Ryan White serves as Assistant Vice President and Director of Ceded Reinsurance at UFG Insurance. He has held the roles of associate, commercial, and senior underwriter, underwriting supervisor, and the first underwriting manager of UFG Online. In 2021 he was named Assistant Vice President and recently transitioned into the newly created role of Director of Ceded Reinsurance. White holds extensive reinsurance experience, a BBA in Finance, and an MBA from the University of Iowa. He also holds the CPCU, ARe, AU-M, AU, and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) professional designations. He has served on the board of the Cedar Valley CPCU Chapter since 2020, and recently joined the CPCU Reinsurance and Excess Surplus Lines Interest Group in 2023, serving as Vice Chair for the 2024 term. In this episode of In the Know, Chris Hampshire and Ryan discuss launching an online platform in the reinsurance sector, ceded risk and reinsurance, and the career benefits of earning the CPCU designation.

 

Key Takeaways

• Unlike so many, Ryan entered the insurance industry intentionally.

• Reinsurance or primary insurance? Ryan weighs in.

• Details of the ceded reinsurance marketplace.

• Essential skill sets that aided Ryan’s rise from associate to management.

• The highs and lows of launching an online digital platform.

• The impact of the pandemic on Ryan’s work.

• Lessons learned while transitioning from the small business digital platform to the reinsurance arena.

• A tailored approach to meeting the ceded reinsurance needs of each client.

• An overview of the breadth of ceded reinsurance coverage.

• Ryan’s motivation behind his involvement in the CPCU Society.

• Reinsurance & Excess Surplus Lines Symposium 2025.

• Iowa as a global insurance hub.

• Ryan’s perspective on earning both the MBA and the CPCU.

• Ryan’s message to anyone considering the reinsurance sector.

• A five-year look to the future of the insurance industry and AI.

• Advice from current Ryan to his early career self.

 

Quotes

• “Launching an online digital platform was a really exciting time in my career and in the company.”

• “No matter what part of the industry you’re in, it’s all about relationships.”

• “The opportunities that are in front of you in the reinsurance industry are unlimited.”