Articles by Denise Johnson

Uber Litigator Explains Insurance Coverage, Defends Background Checks

The goal of six year old Uber is to provide reliable transportation to everyone, everywhere. Uber is currently in 596 cities and dealing with global regulations requires an insurance product that is diverse and fluid, according to Kathleen Waitzman, legal …

Uptick in Auto Claims Severity Due in Part to Distracted Drivers

Earlier this year, Fitch Ratings reported that the commercial auto insurance market suffered its fifth consecutive year of underwriting losses in 2015. The commercial auto combined ratio averaged 106 percent from 2011-2015, Fitch reported. According to James Auden, managing director …

Using Graph Analysis to Root Out Complex Fraud Rings

A new form of predictive analytics offers the ability to detect fraud committed by a group or ring in real time. According to Philip Rathle, vice president of products for California-based Neo4j, graph analysis dates back to 2000, when the …

SEC Focus on Unicorn Start Ups Could Change Private Company D&O Insurance

Unicorn start-ups are facing increasing scrutiny by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for several reasons, including the potential for inflated valuations and misleading statements both of which pose a risk to investors, according to Kim Melvin, a partner …

Sharing Economy, New Technology Pose New Questions for Insurers

Emerging risks associated with the sharing economy and new technology pose new challenges for insurers, according to members of the International Association of Claim Professionals (IACP) who sat down with Claims Journal for an exclusive interview. Marc Karnell, global head …

Hurricane Matthew Claims Offer Opportunity for Travelers to Ramp Up Drone Use

Earlier this month, The Travelers Companies, Inc., announced that it would be using drones to assist in assessing damage resulting from Hurricane Matthew. The insurer deployed a team of newly trained drone operators to inspect residential and commercial property damage …

Education, Networking Prepare Claim Executives for the Future

Claim professionals gain invaluable insight from education and networking opportunities, according to industry experts who spoke with Claims Journal in exclusive interviews during the International Association of Claim Professionals (IACP) 47th annual conference in Sonoma, Calif., in September. The conference …

Social Media: Good and Bad for Insurers, Claims

A blessing and a curse is how one industry expert described social media in relation to claims handling. While another said it offered a way for insurers and claims departments to voice accomplishments. Social media has benefits for the industry, …

N.C. Cancer Center, Chubb Work Together to Recover From Lightning Strike

When lightning struck The Gibson Cancer Center in Lumberton, a small community in North Carolina, causing a fire and significant damage, there was concern for the patients who received treatment there. Though the fire affected the entire building, destroying a …

Using Technology to Solve Carrier/Broker Inefficiencies

During the annual International Association of Claims Professionals (IACP) conference held in Sonoma recently, Claims Journal hosted an executive roundtable with board members to discuss carrier/broker efficiency from the claims perspective. Peter Fennell, managing director of Aon Benfield and immediate …