Published: May 2019

Coming Into Focus

Traditional and nontraditional data - from credit ratings and motor vehicle records, Yelp reviews, social media and wearable devices - give insurers a clearer picture of risk than ever before. But insurers must navigate regulatory and privacy concerns.

A Global Conversation: A Look at Innovation: Industry professionals discuss with AMBestTV how innovation is impacting the insurance industry.

AM Best TV & Radio: Captives’ Association Meets in Arizona: Also on AMBestTV, Novarica’s Wein on Boeing’s woes and AM Best’s Keenan on insurtechs and innovation. AMBestRadio presents discussions on leadership skills and blockchain.

AM Best Webinars: Effects of Social Media, IoT: An AM Best webinar examines how social media is increasingly being used in insurance claims investigations. Also, panelists look at new technologies such as the internet of things that are poised to further transform homeowners coverage.

Asset Management: Expecting to Grow: A study shows more than 600 insurance companies were using exchange-traded funds in their investment portfolios in 2017.

At Large: Dedication to Data: Insurers must use data more efficiently or be left behind.

Data: Emerging Technologies: Technology and Transformation: Insurance panel: Genomics, blockchain are likely to be “big transformable technology” for the insurance industry.

Data: Health Insurance: Weighing in on Wearables: Consumer and medical wearable devices are opening up a new data portal for health insurers, but many are still grappling with how to use that information.

Data: Life Insurance: A Revolution in Underwriting: The race to develop accelerated products has driven life insurers to cautiously embrace the next generation of data.

Data: Technology: Words That Bind: Insurance policies have no shortage of clauses and endorsements. Insurers, however, often have little idea of the promises being made or the exposures they are covering.

Data: The Wild West of Data: Insurers are moving from static data sources to real-time, dynamic information, but privacy concerns have emerged as an imposing obstacle.

Data: Underwriting: Data Driven: An explosion of data and advancements in analytics is shifting underwriting from an art to a science.

Data Challenge: Best’s Review recently asked readers: What are the biggest risks insurers face with the use of new data and predictive analytics?

Editor's Desk: A Sharper Image: From the Editor’s Desk: Insurers gain a clearer picture of risk with their use of data. May’s issue also looks at industry innovation and how an insurer is hoping to alleviate concerns about the reintroduction of the Eurasian lynx in England and Scotland.

Emerging Leaders Conference: Own Your Career: Stanley Galanski, president and CEO of Navigators: To build a successful company, focus on communication, results, authenticity and people.

Executive Changes: UK Property/Casualty Underwriter Direct Line Names CEO: Also: H.W. Kaufman Group appoints its first chief compliance officer, MetLife makes executive changes; and founder of NAPSLO dies at 87.

In the News: On the Radar Screen: AM Best’s Mosher: We’re looking much more closely at insurers’ wildfire risk.

In the News: Regulatory Update: Financial adviser bill nixed in Maryland and China issues guidelines for asset-liability management for insurers.

Industry Updates: Open for Business: Regulators: Private flood Insurance needs tweaking to take off in the United States.

Insurance Marketing: What You Need: Liberty Mutual debuts two new advertising spokesmen and American Family Insurance unveils the second ad in its “This Dream” campaign.

Next Wave: A Knack for Networking: Making connections with others in the industry is an important part of a successful career.

Regulatory/Law: Don't Stifle It: Rules need to manage privacy and cybersecurity developments without suppressing insurers’ uses of data.

Risk Adviser: Break New Ground: Life insurers are using digital health data to streamline the underwriting process.

Technology: Data Everywhere: The internet of things, along with an AI assist, is revolutionizing insurance.

The Last Word: Into the Wild: A U.K. specialty insurer is trying to alleviate the concerns of sheep farmers who are concerned about a push to reintroduce the extinct lynx in England and Scotland.

What AM Best Says: AM Best Assesses Innovation in Draft Criteria: Methodology and Criteria (Excerpt): Scoring and Assessing Innovation

What AM Best Says: Looking Beyond Technology: AM Best’s Gillard discusses AM Best’s new innovation criteria.