Calendar

In 2021, the IRUA introduced a “Basic Syllabus Program” is aimed at those who have just entered or who have only a few years of experience in the industry. It is intended to be a “Reinsurance Primer Series” of twelve basic topics to be offered on a rolling 2 year cycle. The topics are marked with an asterisk* and are listed below in Green.

A Certificate will be awarded to those participants who complete 10 sessions of the 12 topics listed with the same topic repeated no more than twice.  You also do not need to be with an IRUA member company to participate in the Certificate program.

In addition to the continuation of the Reinsurance Basic Syllabus program several NEW sessions
will be added to our education lineup for 2025.

2025 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

UNDERWRITING THE FUTURE – NAVIGATING AI RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES IN (RE)INSURANCE – JANUARY 16
In this webinar presenters Max Aronchick (Guy Carpenter), Vikram Sidhu (Mayer Brown) & Tim Brockett (Munich Re) gave
an excellent presentation in the fields of underwriting; legal & regulatory; and intermediary consultancy and then discussed
several key issues surrounding this technology and arena.                         

WALL STREET VIEW OF THE INSURANCE/REINSURANCE INDUSTRY – FEBRUARY 27
This year Brian Foley, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ Director, Insurance and Asset/Wealth Management Investment Banking, took over from long-time presenter and colleague, Seth Bair, to present the firm’s excellent and insightful annual update of the financial/ investment markets view of our industry, including M&A activity prospects. His presentation was stellar!

IRUA ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING & CONFERENCE – APRIL 7-9, Charleston, SC
Another successful conference in a great New Location – Charleston, SC. Feedback from attendees over overwhelming!

REINSURANCE CASUALTY UNDERWRITING AUDITS* - MAY 13
Joseph Carney, again this year, presented webinar and has for many years conducted casualty underwriting audits of ceding companies. Topics included pre-audit preparation, key areas of focus during the audit and wrap up strategies. Mr. Carney has a 4-decades long career in casualty underwriting. He is the owner of JEC Consulting, Inc. and provides arbitration and litigation support services to the legal community as well as providing underwriting consultancy services.

SOCIAL INFLATION IS HERE TO STAY: KEY DRIVERS OF SOCIAL INFLATION – MAY 22
Howard Freeman, Assistant Vice President and Bryan McCarthy, Assistant Vice President of Claims, both with Transatlantic Reinsurance, provided insights to and offer strategies for navigating specific drivers of social inflation, including juror attitudes, shifting demographics, declining trust in corporations/institutions, plaintiff attorney tactics (reptile theory and anchoring), third-party litigation funding (TPLF), increased legal advertising, higher settlement values, and the rise of nuclear verdicts. They discussed how to value claims to forecast the potential for nuclear verdicts and manage “nuclear” claims and highlighted what to look for and what to avoid preventing the chance of an undue escalation of claims. They discussed efforts to curb nuclear verdicts, such as tort reform and disclosure pertaining to TPLF. Finally, they provided specific claim examples highlighting tactics used to combat social inflation.

PROPERTY UNDERWRITING AUDITS* - JULY 10
Munich Re America’s Christiane Gross and John Ferris of JC Ferris Advisors, Inc. discussed and evaluated what are audit goals, audit types and how to prepare for and conduct a property underwriting file audit. They also addressed what underwriting topics you should review, how you can differentiate by portfolio and client and how you can address your findings.

RATINGS ADVISORY LANDSCAPE 101 - AUGUST 20
This session presented by Mark Murray, Managing Director at Guy Carpenter & Co., provided an overview of the ratings methodology used by A.M. Best and their proprietary capital model which has been and continues to influence capital management decisions across the industry. The session concluded by showcasing ways to manage A.M. Best’s capital requirements and a case study of helping a client obtain its rating goals.

REINSURANCE STRUCTURES* - SEPTEMBER 17
Holborn’s Doug Rarig, Senior Vice President in the Minnesota office, will focus on the various forms of reinsurance, including net and gross quota share and surplus treaties in proportional reinsurance, and Risk XL, Cat XL and Agg XL treaties in non-proportional reinsurance. It will address, in detail, why ceding companies buy these reinsurance structures as well as the differences between facultative and treaty.

REINSURANCE PROPERTY UNDERWRITING – THE BASICS* - OCTOBER 14

      This webinar will give an overview of property underwriting. Topics to be explored will include Basic Property Principles; the Basic Task of the Property Underwriter; the Basic Items of COPE and will then migrate to an interactive session among the presenters discussing firstly, the insurance requirements and pricing of a primary risk and secondly, how reinsurance is structured and pricing principles for a portfolio of property risks. Once again, Christina Rutte, Property Treaty Underwriter at Munich Re’s head office in Munich Germany and Matthew Doherty, Vice President, and Property Treaty Underwriter at Partner Re US in Stamford, CT will be sharing their knowledge and expertise on the subject.

   ACTUARIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NON-ACTUARY* - NOVEMBER 6
This session is designed not only for the junior underwriter, broker and other (re)insurance professional, but also for the more experienced professional who is looking to increase their knowledge of basic and intermediate actuarial principles. Hamilton Re’s Michael Schummer, ACAS MAAA, will explain the rating process from start to finish and show attendees what trends to look for in the analysis to better price and underwrite your risks.
Be better prepared for discussions with your actuarial colleagues!            

SAVE THE DATE
IRUA ANNUAL UNDERWRITING & CLAIMS CONFERENCE
APRIL 27 - 29, 2026
Opal Grand Hotel
Delray Beach, FL
 

Additional Future Topics

CYBER CLAIMS EXPOSURES
WORKERS' COMPENSATION UPDATE
ARBITRATION FOR REINSURERS
U.S., BERMUDA & WORLD MARKETS

If you have a topic that you would like the IRUA to consider hosting a webinar on, email us at info@irua.org