The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI

In this episode of The Edge of Risk by IRMI, we explore one of the most complex and consequential aspects of captive insurance: tax qualification and compliance. Host Joel Appelbaum is joined by Allan Autry, CPA, and partner at Johnson Lambert, who brings deep experience advising hundreds of captive insurance companies across the country. Mr. Autry breaks down the essential criteria for qualifying...

In this episode of The Edge of Risk by IRMI, host Joel Appelbaum speaks with David Beyer, director of risk management at Alaska Airlines and board chair of ASA Assurance, Inc., the airline's Hawaii-based captive insurance company. David shares the story behind the creation of ASA Assurance, including why Hawaii was chosen as a captive insurance domicile and how long-term education efforts helped g...

Why are affordability and tech advances important to farmers? This 24-minute episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI features Craig Smith, vice president of Agribusiness and Food Services for Alliant Insurance Services and a keynote panelist for the 2025 IRMI Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference. Listen to this impactful discussion of these challenges and what's happening on the family far...

Private equity is investing in the construction industry—but what does that mean? In The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI, join Rob Langtry, global private equity director at Liberty Mutual, as he provides clarification as to why private equity is interested in the construction industry. In this 15-minute podcast, gain an understanding of the typical structure of a private equity program in constructi...

Join Joel Appelbaum, chief content officer at IRMI, as he dives into the real economic impact of global trade and tariffs with special guest Bob Passmore, department vice president of personal lines at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. In this short, 12-minute episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI, you'll explore how tariffs influence claims costs, repair cycles, and unde...

In this episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast, host Joel Appelbaum speaks with Steven Bauman, head of global programs and captive practice for AXA XL in North America. With over 35 years in the insurance industry, Steven brings a depth of expertise on how multinational organizations can structure captives to navigate regulatory complexity, diversify risk, and support global growth strategies. The co...

Water damage is a perpetual risk for all insureds but significantly so for contractors. This month, The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI welcomes Tony Grieser, technical director of construction loss control at Nationwide, for a thorough discussion of water damage mitigation programs. In this episode, learn about key tools a construction insured can utilize to reduce water damage losses and gain clear...

What's the raison d'être of American Farm Bureau, and how does California Farm Bureau fit into that? This 24-minute episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI features Dan Durheim, chief operating officer, California Farm Bureau, and 2025 IRMI Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference (AgriCon) keynote panelist. Listen as Mr. Durheim explains the value proposition of Farm Bureau and why it continu...

In this episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI, host Joel Appelbaum sits down with Jeremy Colombik, president of Management Services International (MSI), to explore how captive insurance can solve hard-to-place risk challenges. Drawing from over 2 decades of industry experience, Jeremy unpacks the advantages of integrating unrated and nonadmitted paper into captive structures, including cost...

How different is a "regular" property claim from an agricultural property claim? The answer could be—significant. This 8-minute The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI episode features a Snap Talk by Julie Overdeer, executive director and partner at the Agricultural Claims Association, LLC (ACA). The mission of the ACA is to provide agricultural claims professionals with a resource that offers training,...

The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI welcomes Kerry Powers, national director of large accounts at Gallagher, and Ted Way, senior vice president at Gallagher, for an insightful discussion on insurance considerations for adaptive reuse projects in construction. In this 16-minute episode, gain valuable insights into the increasing prevalence of these projects and the tax incentives some municipalities m...

In this episode of The Edge of Risk podcast, host Joel Appelbaum welcomes Andy Stoelting, senior director of insurance and risk management at Webcor, to discuss the evolution of Webcor's Hawaii-domiciled captive insurance company, Paramount Insurance, Inc. Andy shares his journey from insurance defense attorney to risk management leader and provides an inside look at how Paramount transitioned fro...

Hired and nonowned auto exposures historically represented an incidental exposure for many insureds; however, there appears to be a noticeable shift in how construction insureds are approaching this coverage. This 18-minute episode of the The Edge of Risk Podcast welcomes Jim Vachon, manager of casualty risk control, and David Lind, loss control service manager, from Starr Insurance. Listen in as...

A common misconception is that experienced drivers don't require ongoing training. In this 11-minute podcast episode, Brian Hammer, senior risk management consultant at Nationwide, shares that ongoing driver safety training is essential. Nationwide's new Drive the 5 program is yet another important initiative to keep its insureds, and society as a whole, safe. After this podcast episode, you will...

The regulatory landscape for captive insurance in the European Union is evolving, with Solvency II amendments bringing significant changes to capital requirements, proportionality, and reporting obligations. In this episode, Joel Appelbaum, chief content officer at IRMI and Captive.com, sits down with Alex Gedge, senior captive consultant at Hylant, to discuss what these updates mean for captives...

In this episode, host Joel Appelbaum sits down with Dave Johnson from Innovative Captive Strategies to discuss how captives empower Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) to take control of their insurance and risk management strategies. As the backbone of e-commerce and logistics, DSPs face unique risks that traditional insurance may not address effectively. The podcast explores how captives offer tail...

The construction industry has unique factors that can impact a worker's mental well-being. In this 19-minute episode of the IRMI Podcast, Dr. Marcos A. Iglesias of Travelers shares how the "perfect storm" of psychosocial issues affects construction workers' mental health and outlines some tools workers and employers can utilize to tackle this prevalent problem within the construction industry.

Continuing with our agent-focused 2025 IRMI Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference (AgriCon) topics, this 10-minute podcast episode features a Snap Talk with Joann Webb, chief risk officer and assistant vice president of underwriting for Berkley North Pacific, as she shares the importance of insurance to value (ITV) factors. We never want to be put in a bad position with our clients. This episod...

In this episode of the IRMI Podcast, Joel Appelbaum interviews Travis Wegkamp, director of captive insurance for Utah, and Stephanie Liu, assistant director, to explore Utah's thriving captive insurance industry. The state's business-friendly approach, zero premium tax, and innovative legislation have fueled record-setting growth, with over $3 billion in gross premiums in 2023. The conversation hi...

Learn what valuable, agent-focused tools we are planning to show you at the 2025 IRMI Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference (AgriCon). In this 9-minute Snap Talk episode, Carl Morello, safety expert and AgriCon presenter, provides a sneak preview of one of the four educational sessions we are calling the "IRMI Agent Expertise Series." We hope Carl's construction classification preview whets you...

Learn what innovative technologies the Kalcevics employ for healthy soil, water scarcity, and successful crop yields. In this 17-minute podcast episode, Danell Kalcevic, human resources and office manager for Kalcevic Farms, reflects on the work and the pride of her fifth-generation family farm. Join IRMI Chief Content Officer Joel Appelbaum as he and Mrs. Kalcevic discuss grain farming on the lan...

In this episode, Joel Appelbaum, chief content officer at IRMI and Captive.com, speaks with Mike Maglaras, of Michael Maglaras & Company, about the launch of the first modern-era captive insurance syndicate at Lloyd's of London. This innovative model offers multinational companies a new way to manage complex risks across borders by eliminating fronting capacity barriers, enabling companies to...

Jarid Beck of Risk Management Advisors joins Joel Appelbaum of IRMI to explore how businesses can unlock employee benefits through captive insurance. They discuss the increasing popularity of self-funded employee benefits in captives, driven by rising healthcare premiums and the desire for greater control over healthcare costs.  The conversation highlights key benefits of captive insurance, includ...

In this 11-minute Snap Talk episode, Marty Detmer, product recall and contamination/crisis management broker for Aon, expounds on some key factors that can increase the risk of product recalls and how to mitigate those risks. Mr. Detmer gave a fascinating presentation at the recent IRMI Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, on food recalls and why they're happening.  Food r...

Emerging technologies have the potential to change the safety and risk landscape of the construction industry. In this 13-minute episode of IRMI Podcast, Matt Nordaker of Marsh shares how the efficiencies of exponential technologies will enable safety and risk directors to focus on higher-level strategic initiatives as these technologies materialize.