James W. Macdonald, CPCU, ARM

Mr. Macdonald writes articles on terrorism risk management and insurance for IRMI.com.

Since mid-2006, Mr. Macdonald has been engaged full time as a consultant, writer, and research analyst of the insurance and reinsurance markets. In addition, he has served as principal of JW Macdonald Associates LLC, specializing in expert witness and strategic consulting services for insurers, reinsurers, policyholders, brokers, investors, and regulators. Since beginning his underwriting career in 1971, he has developed a broad range of experience as a reinsurer, insurer, captive insurance company consultant, managing general agent, and surplus lines broker with industry leaders including ACE-INA, AIG, CNA, Munich Re, General Re, and Marsh McLennan. His two main consulting specialties are as an expert witness or arbitrator in disputes related to commercial insurance or reinsurance matters, and in providing strategic services such as performing due diligence assessments on possible acquisition targets for investment bankers and performing underwriting reviews for insurers or reinsurers. He has completed engagements on behalf of insurers, reinsurers, policyholders, brokers, regulators, lawyers, think tanks, and private equity investors.

Over the past 20 years, Mr. Macdonald has become a well-known thought leader in the insurance industry, authoring dozens of articles and presentations on issues ranging from the impact of managed care on medical malpractice to the need for state regulatory reform to improve insurer solvency. Presentations include the NAIC and IAIR conventions in Colorado in March 2010, as well as a special session to Wharton graduate students on the challenge of underwriting terrorism risk in the aftermath of 9/11.

Notable publications include: "Medical Malpractice: A Prescription for Chaos" published by Conning & Company in 2001, and "Terrorism& Insurance: Are We Asking the Right Questions?" published by the John Liner Review in 2004. Most recently, he coauthored a major report for the State of California assessing the reasons for workers compensation insurer insolvencies between 2000–2003. He also authored new chapters on reinsurance and traditional reinsurance for IRMI's Risk Financing publication. He has also been published by RAND.

He has served as a Senior Fellow on the adjunct staff of RAND's Institute for Civil Justice. Mr. Macdonald has a bachelor of arts degree in literature and philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, and he has completed graduate studies in philosophy at the New School. He has also earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM) professional designations, as well as resident licenses as a retail and surplus lines producer, and certification as an arbitrator by ARIAS—US.