A.m. Best Radio Podcast

AM Best Director Ann Modica discusses the implications of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's decision to hold interest rates steady, and what the bond market is telling us about the future of monetary policy this year.

Aaron Hillebrandt, principal and consulting actuary, Pinnacle Actuarial Resources, said diversification of risk is important—and a great strategy.

Craig Schioppo, global head, Marsh’s Transactional Risk Group, discusses how a resurgence in M&A activity, growing demand for tax insurance, and expansion into emerging markets like Dubai and Latin America drove significant global growth in the transactional risk insurance market in 2024.

Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Nathan Houdek said the largest risks for property/casualty insurance are tied to severe weather and cyber. Another concern is consolidation in the health market with rising costs pressuring health insurance buyers. Houdek spoke at ReConnect 2025, a reinsurance conference in the Cayman Islands.

Natalie Kelly, head of life & health global underwriting, Swiss Re, explains why long-term health benefits from blood sugar regulators also depend on sustained behavior change, personalized underwriting and the strategic use of behavioral science.

AM Best Director Ann Modica explains that with first-quarter GDP unexpectedly shrinking by 0.3%, the Federal Reserve faces mounting pressure to navigate between curbing persistent inflation and avoiding a deeper economic slowdown.

In a book he co-authored, Sustainability and the Insurance Market: Trends and Challenges, University of Valencia’s Juan Bataller-Grau explores sustainability’s impact on insurance, shaping risk management, responsibility and profitability.

Brandon Nuttall, chief digital and AI officer for Xceedance, said generative AI is becoming more integral for insurance executives’ technology strategy, but moving from “buzz to business value” remains a challenge.

Louis Gritzo, chief science officer and staff senior VP, FM, said a new Science and Technology Center in Luxembourg, set to open in 2027, will drive innovation and risk mitigation in commercial property insurance across EMEA.

Lisa Harris, EVP of natural resources, CAC Specialty, discusses the insurance ramifications of the Keystone Pipeline spill, exploring risk mitigation strategies, environmental liability and how brokers and insurers can better collaborate with energy clients to manage critical infrastructure risk.

Michel Léonard, chief economist and data scientist, Triple-I, explores how inflation, interest rates, third-party litigation and global tariff uncertainty are reshaping underwriting, investment strategies and the industry's protection gap.

Carter Lawrence, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, said choices and competition in a business-friendly environment will help the insurance market meet the needs of the state’s growing population. Lawrence spoke with AM Best TV at the CIRCA ReConnect Conference in Grand Cayman.

Srdjan Todorovic, head of political violence and hostile environment solutions at Allianz Commercial, discusses key findings from the latest Allianz report, including terrorism trends, sabotage threats and the growing complexity of civil unrest that businesses face worldwide.

Jordan Barker, climate risk specialist, Beazley, discusses how rising economic uncertainty is pushing sustainability lower on the corporate agenda, despite growing exposure to extreme weather and energy transition risks.

Bryan Hodgens, head of research, LIMRA, discusses how economic pressures, remote work trends, and rising employer expectations are transforming benefits brokers into data-driven, consultative partners.

Raju Seetharaman, technology chief, Legal & General America, discusses how AI, data analytics and digital innovation are transforming life insurance by streamlining underwriting, empowering agents and expanding access for customers with complex health profiles.

Climate risk, supply chain and geopolitical risk continue to be major concerns, said Christopher Majka, staff vice president of data visualization, FM. He noted that proprietary cybersecurity data has been introduced into the index this year.

Neil Sprackling, CEO of Life and Health Re US at Swiss Re, explores how breakthroughs in personalized medicine, metabolic health and early disease detection are transforming longevity expectations and underwriting in the insurance industry.

AM Best Associate Director Jason Hopper and Industry Analyst Kaitlin Piasecki discuss a new Best's Special Report that finds eligibility redeterminations after public health emergencies are leading to a mismatch between acuity and rates.

John Dickson, CEO and president of Insurmark, discusses the rising frequency and severity of tornadoes, wind, and hail storms, the evolving insurance landscape, and the critical steps homeowners and agents should take to mitigate risk and ensure adequate coverage.