty, including the evolving pricing environment, the impact of tariffs and inflation and the significance of natural catastrophe losses in 2025. Looking ahead, the episode emphasizes the market's resilience and the importance of addressing emerging and uninsured risks. With disciplined management and robust capital, the industry is well-positioned to navigate future uncertainties and foster a healthy insurance and reinsurance landscape for global clients. Key Takeaways:Reinsurers are leveraging strong capital positions and disciplined management to offer clients effective protection against volatility and large losses. The industry is innovating to address emerging and uninsured risks, with substantial opportunities in areas like casualty, real estate and data centers. Transparent dialogue and differentiation are increasingly important for insurers and reinsurers as they navigate evolving market conditions and client needs. Experts in this episode:Emma Crookes — Insurance Industry Vertical Leader, Aon (Host)Dave Nicholson — Global Client Leader for Reinsurance, Aon Key moments: (2:15) Two big property insurance trends to look out for: the impact of inflation and tariffs and natural catastrophe losses (4:00) While there is pressure in the original property insurance market, it's a very healthy time and a great time to be a reinsurance buyer. (8:55) A recent Aon report highlighted a $5 billion opportunity in emerging casualty risks. This underscores the potential for growth and innovation within the insurance industry.  Additional Resources:Relevance Through the Market Cycle: 5 Strategic Imperatives for Insurers to Drive Performance Soundbites:Dave Nicholson:“I think the view of Aon is a healthy insurance and a healthy reinsurance market is good for our clients and good for the world because it creates resiliency.” Dave Nicholson:“Then we think with the future potential of increased loss costs, it's a great time to add a little bit more limit on the top of your program to ensure that in the event of a large natural catastrophe, that your capital is well protected.”  

Jonathan Spry, CEO and co-founder of Envelop Risk, joins Robin Merttens for a deep dive into how data science, AI and portfolio-level modelling are transforming cyber reinsurance. As one of the earliest voices in the industry championing machine learning and systemic risk analysis, Jonathan shares what he's learned over nine years of building Envelop into a leading hybrid underwriter operating across London and Bermuda. In his own words, this episode is about building smarter ways to understand, underwrite and capitalise on emerging risk — with cyber as just the starting point. What you'll learn: Why Jonathan and his team focused on cyber risk and portfolio-level underwriting from day one The rationale behind favouring systemic insights over individual vulnerabilities How causal inference provides a leap forward in predicting tail events Why AI liability is already creating new market opportunities The need for creative, multi-source data strategies beyond traditional claims Why Envelop steers clear of SaaS and keeps underwriters embedded in the modelling process How algorithmic underwriting fits into the next chapter of insurance innovation Candid thoughts on the AI hype cycle — and what matters more than the buzz Jonathan also talks through Envelop's shift from MGA to reinsurer, how to think long-term in a volatile market and what kind of partnerships are needed to unlock new forms of risk. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens on LinkedIn. You can also contact Jonathan Spry on LinkedIn to start a conversation! Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme. By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives: Identify the structural and economic drivers pushing insurers toward algorithmic and portfolio underwriting. Produce a strategy for aligning capital, analytics and data science in cyber reinsurance underwriting. Summarise how Envelop Risk evolved from an MGA to a hybrid reinsurer and the rationale behind its capital partnerships. If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 372 page of the InsTech website or email cpd@instech.co to let us know you have listened to this podcast. To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

Reinsurance can be complex and confusing. However, in this 23-minute episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI, Larry Schiffer, attorney at Schiffer Law & Consulting PLLC, helps you understand the basics. In plain talk, Mr. Schiffer breaks down important reinsurance concepts as they relate to agricultural risks. After this podcast, you'll understand the importance of Mr. Schiffer's philosophy of "say what you mean, and mean what you say."

This week on The Leadership In Insurance Podcast, I sat down with Tarun Mathur, Co-founder & Chief Business Officer of Policybazaar.com, to explore their journey from pioneering digital insurance in India to building out an ambitious global reinsurance strategy.Founded in 2008, PolicyBazaar has grown into India's largest insurance broker, managing $3B in annual premiums across life and general insurance. Built on a unique digital + human model, their mission has always been clear: protecting India's middle class through affordable, accessible insurance.In this episode, Tarun shares the story behind their growth, their push into reinsurance and surety bonds, and their vision to expand into Europe, the US, and beyond.✨ Highlights from the conversation:

Heard of the reinsurance market? On Money and Me, Kenrick Law, Chair, Singapore Reinsurers’ Association speaks with Michelle Martin to discuss how the field is evolving and why Singaporeans may want to consider a career in it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Insurance companies are the wealthiest businesses, wealthier than banks and even countries. It seems very scammy." This listener question captures what most people think about insurance - and why they're wrong about life insurance.Hans and Brian examine contract law to explain why life insurance operates under completely different legal protections than the car and home insurance that's given the industry its bad reputation. From centuries of case law to the incontestability clause, this episode reveals the legal guidelines protecting policyholders.When courts consistently rule against insurance companies and companies are required to maintain 100% reserves plus reinsurance, it's not a coincidence that no whole life insurance beneficiary has ever gone unpaid. The math, the law, and the business model all align to protect you in ways most people never understand.The Contract That Can't Be Negotiated (And Why That's Good for You)Life insurance contracts are "contracts of adhesion" - you can't negotiate terms, it's take it or leave it. Since the insurance company writes the entire contract and you have no bargaining power, courts heavily favor policyholders in every dispute. Centuries of case law have built an almost impenetrable wall of consumer protection.Warranties vs. Representations: The Historical Shift in Your FavorIn the 1700s, maritime insurance contracts used "warranties" - black and white statements that could void your policy for any breach. If you warranted your ship would sail with convoy protection and it sailed alone, coverage was nullified regardless of circumstances. Modern life insurance has evolved to use "representations" instead, requiring proof of intentional misrepresentation, materiality to the contract, and knowledge of falsity. The burden of proof is entirely on the insurance company.The Two-Year Window: Your Contestability ProtectionInsurance companies have exactly two years to challenge a policy for misrepresentation. After that window closes, even suicide is covered. This isn't arbitrary - it reflects the legal reality that life changes too much after two years to fairly challenge original statements. The contestability clause protects both parties: it gives companies time for due diligence while preventing indefinite claim challenges.Why "100% Reserves" Isn't Like BankingUnlike fractional reserve banking where your deposits aren't fully backed, life insurance operates on full reserves for current liabilities. Your policy's cash value must be available immediately - no exceptions. Future death benefits are covered through reinsurance and state guarantee funds, creating multiple layers of protection that banking simply doesn't have.➡️ Chapters: 00:00 - Military waste and efficiency (the stark contrast to insurance) 07:00 - Listener question: Why trust insurance companies? 13:00 - Property insurance vs. life insurance: Different games entirely 17:00 - Contract law foundations: Why courts favor policyholders19:00 - Warranties vs. representations: The historical evolution 26:00 - The incontestability clause: Your two-year protection window 35:00 - Unilateral contracts: Only one party has obligations 38:00 - Contract of adhesion: Why you can't negotiate (and don't want to)46:00 - Reserve requirements: 100% backing vs. fractional banking 52:00 - Reinsurance and state guarantee funds: Multiple safety nets 55:00 - Actuarial math: Why conservative assumptions create dividends 58:00 - Points of failure: Safety assets vs. speculationGot Questions? Reach out to us at info@remnantfinance.com or book a call at https://remnantfinance.com/calendar!Visit https://remnantfinance.com for more informationFOLLOW REMNANT FINANCE Youtube: @RemnantFinance (https://www.youtube.com/@RemnantFinance) Facebook: @remnantfinance (https://www.facebook.com/profile?id=61560694316588) Twitter: @remnantfinance (https://x.com/remnantfinance) TikTok: @RemnantFinanceDon't forget to hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE

On the Insurance Coffee House podcast, host Nick Hoadley welcomes Suzanne Williams-Charles, CEO of the Bermuda International Long-Term Insurers and Reinsurers (BILTIR), the industry body representing Bermuda's globally significant life and annuity sector.Speaking from Hamilton, Bermuda, Suzanne shares her journey to leading an association that champions the interests of long-term insurers and reinsurers on the island. She talks about BILTIR's role in advocacy, education, and community engagement, and how the organisation works closely with government, regulators, and members to ensure Bermuda remains a world-class insurance and reinsurance hub.Suzanne discusses the unique position Bermuda holds in the global risk landscape - particularly in life and annuity reinsurance and the importance of balancing innovation with robust regulatory frameworks. She highlights BILTIR's initiatives to attract and develop local talent, foster industry collaboration, and address emerging challenges, from changing demographics to evolving solvency requirements.In the Espresso Round, Suzanne shares valuable insights for insurance professionals considering an international career move, and why Bermuda offers a rare combination of professional opportunity, close-knit community, and global impact.Connect with Suzanne Williams-Charles on LinkedIn and learn more about BILTIR.The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Search.We are a global Insurance Executive Search Consultancy, supporting Insurance and Insurtech businesses to attract and retain the very best insurance talent.Find out more about showcasing your employer brand as a guest on the Insurance Coffee House Podcast or sign up to our News and Insights.Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.Insurance Executive Search Consultants in USA, London and Bermuda.Copyright Insurance Search 2025 - All Rights Reserved.

This week's Episode is a burst of energy. Jason Howard is President of Acrisure International and has the task of looking after everything in the Acrisure Group that is outside the US, Reinsurance and Wholesale. This means most of the world is effectively his oyster. A group as ambitious and fast-moving as Acrisure needs someone with enormous drive and enthusiasm to deliver on such a universal role and Jason is the embodiment of that. In this podcast Jason explains Acrisure's global end-to-end insurance strategy in great detail – from a retail broker anywhere in the world all the way to Lloyd's Syndicates and the capital markets. This makes for an incredibly broad and rich conversation. Naturally we talk about the role of strategic M&A in building a global network, but we also discuss the market and how a business like Acrisure can differentiate itself by joining up the global value chain and making it work more responsively and more efficiently. We also dissect the less tangible questions of corporate culture and the industry's developing relationship with technology and automated underwriting in general and AI in particular. The business's explosive growth record speaks for itself – as does Jason. I first met Jason in an underwriter's queue over thirty years ago – I can verify that if anything today he has more energy, enthusiasm and positivity than he did back then as a young man. It's infectious. I promise that the next half an hour will pass by very quickly and in it you will learn exactly what makes Acrisure International tick and a lot more besides. NOTES: Jason was last on the show five years ago when he was CEO of Beach & Associates, before it was rebranded to Acrisure Re. Here's the link to that podcast, recorded 240 Episodes in the past: https://thevoiceofinsurance.podbean.com/e/ep-22-casualty-capital-and-covid-with-jason-howard-ceo-of-beach/ LINKS: We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo: https://www.advantagego.com

Curious about reinsurance and its impacts in the surety market? Join us on this episode as we chat with experts Brian Fiore of Aon, Stephen Haney of Chubb Surety, and Jeff Ryan of Partner Re to uncover what reinsurance is, why it is important to the surety market, and how it can drive growth, manage risk, and support major infrastructure projects. Plus, don't miss a lighthearted debate on the best Philly cheesesteak! Check out episode #135 Unveiling America's Infrastructure: Progress, Problems and Possibilities for more about the latest ASCE Infrastructure Report Card that was mentioned during this episode. With special guests: Brian Fiore, Senior Managing Director, Aon Stephen Haney, Division President, North America Surety, and Chief Underwriting Officer, Global Surety, Chubb Surety Jeff Ryan, Business Unit Leader, Financial Risks, Partner Re Hosted by: Kat Shamapande, Director, Professional Development, NASBP and Mark McCallum, CEO, NASBP Sponsored by Old Republic!

The Uninsurable Future: How Climate-Driven Insurance Risk is Reshaping Real Estate   The Canary in the CRE Coal Mine If insurance is the canary in the coal mine for climate risk, then the bird has stopped singing. That's the warning from Dave Jones, former California Insurance Commissioner and current Director of the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley. In a conversation that touches on reinsurance markets, mortgage delinquencies, lender behavior, and regulatory dysfunction, Jones laid out the most sobering climate-related CRE risk analysis to date: we are already living through a systemic insurance crisis—and commercial real estate is not exempt.   “We are marching steadily towards an uninsurable areas in this country,” Jones warns.   From Homeowners to High-Rises: What the Data Shows Much of the early distress has been observed in the residential and small business markets, where data is more publicly available. A study by the Dallas Fed, cited by Jones, found a direct correlation between areas hardest hit by climate events and surging insurance premiums, non-renewals, and mortgage delinquencies.   But commercial real estate isn't insulated. While pricing data is less transparent due to looser filing requirements, Jones states, “everything that I've seen indicates that those [commercial] rates are going up too,” particularly in regions where catastrophic climate events are becoming more frequent and severe.   Take Florida. One of our clients' office tower's premiums jumped from $300,000 to $1.2 million in a single renewal cycle. That's straight off the bottom line. The hit is entirely non-accretive; it's pure cost.   The Feedback Loop: Insurance, Lending, and Liquidity As insurance availability shrinks and prices soar, lending dries up. Lenders want to see that there is property and casualty insurance yet, as it becomes harder to get, that has implications in credit markets… and flow-through implications to the real economy.   It's not just anecdotal. Jones references studies showing that banks are offloading loans insured by lower-rated, higher-risk insurers to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, effectively shifting the risk onto taxpayers. That means if a hurricane hits and the house is knocked down, there isn't insurance available, potentially because the insurance company went insolvent.   The trend is clear: insurance stress is bleeding into credit markets and weakening the foundations of the entire real estate financing stack.   The “Deregulation” Illusion Some states, like Florida, are trying to respond by loosening regulatory constraints to attract insurers. Jones is skeptical. “Florida rates are four times the national average,” he says. The state has adopted taxpayer-funded reinsurance schemes, weakened litigation protections, and allowed less-robust rating agencies to operate.   Still, “the national branded home insurers are not writing in Florida… they can't make a profit,” says Jones. “So even with all these changes, the background risk is too great.”   In short: deregulation cannot solve a fundamentally unprofitable underwriting environment driven by climate volatility.   Adaptation Isn't Being Priced In - Yet Jones is more optimistic about resilience measures. Home hardening, defensible space, and forest management, especially in wildfire-prone states like California, can materially reduce losses. Commercial insurers often have engineering staff to assess and recommend these strategies.   But the industry hasn't kept pace. “Insurers, by and large, are not accounting for property, community, and landscape-scale adaptation and resilience in their models,” Jones says. One exception is Colorado, which passed a law requiring insurers to factor in proven risk mitigation. This could prove to be a model for commercial markets, but it's early and insurers remain price takers in the face of mounting losses.   From Reinsurance to Municipal Bonds: Signals to Watch What market signals should CRE investors monitor? Jones suggests: Insurance pricing and non-renewals: leading indicators of distress. Reinsurance costs: though recently softening, they've trended upward for years. Lender behavior: especially offloading risky loans to agencies. Rating agency downgrades: particularly for municipalities facing severe climate risk. Housing market mispricing: First Street Foundation estimates as much as $1 trillion in residential overvaluation due to underpriced climate risk. Any of these could tip the balance in specific markets or signal a broader inflection point.   A Slow Collapse or a Sudden Shock? Is this a long-term crisis or a fast-moving one? “It's happening in real time now,” says Jones. “It's more likely that this will be a steady glide into uninsurability… as opposed to one catastrophic event that brings the whole house of cards down.”   Still, the metaphor is chilling. The systemic risks posed by climate-driven insurance failure are already manifesting across sectors. Whether the collapse is gradual or sudden, the endpoint is clear.   “There is no place in the United States where you have a ‘get out of climate change free' card,” Jones warns.   For CRE professionals, that means a hard reckoning is ahead – not just with climate, but with underwriting, capital access, and portfolio risk in a fundamentally altered landscape.   *** In this series, I cut through the noise to examine how shifting macroeconomic forces and rising geopolitical risk are reshaping real estate investing.   With insights from economists, academics, and seasoned professionals, this show helps investors respond to market uncertainty with clarity, discipline, and a focus on downside protection.    Subscribe to my free newsletter for timely updates, insights, and tools to help you navigate today's volatile real estate landscape. You'll get: Straight talk on what happens when confidence meets correction - no hype, no spin, no fluff. Real implications of macro trends for investors and sponsors with actionable guidance. Insights from real estate professionals who've been through it all before. Visit GowerCrowd.com/subscribe Email: adam@gowercrowd.com Call: 213-761-1000

Is insurance the hidden reason multifamily deals no longer pencil like they used to? In this episode, Jeannette Friedrich, Director of Investor Relations at Blue Lake Capital, breaks down how a global phenomenon called reinsurance is driving up insurance costs across the U.S. and eroding investor returns. What used to be a manageable line item has now doubled or tripled in some markets, threatening the viability of deals, especially in high-risk regions. This episode covers: What reinsurance is and why it impacts local multifamily investments How premiums have surged 30% to 50% in 2023 and 2024 due to climate risk and inflation Why insurance now consumes as much as 9% of gross income in some deals How this shift is affecting underwriting, deal flow, and investor distributions Red flags passive investors should watch for when reviewing deals What proactive sponsors are doing to mitigate insurance risk, such as shifting markets, increasing deductibles, and focusing on disaster-resilient CapEx Why conservative underwriting and geographic diversification matter more than ever To dive deeper into how insurance fits into broader 2025 risk trends, check out our H2 Multifamily Outlook Report here: https://hubs.la/Q03rwdbQ0  Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Multifamily Investment Challenges 00:42 Understanding Reinsurance 01:20 Impact of Reinsurance on Multifamily Investments 02:59 Strategies for Investors to Mitigate Insurance Costs 04:08 Evaluating Sponsor Practices 04:35 Blue Lake's Approach and Resources Are you REady2Scale Your Multifamily Investments? Learn more about growing your wealth, strengthening your portfolio, and scaling to the next level at www.bluelake-capital.com. Credits Producer: Blue Lake Capital Strategist: Syed Mahmood Editor: Emma Walker Opening music: Pomplamoose *

In this second discussion with Andreas Mang and Jon Camire of Blackstone, Stacey Richter has  an advanced discussion on the intricacies of stop-loss reinsurance for high-cost claimants.  This show today, for sure, it's for plan sponsors and anyone on or about plan sponsors; but also listen if you are serving high-cost claimants some other way. Because what you'll learn here today is some insights relative to how plan sponsors go about making sure that they can pay you—like if you work for, for example, some clinical organization. There's a, I don't know, 101 starting point of this conversation if you need it on stop-loss, which is episode 478 from a couple of weeks ago. This show is the, let's say, 201-level conversation that I'm having with Andreas Mang and Jon Camire about, as I said, stop-loss insurance and stop-loss insurance considerations. Emphasizing the importance of eligibility audits and aggregating buying power, the guests highlight best practices to avoid overpaying for coverage and ensuring comprehensive risk management. This episode is sponsored by Havarti Risk, which I am so thankful for. The show, Relentless Health Value, actually does cost an unexpectedly large sum of money to create and produce; so I always appreciate when somebody offers to sponsor a show or help sponsor a show. === LINKS ===

Episode 810: Holborn has released a new thesis describing how today's reinsurance market conditions are being shaped by global liquidity rather than the traditional feast-and-famine pattern tied to loss cycles. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Adam Manus, president and chief brokerage officer at Holborn, about what's driving the current reinsurance market cycles.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Host Stacey Richter discusses the intricacies of stop-loss coverage with Andreas Mang and Jon Camire from Blackstone. The episode focuses on defining stop-loss insurance and exploring its critical role in protecting self-insured employers from catastrophic financial losses.  The conversation delves into the nuances of individual and aggregate stop-loss policies, laser claims, and the importance of selecting an experienced consultant to navigate this complex landscape. The episode is essential listening for those managing high-cost claimants and exploring self-insurance options. This is a two part show. The second show will cover major fails, mistakes that happen with stop-loss when somebody doesn't understand or do everything that we talk about. So, tune back in for the next part of this conversation, in two weeks. Thank you to Havarti Risk for sponsoring this weeks episode.  Havarti Risk empowers healthcare leaders like you to make smarter decisions that increase quality and lower cost of care. https://havarti-risk.com/ === LINKS ===

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Zac Townsend, a serial founder and CEO of Meanwhile, a fully regulated life insurance company operating in Bitcoin. They explore the differences between life and property insurance, explain why term life is essential financial protection everyone should consider, and dive into the tax benefits that shape the industry. Zac shares insights on how private equity firms are acquiring insurers for their stable capital base, and explains Bermuda's role as the world's insurance capital. –Full transcript available here: https://www.complexsystemspodcast.com/life-insurance-and-your-money-with-zac-townsend/–Sponsor:  MercuryThis episode is brought to you by Mercury, the fintech trusted by 200K+ companies — from first milestones to running complex systems. Mercury offers banking that truly understands startups and scales with them. Start today at Mercury.com Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.–Recommended in this episode:Meanwhile https://meanwhile.bm/–Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:23) Overview of Meanwhile Insurance(00:56) How Bitcoin is being used in the insurance industry(02:12) Understanding different types of insurance(06:13) Term life insurance explained(07:26) Life insurance tips for tech professionals(12:47) Permanent life insurance and annuities(18:57) Sponsor: Mercury(20:11) Insurance regulatory insights(25:46) Principal-agent problems in insurance(37:09) Tax considerations in life insurance(42:16) Leveraging life insurance for estate planning(44:55) Premium financing explained(47:39) Wealth management and market segmentation(52:09) Regulatory challenges and mispricing in insurance(01:03:32) Reinsurance and the role of bermuda(01:10:27) Private equity's interest in insurance(01:14:24) Building a crypto life insurance company(01:20:02) Wrap

If insurers are buckling, and backup insurers are buckling, where’s the backup for the backup? Private insurers were exiting parts of California and other markets well before these current firees, causing millions of people to opt for state-run backup insurance plans. Those plans are also now buckling under pressure of intensifying natural disasters. So where do we go from here? We discuss. And later, we’ll interrogate some of the working conditions of Shein factory workers in China.