AM Best Audio Podcast

Srini Koushik, president, AI and sustainability, Rackspace Technology, discusses AI’s impact on insurance through enhanced service, efficiency and ethical use in a shifting regulatory landscape.

Paul Kottler, U.S. president of Crawford & Company’s Global Technical Services, discusses how insurers are combining advanced technologies with expert adjusters to manage the growing complexity and cost of large-loss claims.

Steve Bowen, chief science officer, Gallagher Re, discusses the drivers behind 2025’s elevated catastrophe losses and what they signal for future climate and insurance risk.

Michael Balarezo, CEO of Adjusto and wildfire survivor, shares how personal loss, industry frustration, and emerging technology are reshaping the insurance claims process to be faster.

Steve Firko, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance, explains how mutual insurers’ policyholder-focused structure, long-term stability and deep industry ties uniquely position them to serve niche markets.

Shannon Woods, chief legal and compliance officer, Mutual Group, discusses the evolving regulatory landscape, the growth of AI, and how strategic partnerships and innovation are helping mutual insurers seize long-term opportunities.

Kimberly Landry, associate research director, LIMRA, discusses how insurers can support employers in boosting benefit satisfaction and addressing changing workforce needs through tailored offerings and improved communication.

Ann Modica, director credit rating, criteria and research at AM Best breaks down the recent decline of the US dollar, its fiscal drivers, and what the volatility means for insurers with global exposure.

Earlier this year, Pinnacle Actuarial Resources and CARFAX announced the release of a new vehicle scoring and automobile pricing tool called the CARFAX Vehicle Build Score (VBS). Pinnacle Senior Consulting Actuary Gary Wang discussed the value of the VBS solution for automobile insurers with AM Best TV.

James Crinnion, Vice President Commercial Surety at Philadelphia Insurance Companies, said that over the last five years, there’s been an explosion in surety-backed letters of credit. “There’s always been a push and pull between the surety industry and the banking industry,” he said.