Thank you for Subscribing to Insurance Business Review Weekly Brief
Insurance Business Review: Specials Magazine
Valiont
Modern Claims Should Be Collaborative, Not Contentious
When Joseph Becker and David Reeth first met while serving together on a university board, they were at very different points in their careers. Becker was already an established, well-respected figure in the insurance claims industry and had founded Cara Solutions. Reeth was a student leader whose analytical mind, curiosity, and instinct for solving difficult problems quickly stood out. Their connection began as a mentorship, grounded in a shared belief that good work starts with advocacy, service, and a willingness to stand beside clients when circumstances become most challenging. Over time, that mentorship grew into a business partnership. After Reeth joined Cara Solutions, he and Becker began shaping the firm’s next chapter. They expanded its capabilities, invested in new technology, and refined an approach to claims consulting that combined technical expertise with close, responsive client service. That evolution ultimately led to Valiont, a specialized forensic accounting and insurance claims consulting firm built to help policyholders navigate complex losses with greater clarity and control. Today, Valiont assists organizations with items such as business interruption claims, large claims portfolios, and major property events, to name a few. ... Read More
Property And Casualty Insurance
Barnum Property & Casualty
Bringing Insurance into the Broader Financial Conversation
Joe Vacca, President
Financial advisors spend significant time helping clients grow, preserve and transfer wealth. Yet one important piece of that picture has often remained outside the conversation: protecting those assets from the risks that can quickly affect a financial plan. Barnum Property & Casualty is part of a broader effort to bring property and casualty insurance into the financial planning conversation. The company works with financial advisors and their clients on considerations related to homes, businesses, liability exposure and other areas that can affect an individual’s or family’s financial position. This approach reflects a broader direction in financial services, where clients increasingly expect advice that considers their complete financial lives. ... Read More
Top Subrogation and Recovery Firm 2026
National Subrogation Services
Joe Minnella, Auto Director
Unlike generalist firms or in-house departments, where subrogation is often treated as an afterthought, NSS is purpose-built for one thing: subrogation. That specialization means clients benefit from a team of deeply experienced professionals who live and breathe recovery. Whether pursuing property damage, auto, workers’ compensation, or inland marine subrogation claims, NSS handles the full lifecycle of the subrogation process—from early identification and investigation to negotiation, litigation, and final recovery. This laser-focused expertise is why major insurance companies trust NSS to act as an extension of their own claims operation. Subrogation isn’t just part of what NSS does—it’s all we do, and we do it with precision, speed, and measurable results. ... Read More
Travel Insurance
From Insight to Impact: Turning Analysis into Outcomes
Casey Averett, Director, Claims Operations and Strategy, The General
Claim Management
Insurance Claims Amid Labor Shortages: Trucking and Logistics
Preston LaFrance, Director of Claims, One80 Intermediaries
Claim Management
The Importance of Claim Advocacy in Workers' Compensation
Alexandru Chirita, Workers’ Compensation Manager, Americas, Volvo Cars [STO: VOLCAR-B]
Property And Casualty Insurance
Navigating Complexities: Insights from 35 Years of Commercial Claims Experience
Dewayne Mundell, Head of Litigation & Property Claims, Next Insurance
Underwriting
Shaping the Future of Underwriting and Risk Assessment
Matthew Dybus, Director of Underwriting, North America, Loadsure
IN MY OPINION
Insurance Risk Management
Bringing a Healthcare Standard of Safety to Hospitality Risk Management
Michael J. Munda, J.D., M.Ed., CPHRM, CJCP, Corporate Director of Risk Management and Safety, Grand Sierra Resort
LAST WORD
Underwriting
Fear-Based Underwriting and How It Can Have the Opposite Effect
Tenzie Wilson, Vice President of Group Underwriting, Voya Financial
IN FOCUS
Accelerating Insurance Claims: Integrating Automation and Analytics
Insurance claims are being improved through automation and analytics, enhancing speed, visibility, and customer experience while maintaining professional judgment.
EDITORIAL
Turning Insurance Expertise into Better Outcomes
Insurance is being reshaped by a clearer focus on claims performance, risk discipline, recovery and the integration of technology with human expertise. This issue examines how insurers and their partners are responding to complex losses, evolving risks and the need for greater visibility across the insurance lifecycle.
At the center is Valiont, recognized as Top Insurance Claim Resolution Solutions 2026. This company adopts a collaborative method of dealing with complicated insurance claims that involves forensic accounting, claim management and its own technology to organize information that comes from various parties. On one big portfolio of claims, they were able to reduce the average time of resolution from 864 days to 216 days.
In addition, the issue includes Barnum Property & Casualty as Top Personal and Commercial Insurance Coverage Services 2026 in recognition of its innovative effort to incorporate P&C insurance as part of the overall financial planning process, through the company’s advisor-driven model. National Subrogation Services has been recognized as Top Subrogation and Recovery Firm 2026, tackling the recovery leakage component of claims effectiveness.
Leadership perspectives emphasize the importance of disciplined leadership. Michael J. Munda, Corporate Director of Risk Management and Safety, Grand Sierra Resort, is of the opinion that one should treat safety as a culture and risk management as a strategic function based on preparedness, systems thinking and human accountability. Tenzie Wilson, Vice President of Group Underwriting, Voya Financial, stresses the need for underwriting based on data and not out of fear of risks.
Together, these perspectives underscore a common principle: better insurance outcomes depend on expertise, disciplined processes and informed decision-making. Explore the issue’s featured stories to examine how these approaches are shaping the next phase of insurance performance.
