Miscellaneous

By B. Troy Winch

From October 5-7, 2011, captive industry professionals gathered for the National Risk Retention Association (NRRA) 2011 Annual National Conference at the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton. Titled “RRGs In The 21st Century”, the 2011 conference was the largest conference in the history of NRRA, drawing over 160 attendees and 35 sponsors from all sectors of the alternative market/insurance industry.  It was estimated that well over 150 of the 250 Risk Retention Groups licensed nationwide were represented at the conference.

This annual NRRA event has become known throughout the industry as the preeminent conference with respect to the Risk Retention Group (RRG) industry, presenting speaker panels that are second to none, and this year was no exception.  Sessions covered a wide array of topics, including emerging RRG issues such as new NAIC Risk Focused Exams and Corporate Governance Standards, and the recent victory of the Alliance of Non-Profits for Insurance RRG in litigation brought against them by the Nevada Division of Insurance. 

Additionally, the conference included back-to-back sessions presented by London and American based reinsurance carriers, which enabled attendees to compare and contrast the philosophies of these two markets that are the primary reinsurance supporters of the RRG industry. 

As always, one of the most popular and best attended sessions was the “Regulators Panel,” which discussed topics ranging from the Risk Retention Modernization Act to NAIC Accreditation.  This year’s panelists included Steve Kinion, Director of the Delaware Bureau of Captive and Financial Insurance Products; Dana Sheppard, Associate Commissioner of the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking; George Sumner, Captive Insurance Administrator and Deputy Commissioner for the State of Hawaii; Ronald Krebs, Alternative Risk Transfer Department of the South Carolina Department of Insurance; and David Provost, Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration.

Other notable speakers included Graham White, Deputy Chairman of Lloyd’s of London; Mark Parkinson, former Governor of Kansas and current President and CEO of American Health Care Association; and Vermont Congressman Peter Welch, co-sponsor of the Risk Retention Modernization Act.

A much-appreciated and unique conference feature was a live NRRA Government Affairs Committee meeting, whereby attendees could listen in on issues discussed by NRRA’s largest and most important committee as it addresses the current government affairs issues impacting RRGs nationwide.  As if that weren’t enough, another conference innovation treated attendees to a live International Center for Captive Insurance Education (ICCIE) class presented by Instructors Jon Harkavy of Risk Services, LLC, Skip Myers of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP and Stephanie Mapes of Paul, Frank & Collins.

In other conference news, NRRA introduced Joe Deems as its new Executive Director. Having served on the NRRA Board of Directors for several years and chaired the NRRA Government Affairs Committee for the past three years, Joe is well qualified to guide NRRA into the future and represent its membership in these ever-changing times. 

The Annual NRRA Conference will be returning to the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton in the first week of October in 2012.  Marking NRRA’s 25th Anniversary, this will, no doubt, be a “can’t miss” event for all professionals involved in the RRG industry.

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Troy may be reached by phone at 1-800-226-0793 #305 or by E-mail at twinch@pboa.com
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