Tom Wetzel, AI for Insurance Agents and Cyber Crime Expert - PIR Ep. 806
In this episode, Tom Wetzel, president of Thomas H. Wetzel & Associates, discusses the rapid rise of AI‑driven cybercrime targeting insurance agents and their supply‑chain vendors. He explains how generative AI tools like WormGPT enable even low‑skill criminals to launch attacks, making small agencies vulnerable despite their size. Wetzel outlines his two‑tier cyber risk assessment tailored for agents, emphasizing mandatory safeguards such as MFA, managed detection and response, and the financial incentives carriers are now attaching to strong cyber hygiene. He also highlights the broader industry shift: carriers are revising agency agreements to require specific cyber defenses, and robust security can lead to premium discounts, lower claim severity, and higher agency valuation.
Hidden Risks in Green Energy: Insurance Gaps in Solar, Batteries, and Beyond
In this episode of IB Talk, host Gia Snape talks with Jared Dabrowski, Environmental Transaction Leader at Howden US, about the hidden risks of green‑energy projects, especially the end‑of‑life disposal of solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage. Dabrowski highlights...
AI Solutions for Life Underwriting
In this episode, Dale Hall interviews Whitney Barnes, Director of Sales for Insurance at Digital Owl, about how AI is transforming life insurance underwriting. Whitney explains how AI can process millions of medical record pages, extract relevant risk factors, and...
EP506: How Other Employers, Shareholders, and Clinics Are Using Price Transparency Data—And It's an Arms Race, With Jerry DiMaso
In this episode, Stacey Richter talks with Jerry DeMasso, CEO of Payerset, about how price‑transparency data is reshaping the healthcare market for self‑insured employers, plan sponsors, and clinical organizations. DeMasso explains three key insights employers can gain: benchmarking against competitors,...
Inside Swiss Re’s AI Strategy: Faster Claims, Smarter Insights, Better Outcomes
In this episode, Peter Hai talks with Praveena Ladva, Swiss Re’s Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer, about how the reinsurer is leveraging data and AI to transform core insurance processes such as claims and underwriting. Ladva explains Swiss Re’s...
SPONSORED EPISODE: Allied Solutions Reviews Q1, Pinpoints Signals of Loan Health
In this sponsored episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast, Allied Solutions’ experts Peter Kroll and John Elias dissect Q1 2026 trends in auto lending. They highlight lenders’ challenges with new AI investments, portfolio servicing complexities, rising fraud, and the impact...
ReConnect 2026: Accessible & Regulated Capital
The episode dives into the upcoming ReConnect 2026 conference in Grand Cayman, highlighting its role as the premier reinsurance‑focused event that blends education, networking, and insight into regulatory frameworks. Guests Gary Harris (Walkers), Jeremy Trader (Knighthood Annuity), and Bridget Dunn...
Behind the Headlines: Natasha Jodrell on AdA Underwriters’ Specialty Diversification
In this episode of Behind the Headlines, host Sam Casey and Insurance Insider editor Catherine Shee discuss Lloyd's new strategic roadmap under CEO Patrick Tiernan, highlighting its four pragmatic pillars focused on underwriting discipline, cost efficiency, capital advantage, and culture....
From Ultramarathons to Market Shifts: Scott Sambucci on Leading Innovation
In this episode, Scott Zambucci, Managing Director at NIA1, discusses how his background in ultramarathons and scaling tech firms informs his approach to accelerating innovation in regulated financial services. He explains NIA1's core offering—a secure, off‑estate digital sandbox that streamlines...
Ep295 Richard Milner CEO Chaucer Group: Let's Do What We're Good At
In this episode, Mark Gagan talks with Richard Milner, CEO of Chaucer Group, about the firm’s five‑year strategic plan (2026‑2030) and how it will focus on its core underwriting strengths while expanding its global footprint. Milner emphasizes a disciplined approach:...
Reinsurance News | March 2026
In this March 2026 news blast, hosts Jared and Ben discuss three major reinsurance trends: the controversial $20 billion U.S.-backed Hormuz Strait reinsurance plan announced by Donald Trump, the surge in secondary perils driving 92% of 2025 losses according to Swiss...
03.25.26 Home Insurance Spy Drones / K-Economy Price Patterns
In this episode Clark Howard discusses the rising costs and invasive tactics of homeowners insurance, highlighting insurers’ use of drones and AI to assess roofs and potentially raise premiums or deny claims. He answers listener questions on special‑needs planning, advising...
Ep294 Sean McGovern LMA Chair: Building the Market of the Future
In this episode, Sean McGovern, CEO of AXA XL UK & Lloyd's and newly appointed chair of the Lloyd's Market Association (LMA), outlines the LMA’s five‑point agenda: enhancing technical expertise through training, advocating for managing agents with regulators and government,...
Behind the Headlines: IUA’s Chris Jones on Marine War Market’s Iran Response
In this episode Sam Casey talks with Chris Jones, CEO of the International Underwriting Association (IUA), about the impact of the Iran‑related conflict on marine war insurance. Jones explains that the shipping slowdown in the Strait of Hormuz is driven...
Inside Big Insurance’s $1.7 Trillion Year | EP 2
In this episode of Healthcare Uncovered, hosts Joe Rettino and former Cigna insider Wendell Potter dissect the 2025 earnings of the seven biggest for‑profit insurers, which together generated $1.7 trillion in revenue and $54 billion in profit despite covering 10 million fewer people....
The Retention Gap: Why Carriers Lose Policyholders They Priced Correctly
In this episode, Valkyrie Holmes, CEO and co‑founder of Fora, discusses the company’s new Retention Engine, which helps insurers keep high‑risk homeowners by turning them into active risk managers. She explains how Fora’s climate‑risk intelligence platform moves beyond traditional hazard...
Stop Mailing Checks: How Card-Based Payouts Are Reshaping Claims
In this episode of the InsurTech Leadership Podcast, Andrew Jurigan, head of insurance for North America at Plyant, explains how card‑as‑a‑service platforms are replacing traditional check, ACH, and wire payouts for insurance claims and benefits. He highlights the flexibility of...
Episode 60 - Stop Loss Insurance: What Employers Should Know
In this episode, host Mike Stahl talks with Ryan Seamers, founder of Aegis Risk and a leading expert on self‑funded health plans and medical stop‑loss insurance. They discuss the 2026 stop‑loss renewal cycle, noting a sharp premium increase driven by...
Sidecars Surge as Reinsurers Seek Capital Flexibility and Investor Appetite Grows
In this episode, AM Best’s Dave Pilla explains why reinsurance sidecars are experiencing a surge, driven by heightened investor appetite and the need for capital flexibility among reinsurers. He outlines how sidecars—special‑purpose vehicles funded by investors—are expanding capacity for property,...
Ep292 Miguel Rosa CEO Mapfre Re: Write the Client
In this episode, Mark Gagan talks with Miguel Rosa, CEO of Mapfre Re, about the reinsurer’s outlook as the market softens faster than expected. Rosa explains Mapfre Re’s dual role—serving internal group needs while growing a third‑party portfolio—and emphasizes its...
Okaying a Premium Problem: When Voluntary Benefits Become Involuntary Lawsuits
In this episode, Ropes & Gray attorneys discuss a wave of new ERISA class actions targeting voluntary benefit plans such as accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance. The plaintiffs argue that employers and their brokers have breached fiduciary duties...
Issues & Answers: An Environmental Shift
In this episode, John Weber interviews Melissa Mulhern, Assistant Vice President of Environmental Underwriting at Philadelphia Insurance Companies, to demystify environmental insurance. Mulhern explains that environmental risk isn’t limited to heavy industry—real estate, healthcare, schools, and senior living facilities also...
Practical AI for Actuarial Modeling
In this episode, Dale Hall talks with Igor Nikitin, CEO of Nice Technologies, about the practical integration of AI into actuarial modeling, especially for pension and longevity risk transfers. Igor outlines concrete AI use cases such as a second‑reviewer for...
The Wall Street Chameleon: Big Insurance at an Inflection Point | EP 1
In the debut episode of the Healthcare Uncovered Show, hosts Joe Rettino and veteran health‑policy insider Wendell Potter discuss the rapid rise of giant insurance conglomerates like UnitedHealth, CVS/Aetna, and Cigna, describing them as Wall Street‑driven "chameleons" that have taken...
API-First Insurance: When Brands Become Insurers
In this episode, Wayne Slavin, CEO and co‑founder of Sure, explains why the next biggest distributors of insurance will be non‑insurance brands that already own consumer relationships, and how Sure’s API‑first “digital insurance rails” enable these brands to embed frictionless,...
Issues & Answers: Program for Success
In this brief episode, John Weber interviews Brooke Shirazi, Vice President of Property and Ocean Marine Programs at Nationwide E&S Specialty, about insurance programs in the P&C market. They define a program as a niche insurance product requiring specialized underwriting...
Ep291 Jonathan Tritton MD Burns & Wilcox Global Solutions: Seeking Harmony in the Value Chain
In this episode Mark Gagan chats with Jonathan Tritton (JT), Managing Director of Burns & Wilcox Global Solutions, about the firm’s recent rebranding and its role as the London and international wholesale arm of the US‑based Kaufman Group. JT explains...
AM Best: Caribbean Insurers’ Reinsurance Costs, Capacity Constraints Moderate, Although Climate Vulnerability Remains
In this episode, AM Best analysts Bridget Mayer and Ann Modica discuss their latest report on Caribbean insurers, highlighting that reinsurance costs and capacity constraints have eased due to a low catastrophe year and softer property reinsurance pricing. Insurers have...
No Fault, No Claims Adjuster, No Friction: Randel Bennett on the Future of Guarantees
In this episode, InsurTech Leadership host Josh interviews Randall Bennett, CEO and co‑founder of Quixen, about the company’s embedded, parametric production guarantees for commercial solar projects. Bennett explains how Quixen partners with solar installers and prime contractors to offer a...
INTX’s Lewis: Radical Automation Shapes Future of Insurance Workforce
In this episode, John Weber talks with Rob Lewis, CEO of Intex Insurance Software, about Chubb’s plan to automate 85% of underwriting and claims functions and cut 20% of its workforce. Lewis explains that legacy core systems have hit a...
Consolidation Without Chaos: How ALKEME Integrates and Grows at Scale
In this episode of the InsurTech Leadership Podcast, Curtis Barton, CEO of Alchemy Insurance, explains how his firm has built a scalable brokerage platform through disciplined acquisitions, unified data, and a focus on organic growth. He contrasts Alchemy’s producer‑led, data‑centric...
EqualityMD’s Pre-Insurance Strategy to Reduce Care Avoidance and Lower Healthcare Costs
In this episode, Unity Stokes chats with Justin Ayers, CEO of EqualityMD, about the company’s shift from a direct‑to‑consumer, membership model to a B2B/B2B2C platform that offers employers an insurance‑free telehealth solution with culturally competent clinicians and free prescriptions. Ayers...
Andy Yeoman: When AI Rewrites Risk Transfer | TRP #162
In this episode, Andy Yeoman of Concierus walks hosts Jared and Ben through the evolution of InsurTech, from early marine analytics to the current AI‑driven platform that delivers both speed and certainty in underwriting. He stresses that technology must be...
The Car Warranty Chaiz: Reto Bolliger with Harm-Julian Schumacher
In this episode, Julian interviews Reto Bolliger, co‑founder and CEO of Chase, an online marketplace that lets consumers compare and purchase extended car warranties at prices up to 40% lower than dealership offers. Reto shares his eclectic entrepreneurial journey—from classical...
MGAs Tighten Discipline as Softer Market Signals Emerge
In this episode, John Weber interviews Terrence Dopp about recent signs that the MGA market is softening after a period of rapid growth. Dopp notes a shift toward more selective underwriting and tighter capital management, with MGAs becoming more closely...
AM Best’s Briefing – Health: Medicare Advantage – Challenges and Opportunities
The episode provides an overview of the current Medicare Advantage (MA) landscape, highlighting regulatory changes, enrollment trends, and financial pressures facing insurers. It examines challenges such as rising cost of care, tighter network requirements, and the impact of the Medicare...
Auto Insurance: Stabilizing or Stuck?
In this episode, host Josh Hollander talks with Gemma Ros, CTO of The Zebra, about the findings of the 2026 State of Auto Insurance Report. They examine why auto premiums are diverging across states due to regulatory, loss‑cost, and competitive...
Behind the Headlines: LMG’s Caroline Wagstaff on Why London Must Not Stand Still
In this episode, Caroline Wagstaff, CEO of the London Market Group, warns that the London insurance market’s record £187 bn premium write‑off in 2024 and its £61 bn contribution to UK GDP should not breed complacency. She stresses the need for continuous...
Take Two: EP398: Why Are Commercial Carrier Marketplaces Completely Boring? Maybe Because There Isn't a Marketplace, With Jacob Asher, MD
In this episode of the "No Market" series, host Stacey Richter talks with Dr. Jacob Asher, a former chief medical officer for major health plans, about why commercial carrier marketplaces—especially in California—are stagnant and lack true competition. They identify six...
AM Best: Administration’s Executive Order Could Provide Impetus Towards Stabilizing the Cannabis Insurance Market
The episode reviews the Biden administration’s recent executive order aimed at fostering a more stable cannabis insurance market, highlighting how the policy could encourage insurers to offer coverage to cannabis businesses. It explains the current challenges—such as regulatory uncertainty and...
Massachusetts OKs Liberty Mutual Affiliate Reorganization
The episode provides a brief news recap announcing that Massachusetts regulators have approved Liberty Mutual's affiliate reorganization, a move that will streamline the company's structure and potentially enhance capital efficiency. It outlines the regulatory rationale, noting the state's focus on...
Resilience’s Long: 2026 Cyberthreat Landscape Poses New Challenges for Insurers
The episode examines the evolving cyber‑threat landscape of 2026 and its implications for insurance carriers, focusing on rising ransomware, supply‑chain attacks, and AI‑driven exploits. It highlights how insurers must adapt underwriting criteria, pricing models, and claims handling to address more...
Steve Bowen: Avoid Pricing Risk for Yesterday’s Climate | TRP #161
In this episode, Steve Bowen of Gallagher Re explains why climate risk is non‑linear and why relying on historical loss data can be misleading for pricing and capital decisions. He highlights key findings from Gallagher’s 2025 Natural Catastrophe and Climate...
Google Alerts for Insurance? Visualping Brings New Technology for Risk Assessment
In this episode, Visualping co‑founder and CEO Serge Salager explains how his company is turning real‑time web monitoring into a "Google Alerts for insurance," delivering instant risk insights to underwriters. He outlines emerging data sources—such as property changes, environmental alerts, and...
Microinsurance Network’s Genazzini: Big Carriers Find Opportunity in Tiny Policies
The episode explores the rise of microinsurance, focusing on how large carriers are tapping into the market for low‑value, high‑volume policies. It highlights the Microinsurance Network’s Genazzini platform as a case study, detailing its technology‑driven approach to underwriting and distribution....
Live Maps, Smarter Risk: Inside TomTom’s Insurance Playbook
In this episode, Vinod Poomalai of TomTom explains how insurers are moving from static territory models to live location, map, and traffic intelligence to sharpen risk pricing, claims validation, and telematics programs. He details how mobility patterns and traffic data...
AM Best: 3Q25 Snapshot – Personal Lines Momentum Continues to Drive P/C Underwriting Result Improvement
In the brief AM Best 3Q25 Snapshot, the host highlights the continued momentum in personal lines, which is driving improvements in property and casualty underwriting results. The episode notes that stronger pricing discipline, higher retention rates, and favorable loss trends...
Beyond Chatbots: How Cara Becomes Your Best CSR
In this episode, Nikhil Kansal, Co‑Founder & CTO of Cara, explains how AI can move beyond chatbots to act as a reliable Customer Service Representative (CSR) that completes end‑to‑end insurance service tasks. He highlights Cara’s role as a coordinating layer...
Coalition’s Toomey: Rising Cyber Interconnectedness Pushes Insurers to Boost Detection, Response
In this episode, AM Best’s Toomey discusses how the growing cyber interconnectedness among businesses is forcing insurers to enhance their detection and response capabilities. He highlights the rising frequency and complexity of cyber incidents, the need for real‑time monitoring, and...
NFIP Misses Deadline Again as DHS Funding Fight Fuels Uncertainty
The episode discusses the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) repeated failure to meet its congressional deadline for a new flood map update, highlighting how ongoing funding battles within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are stalling progress. It explains the...