Articles

What Captive Insurers Need To Know about ILS, Alternative Capital, and Reinsurance

September 11, 2017

As Hurricane Irma has left its mark on Florida, and Texas continues the cleanup from Hurricane Harvey, what do these catastrophes imply for the insurance-linked securities (ILS), alternative capital, and reinsurance markets? Read More


How To Optimize a Captive Insurance Company

September 6, 2017

Steve McElhiney of EWI Re, Inc., discusses a time-tested approach to optimizing a single-parent captive insurance company and overlays this approach with key success factors that may be integrated to achieve long-term economic value and superior risk control attributes. Read More


Tom Jones Finds Taxpayer-Positive Interpretation of "Avrahami" Decision

August 31, 2017

While the US Tax Court's "Avrahami" decision qualifies as a taxpayer loss, Tom Jones of McDermott Will & Emery finds positive elements to the decision. He says along the larger continuum of tax concerns relating to captives, the decision provides further clarity and should benefit larger captives. Read More


Lessons Learned from the "Avrahami" Case

August 30, 2017

Much has been shared, and many lessons can be learned from "Avrahami v. Comm'r" and "Feedback Ins. Co., Ltd. v. Comm'r," 149 T.C. 7 (2017). Jeremy and Richard Colombik provide their take on the lessons learned from the case. Read More


How Some Captive Insurers Are Using Technology To Mitigate Risk

August 24, 2017

Industry panelists in Vermont recently discussed how technology is currently being used to mitigate risk in different industries. With advances in technology, organizations and captive insurers are discovering new ways to control costs, improve resource efficiency, and compete more successfully. Read More


The Emotional Intelligence Competencies of an Effective Leader

August 16, 2017

Understanding the difference between leading and managing is understanding the difference between winning and losing in cutthroat markets. Pure managers make the system work, but leaders make things happen. They make the people around them better. Effective leaders should pay attention to and work to master key emotional intelligence competencies. Read More


7 Steps To Increase Employee Retention

July 19, 2017

Employee turnover is costly. In terms of annual salary, cost estimates for losing a position to turnover range from 30-150 percent (hourly employees) up to 250 percent (sales/senior leadership). Developing a strategy that follows seven key steps is critical to the long-term success of an overall employee retention plan. Read More


The Case for Passive "ETF" Investing Grows Stronger for Captives

June 28, 2017

For captives, especially smaller captives or group captives, passive investing can help reduce frictional investment expenses in a low yield, total return environment. A recent S&P webinar and "Wall Street Journal" article strengthen the argument for passive investing, thereby reinforcing a case for captives' use of passive investing. Read More