Here we highlight the top stories of 2020 that GC Capital Ideas has presented on managing risks associated with climate change. ... Continue Reading »
risk management
It’s Time for Insurance to Catch Up to the Intangible Asset Revolution
The COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest in 2020 remind us that the insurance industry’s challenges might change on a year-to-year basis, but they will never end. COVID-19 may represent the vanguard of a series of public health crises arising out of climate change, income inequity, fraying social safety nets, demographic imbalances, resource shortages and increasingly stressed u ... Continue Reading »
Why We Need Community-Based Catastrophe Insurance
The impacts of COVID-19 on individuals, communities and insurers are continuing to unfold and no doubt present uncertainty. However, the current disruption also serves to highlight the importance of lessening reliance on federal financial relief and, instead, creating financial resilience at the community level. ... Continue Reading »
Wildfire – Understanding and Modeling the Risk: Part II
A pattern has emerged related to the joint concept of greater precipitation in winter months coupled with greater evaporation in summer months, both driven by a warming climate. A wet winter allows grasses to grow, which dry out during excessively hot summers, and become receptive fuel for fire, especially during offshore wind events like the Santa Ana Winds. The 2017 and 2018 ... Continue Reading »
Wildfire – Understanding and Modeling the Risk: Part I
A confluence of excessive heat and lack of precipitation has led to a dangerous wildfire situation in the western United States. As of late September, 75 percent of the western region is in a state of moderate to exceptional drought. The drought, combined with high winds and lightning activity, precipitated the ignition and rapid spread of over 70 large fires in California, ... Continue Reading »
The Changing Nature of Risk: Part V
The opportunities that lie ahead for the insurance sector are vast and complex and will require thinking about risks in terms beyond what is currently known and measurable. Intangible risk exposure is different: it is not geographically contained like a natural catastrophe and is not as explicitly calculable as a burning building. Once-in-a-lifetime innovation like this comes ... Continue Reading »
The Changing Nature of Risk: Part IV
From an insurance and reinsurance product design perspective, addressing climate change is more of a scale and cognitive bias challenge than a product design problem. The industry has a working understanding of the principles underlying the business model and the associated risks, perils, hazards and insured assets, according to John Trace, CEO, North America, Guy Carpenter, ... Continue Reading »
The Changing Nature of Risk: Part III
The COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest in 2020 remind us that the insurance industry’s challenges might change on a year-to-year basis, but they will never end. COVID-19 may represent the vanguard of a series of public health crises arising out of climate change, income inequity, fraying social safety nets, demographic imbalances, resource shortages and increasingly stressed u ... Continue Reading »
The Changing Nature of Risk: Part I
There is an old adage that “adversity builds character.” However, before adversity builds character, it reveals character, and the numerous catastrophes that have occurred over the last several years combined with the ongoing pandemic have clearly revealed the character of the insurance industry. ... Continue Reading »
Better By Design: Insights on Demand – Collectively Creating the Post-COVID Future
As organizations continue to adapt and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding its impacts is critical to mapping the path forward as a business, industry and broader society. Virtually bringing together our global clients, colleagues and subject matter experts, including those from Guy Carpenter, the recent Marsh & McLennan Better By Design conference provided a ... Continue Reading »