Risk Financing and Captives Articles

Latest Articles

Actuarial

The Evolution of Commercial Insurance Pricing

2025-03-07 | Gordon Thompson

Gordon Thompson explains how traditional insurance pricing and earlier rate-making approaches have evolved into modern pricing theory that takes capital commitments into account.

Catastrophe Risk Management

Los Angeles Wildfires: A Debris Removal Megaproject

2025-02-07 | John Putnam

After recently writing about debris removal, John Putnam continues the conversation considering the recent LA wildfires and what insurance and risk management challenges they present.

Catastrophe Risk Management

Wildfire Recovery: The Critical Role of Debris Removal Coverage

2025-02-06 | John Putnam

Very few people consider this insurance until the event happens. Using real-life examples, John Putnam reviews what's covered and what isn't and offers solutions.

Catastrophe Risk Management

FAQs for Surviving Wildfire Losses—Los Angeles County 2025

2025-01-22 | Robin K Olson

IRMI offers information about dealing with wildfire insurance claims in Los Angeles County, California.

Captives

Micro-Captives and Claims Handling

2025-01-03 | F Hale Stewart

Micro-captive claim cases are replete with examples of poor corporate stewardship. Hale Stewart discusses the problems.

Captives

A Brief History of Captive Insurance Law

2025-01-03 | F Hale Stewart

Hale Stewart looks back at the classical definition of insurance, the developing need for captives, the arguments against self-insurance, and the case law on the issue.

Captives

Captives: The Harper Test

2025-01-03 | F Hale Stewart

Hale Stewart examines the history and current legal status of the three factors of the Harper test to determine whether a captive is valid for federal tax purposes.

Reinsurance

Some Thoughts on Reinsurance Security

2024-12-20 | Larry Schiffer

Larry Schiffer addresses why and how a ceding insurer secures the asset provided by the reinsurance arrangement.

Catastrophe Risk Management

Wildfire Smoke Claims: A Hidden Postwildfire Catastrophe

2024-11-22 | John Putnam

Smoke claims are as varied as the fires that cause them. John Putnam examines the characteristics, psychological dimensions, remediation issues, and dispute resolution challenges.