Podcasts - Insurance Journal

Beazley’s Head of U.S. Cyber, Melissa Carmichael, breaks down the mounting pressures in the 2026 cyber insurance market and explains how insurers are balancing profitability, coverage, and emerging risk with Insuring Cyber Podcast host Elizabeth Blosfield. To watch the full interview with Melissa, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26356/

The post AI Is Supercharging Ransomware. Is Cyber Insurance at Risk? appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Beazley’s Head of US Cyber Melissa Carmichael discusses the mounting pressures shaping the cyber insurance market as it heads into 2026, including low pricing, rising ransomware severity, and the accelerating influence of artificial intelligence. She explains how Beazley is balancing profitability with broader coverage while using long-term claims data to guide underwriting discipline. Check it out!

The post EP. 111: Navigating AI-Driven Risk and Cyber Market Pressure in 2026 appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

We check in with Joe Zuk, an insuretech guru with private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners. It’s an “exciting” time to evaluate new and established firms, he says. After a bit of a lull in insuretech chatter over the last few years, “Now we’re seeing a resurgence.” Joe outlines several categories of action: Augmented underwriting vendors using third-party data to bring risk fidelity and granularity in underwriting and claims. Data organizers using large language models to organize foundational data in the insurance value chain. Predictive AI in climate, weather tech and liability. Category disruptors working to upset the value ch...

Imagine a world where we all loved our work. And work loved us back! Okay, that’s just not gonna happen, says professional development and executive coach Jenn Urso. And this is okay, because employees and employers still can reach a peaceful coexistence and understanding amidst a stressed-out world. On this engaging conversation Jenn unpacks lots of insight for improving work focus, productivity and personal happiness, which are tightly connected. Jenn built her company, The Leadership Project, after a six-month sabbatical traveling the world. During her time abroad she learned that people in all cultures and countries share a de...

When the insurance market gets tough—and it has been in recent years—the entrepreneurs get going. New products, new coverage alternatives and new service bolt-ons are created. Dylan DiMarchi is in the middle of it. He emerged from the real estate world, frustrated with the unpredictable cost of insurance, and developed Premium Lock, which guarantees insurance cost on a property for up to three years. “If a fixed-rate 30-year mortgage is a thing, why not at least a three-year guarantee for an insurance policy?” he says. Premium Lock is not insurance per se. Customers pay an average of $20 per mont...

The effects of the change in the federal stance on the scheduling status of cannabis may have many impacts on what insurers and those who service the industry do. However, if you don’t know what it means for the 280E tax code and the changes that may follow, then you should pay attention to what Griffin Basden has been talking about to clients following a December 2025 presidential executive order to expedite rescheduling. Basden with AlphaRoot talked about the changes for this episode of the podcast with host Don Jergler.

The post EP. 104: 280E Is Key to Un...

Happy New Year, On Point Nation! Let’s start with a fresh look on improving your sales techniques. Let’s face it: We are all in sales in some way, right? And our guest Amy Reczek is a terrific sales coach. On this recording Amy unveils some techniques she discovered herself along the way as a trainer and speaker. Your posture, what you’re doing with your hands and eye contact are three critical nonverbal tools to master, she outlines. People buy from people, and not from companies, she adds. They are looking for people they can emotionally connect with...

Insurance Journal recaps the biggest stories of 2025, from record-breaking wildfires and climate losses to broker mega-deals, litigation reform, cyber threats, AI-driven layoffs, and signs of recovery in key insurance markets heading into 2026. Watch this end-of-year exclusive with Carrier Management’s Elizabeth Blosfield, Insurance Journal’s Ezra Amacher, and Insurance Journal’s Allen Laman! Catch up on all of the Insurance Wrap Up episodes at https://www.insurancejournal.tv/channels/the-insurance-wrap-up/

Top Insurance Journal News of 2025:
1. Brown & Brown to Acquire Risk Strategies, One80 Parent for $9.8 Billion https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2025/06/10/826916.htm
2. California Wildfires Will Likely...

A deep dive into JD Power’s 2025 Claims Digital Experience Study, revealing how customers use digital tools during the claims process and what makes those channels clear, helpful, and easy to use.

To watch the full episode with host Don Jergler and J.D. Power’s Mark Garrett visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26137/

The post Inside the 2025 Claims Digital Experience Study appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

Claims functionality in mobile apps is one of the biggest investment areas for carriers, which are seeing the fruits those investments continue to grow. New data show that customers using these digital claims reporting tools are more satisfied with the process. We spoke with Mark Garrett with J.D. Power about the intelligence firm’s new Claims Digital Experience study to see what they found and what these numbers tell us.

The post EP. 05: Digital Claims Experience Still A Work in Progress, But Pointing Up appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

In this episode preview with Kasey Roh, the U.S. CEO of Upstage AI, Kasey breaks down how AI-powered document intelligence handles messy loss runs and inconsistent supplemental applications, giving carriers a major speed and accuracy advantage in underwriting.

Watch the full episode with Carrier Management’s Elizabeth Blosfield as host of the Insuring Cyber Podcast at https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26109/
To view all of the podcast episodes visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/channels/insuringcyber/

The post Cracking the Code: How AI Turns Messy Insurance Docs into Underwriting Gold appeared first on Insurance Jou...

Join our Golfertainment hosts George Jack, Patrick Wraight, and Kevin Amrhein alongside special guest Frank Pennachio—Florida insurance pro, author, Tampa Bay Rays fan, and all-around great conversationalist—as they dive into a festive mix of holiday cheer, standout insurance cases, and bold predictions for the year ahead. Frank brings wisdom, big personality, and plenty of laughs as the crew unpacks what’s shaping the industry and what could be coming next. Plus, expect a little golf banter woven throughout. It’s a spirited, can’t-miss conversation happening now!
To watch more Golfertainment episodes visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/channel...

Jennifer Palmieri is chief people officer at Westfield, which certainly isn’t a regional p/c carrier anymore. She has witnessed growth in specialty lines and international risks. It’s nearing $5 billion in revenues and 4,000 employees. We checked in with Jen on how human resource strategies are playing out. “My leadership philosophy centers on authenticity, shared accountability and purpose,” she says. “That means being able to lead with transparency and deeply listening. And to really understand what motivates people. When that happens, you see people flourish and develop and transform companies, businesses, cultures in an exceptional way.” Listening is something Jen...

Banking in the cannabis industry is a niche that few people may understand. It’s not without risk, but there are hundreds of banks offering their services to cannabis operators. In our latest episode, we talk to specialty banker Peter Su with First Central Savings bank about cannabis banking and what insurance and claims professionals should know about it. Listen to this interview with Insurance Journal’s Don Jergler and Peter Su with First Central Savings!

The post EP. 103: What Insurers Should Know About Banking for Cannabis Companies appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

In this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Kasey Roh, U.S. CEO of Upstage AI, discusses how AI is transforming some of the most complex and time-consuming workflows in insurance. Kasey breaks down how Upstage’s document intelligence technology is aiming to reshape underwriting and claims operations, as well as the evolving balance between human expertise and automation. Check it out!

This episode is brought to you by RPS. RPS helps brokers drive client success in the E&S space. See how RPS delivers tailored, data-driven insurance, benefits and underwriting solutions at RPSins.com.

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CISA’s threat data helps companies and insurers sharpen their cyber-risk strategies by sharing real-time insights on attack patterns, emerging threats, and proactive defense tactics. Watch this sneak peek at the Insuring Cyber Podcast with host Elizabeth Blosfield and guest Brent Rieth of Aon – to watch the full interview visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/26052/

The post How CISA Data Is Shaping Smarter Cyber Risk Decisions appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

On this installment we tee up three segments from our onsite discussions at Applied Net 2025, a leading insurance tech conference held recently in Vegas. First: Why was the Geico Gecko basking in the crowd at an independent agent channel exhibit hall? This is intriguing! Take a listen as another direct-response carrier takes an interest in appointing agents. Next, insuretech expert, advisor and pundit Mark Breading joins On Point to reflect on AI’s impact on the industry. Are we heading toward a future where the traditional carrier model becomes obsolete? Or will it adapt and thrive? Mark weighs in. Fi...

Aon’s Brent Rieth discusses the ripple effects of the Cyber Information Security Act (CISA) not being renewed, warning that insurers now face a major data gap in assessing cyber threats and pricing risk. Without this vital information-sharing platform, both carriers and businesses must find new ways to access real-time insights into emerging attack trends. Rieth emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and diversified data strategies as key to sustaining a resilient cyber insurance market. Check it out!

This episode is brought to you by RPS. RPS helps brokers drive client success in the E&S space. See how RPS de...

Yours truly has met many interesting people in my 43 years of hanging around the insurance business. Few are as fascinating, complex and rule-breaking as Peter Anderson. He leads a dominating musical instrument insurance program with 18,000 customers in the U.S. and around the world—90% of them arriving via the website. Listen to his origin story (starting at age 4) of falling in love with playing instruments, singing in church and eventually earning a spot with the Boston Symphony Orchestra Chorus (aka Boston Pops). And then how he got into retail insurance to protect his musician friends. “I was a music majo...

From ransomware to technical breakdowns, Allianz identifies supply chain disruptions as a major factor behind losses across manufacturing, retail, and professional services sectors. To watch the full interview with Caitlin Ewing, a complex claims analyst in cyber/financial lines with Allianz, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/25973/

The post Inside Allianz’s Cyber Report – Supply Chain Risks on the Rise appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

Losses caused by a cyber event at a third-party location, somewhere along the supply chain or a key customer, have continued to big a bigger portion of cyber claims. According to Allianz, 6% of claim values were from contingent business interruption last year—this year that’s already up to 15%. “And I think it will continue to be a driver of claims and losses,” said Caitlin Ewing, a complex claims analyst in cyber/financial lines with Allianz. She appeared on the Claims Journal podcast to talk about these and other cyber data and what they mean for claims professionals.

The po...

Instead of relying on one giant model to do it all, insurers are now building interconnected AI agents that tackle complex insurance tasks step by step, delivering more reliable and scalable automation. Watch this clip from the Insuring Cyber Podcast as host Elizabeth Blosfield talks with John Kain, director of financial services market development at AWS.

Watch the full episode here https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/25916/

The post Breaking Big Problems Into Smart Agents appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

Bringing out the best in workplace teams is a passion for organizational consultant Emma Corcoran. On this episode she outlines her journey at Selective Insurance to provide a shared customer experience program for appointed agencies as well as policyholders. Emma discovered the joy of helping teams evaluate customer research and outline actionable steps to improve the experience. She helped producers and CSRs work more closely together. Today, Emma’s programs cover DiSC, a behavioral assessment on communication preferences and styles, which is useful for firms working through a merger; Kolbe, which measures how you accomplish things when you’re free...

In this episode, John Kain, director of financial services market development at AWS, shares how insurers are moving beyond traditional generative AI toward intelligent, autonomous workflows that can make decisions, execute tasks, and work together like human employees. From customer service and claims processing to training and onboarding, he says agentic AI is accelerating transformation and making employees more effective, not obsolete. He explains why insurance is uniquely positioned for this shift. Check it out!

This episode is brought to you by RPS. RPS helps brokers drive client success in the E&S space. See how RPS...

Lloyd Yavener, president and COO of Sutton National Group, believes in the future of delegated underwriting authority. It wasn’t always that way. “MGA was a four-letter word when I first got into the business,” he says on this recording. “It was a broker model, which was to write more insurance, while the underwriter’s goal was to write more business profitability.” Over time, program administrator and MGA models emerged with “highly sophisticated” underwriting and compliance talent that originated in the traditional insurance market. “It looks just like an insurance company without the balance sheet,” Lloyd says. Moreover, the MGA model has been a...

In this lively Golfertainment episode, hosts George, Kevin, and Patrick welcome inclusive leadership expert and author Amy Waninger to explore her new book Moving from Panic to Purpose – a candid, emotional, and inspiring guide to leading with empathy through change. Between heartfelt conversations about resilience, thoughts on the Ryder Cup, laughter over mini golf hazards, and reflections on adapting in a fast-evolving insurance world, this episode reminds us that leadership, like golf, is all about how you handle the hazards. To watch more Golfertainment episodes, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/channels/golfertainment/

Grab Amy’s new book here...

AI is moving beyond pricing models to transform insurance operations—especially claims, where automation can cut costs, speed decisions, and boost customer satisfaction. Alena Kharkavets – North American head of claims for WTW’s insurance consulting and technology business – joined to discuss the shift from AI assistants that handle day-to-day, simple tasks, to fully fledged AI actuaries and agents that are planning, decision-making and executing higher level tasks. To view the full podcast interview with host Elizabeth Blosfield, visit https://www.insurancejournal.tv/videos/25781/

The post AI Actuaries and the Next Frontier in Insurance appeared first on Insurance Journal

Claims fraud is getting more sophisticated. Carriers can fight back with AI to sift through huge amounts of data and find patterns, says Ashley Fong, VP with Carpe Data. Injury fraud thrives in areas where strong legal networks, high population density, heavy tourism, economic hardship, and legal loopholes create opportunities for fraudulent claims to flourish, Carpe Data research finds. Younger adults are more likely to commit fraud; riskier behaviors and cultural pressure to overshare on social media channels are likely reasons. “Insurance fraud is a costly and a persistent problem,” Ashley says. In 2023 alone, an estimated $300 billion was lost to f...

On this episode of The Insuring Cyber Podcast, Alena Kharkavets – North American head of claims for WTW’s insurance consulting and technology business – joined to discuss the shift from AI assistants that handle day-to-day, simple tasks, to fully fledged AI actuaries and agents that are planning, decision-making and executing higher level tasks. WTW is a global advisory, broking and solutions company. Alena spoke about how this tech is being used at WTW and AI’s evolution overall in insurance, particularly claims, as well as some of the challenges that still exist. Check it out!

To view this episode...

At the WSIA Annual Marketplace, Peter Van Aartrijk, host of the On Point podcast by Insurance Journal, sits down with Jonah Lipin, Chief Sales Officer at SPG. They discuss how brokers value personal contact with underwriters even as AI enters the industry, and how technology can enable faster, more effective communication without replacing human expertise. Jonah also explains the strategy behind SPG’s new wholesale division.

Discover details on Insurance Journal’s upcoming summits here:

https://insuringcannabissummit.com/

https://riskyfuture.com/

The post SPG’s Jonah Lipin on AI, B...

At the WSIA Annual Marketplace in San Diego, Peter van Aartrijk, host of the On Point podcast by Insurance Journal, interviews Mary Rimbey, VP of Wholesale National Distribution at Cardinal E&S. They explore why AI is an efficiency tool rather than a threat, how broker-underwriter relationships remain the backbone of the industry, and where opportunities are thriving. Mary also shares the strategy behind CNA’s launch of Cardinal E&S℠, emphasizing creative solutions and dedicated growth.

Discover details on Insurance Journal’s upcoming summits here:

https://insuringcannabissummit.com/

https://riskyfuture.com/

On this installment we visit with the HR pro who oversees a team fielding tens of thousands of job applications each year at Progressive. Neil Lenane joined the carrier 35 years ago. His love of coaching sports got him interested in a career in human resources. “Leadership carries over to sports and HR. You’re recruiting that talent, onboarding, coaching, developing, and rewarding and recognizing that talent.” Technology is changing the entire notion of work, Neil says: “Not just what I do, but where I work and when I work. You might come in on a limited-time basis and contribute 20 hours on...

In this Insuring Cyber podcast excerpt, the discussion highlights one of the biggest hurdles facing insurance regulators: defining the type of risk AI presents. Regulators are taking a risk-based approach, recognizing that not all risks are the same, with special attention on areas such as life insurance, unfair practices, and algorithmic bias. A major concern is third-party risk—the reliance on external data, models, and vendor tools that insurers use to deploy AI. Since regulators have limited oversight over these third parties, the challenge becomes ensuring proper governance and accountability. To watch the entire episode with host Elizabeth Blosfield an...

In this Insuring Cyber podcast highlight, the discussion shows the key contrasts between the U.S. and EU strategies for artificial intelligence. The U.S. AI Action Plan is positioned as a forward-looking roadmap designed to establish America as a global leader in AI innovation, infrastructure, diplomacy, and security. In contrast, the EU’s AI Act takes a more regulatory approach, setting rules and compliance frameworks to govern AI use. Elizabeth Blosfield, host of the podcast and Deputy Editor at Carrier Management talks with Claire Davey, senior vice president and head of product innovation and emerging risk at Relm In...