AM Best Executives to Discuss Expanding Role of Innovation in Insurance Industry at InsureTech Connect 2019

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OLDWICK - SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 09:05 AM (EDT)
Leading AM Best executives will be participating in the annual InsureTech Connect conference, taking place Sept. 23-25, 2019, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

The conference is the largest insurance-industry event covering innovation, and it provides insight to insurers on how to reinvent themselves amid disruptive forces caused by emerging technologies and insurtech startups. AM Best believes the increased pace of change in society, climate and technology has made innovation increasingly critical to the long-term success of all insurers, and expects innovation to play a greater role in its assessment of companies’ financial strength. Details of the conference panel appearances are as follows:

• Edin Imsirovic, senior financial analyst in AM Best’s property/casualty ratings division, will join a workshop—“Creating a Two-Speed Strategy to the Future of Insurance”— on Monday, Sept. 23, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. (PDT). The session will focus on how companies can successfully adopt emerging business models and update core systems and processes for growth and future relevance. Imsirovic will join a panel during the workshop to discuss regulatory and credit rating considerations surrounding emerging technologies and innovation.


• Maura McGuigan, director of criteria in AM Best’s Credit Rating Criteria Research and Analytics department, will participate on a panel called, “Breaking News,” in which she will discuss AM Best’s views on innovation, as well as the rating agency’s updated draft criteria procedure for insurance companies on innovation, which was re-released for comment on Sept. 13. The panel session, which will include executives from other companies announcing their companies’ latest efforts, will take place Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 3:00 p,m, (PDT).

AM Best also is co-hosting a pre-conference executive forum on Sept. 23, from 1:00-3:45 p.m. (PDT). James Gillard, AM Best executive vice president and chief operating officer, will join a panel discussion during the forum, titled, “The Positive Power of Tech on Innovation, Customer Experience, Emerging Markets and the Business Sector,” to look at the role technology has played in reshaping insurance business models in developed and emerging markets. Stefan Holzberger, AM Best senior managing director and chief rating officer, will lead a separate executive roundtable discussion on insurance industry innovation. Insurity, Valen Analytics and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association are the remaining co-hosts of the pre-conference forum.

Kate Smith, AM Best managing editor, will conduct interviews for ^AMBestTV at the conference. She also is moderating a panel, titled, “Why Drones Can Fuel Your Digital Transformation Strategy and Empower Your Adjusters to Deliver an Optimal Customer Experience,” on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 2:00 p.m. (PDT). For executive interviews, panel discussions and commentaries, please visit www.ambest.tv during the conference and look for the playlist under the “Conferences 2019” tab.

To learn more about the InsureTech Connect conference, which is themed as “The Future of Insurance Is Here,” please view the official agenda.

AM Best is a trusted source of insurance market insight and data, and the only global credit rating agency with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Best’s Credit Ratings are a recognized indicator of insurer financial strength and creditworthiness.