In this episode of Profiles in Risk, I catchup with Will Kastroll of Harbour Insurance based in Naples Florida. Naples was ground-zero for a second Florida landfall (Key West being the first). Will's office was significantly damaged. In our face to face, we discussed finding his quest to find temporary office space, the status of his main office space and we took a tour of Naples to see properties still reeling from the aftermath of Irma. We bumped into John Cosgrove from Radon & Model Pro, responsible for measuring mold build up and we discussed all of the issues with mold after a major hurricane event in a humid climate such as Florida. If you haven't done so, please listen to the first interview (which is now Episode 42) to get a sense of how bad the situation was and how far Southern Florida has come.

This is a previously recorded episode of The Attachment Point, immediately following Hurricane Irma. Even this episode is several weeks old, I decided to re-post it here for listeners to hear what Will had to say immediately following Irma versus Episode 43 (also broadcast on the same day) where Will and I discuss the post-Irma cleanup and reconstruction face to face.

John Bachmann wrote an article at InsNerds that really registered with me. When I found out that he lives in the city I grew up in I decided to make John my first full live interview for Profiles in Risk. In this episode, John and I discuss his career in claims, how it got started (being a Patriot fan has its disadvantages), how he was fortunate enough to have the right mentorship to transition to other lines and advice for newbie and seasoned adjusters. John has a passion for what he does and you can really hear that in both the article and this interview.

Blooper brain-fart at minute 30:30

The Private Risk Management Association (PRMA) is an organization dedicated to improving the advice, coverage, and service provided to the high net worth insurance consumer through education and increased awareness. I attended their annual Summit conference as a participant in their sessions dealing with how we all can improve flood risk awareness and more importantly, flood risk communication. As I was there I was impressed with the level of commitment these professionals had for their craft and their eagerness to consistently improve. I decided to pull out my phone and interview some of these very interesting people. If you are not aware of the PRMA, you should check them out. Membership is inexpensive and the perks are fantastic, with timely webinars & educational courses and certification programs for those people wanting to improve their skillset and expertise for exposures surrounding the high-net worth market. Thank you to Lisa Lindsey and Azeema Hartley for inviting me to participate.

In this episode, I speak with Wes Todd, CEO of Caseglide, who has been on the show twice before and is shooting to become the first member of Profile in Risk's Five-Timers Club (or as I mistakenly referred to as the Fivers Club) We discussed Assignment of Benefits in insurance and how this legal concept is causing havoc in the Florida insurance market adding an additional $1 billion dollars of claims into the system. We discuss the tactics used by lawyers and contractors to harass claims victims and bully insurers. According to Wes, the solution to this problem is more technology (the ecosystems ability to incorporate new and better technology to adjust claims quicker) and education (our responsibility to inform the public on the assignment of benefits and the harm it can cause the policyholder). Links to the articles discussed in the podcast are listed below.

In this episode of Profiles in Risk, we look at the risks of Active Shooter. In the wake of the Vegas Shooting, which claimed the lives of more than 50 innocent people, Ryan Welsh, a former officer Active Shooter, potential causes and some risk mitigative steps that might be taken by managers in corporations, schools and elsewhere. Unfortunately, it seems impossible to prevent these horrific events, but it does not mean we are helpless. There are things we can do and one of them is to become more educated in what Active Shooter is, events of the past and lessons learned.

In this episode of Profiles in Risk, we look at the risks of Active Shooter.

On this episode, Brent and I discuss CAT bonds and other Insurance Linked Securities (ILS). We go into what makes ILS important to investors, insurers, reinsurers and other stakeholders. What is a CAT bond? How do these bonds pay out? How are they valued? We go into all of that and some of Brent's infamous nicknames.

In this episode of Profiles in Risk, Robin Smith of WeGoLook talks about why the business was started, the value it brings to insurance and other industries, what the future holds for WeGoLook and what it takes to be a startup founder. The idea germinated with a conversation with someone who was purchasing a high-end projector and wished someone could inspect it for him, and Robin and team have built an international company serving the US, Australia, Canada, the UK and Puerto Rico. Seems like WeGoLook is on its way to global domination.

Robin was a pleasure to speak with. Sure, she is focused on "global domination" for WeGoLook, but we spend a lot of time talking about the team and how much pride she has in her colleagues with some really heart-warming stories. She's a true leader, motivator, and inspiration.