Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience

Mastering Market Shifts: What Independent Insurance Professionals Need to Know Dec 09, 2024

Are you looking for strategies to navigate challenges and seize opportunities in today’s dynamic insurance environment?

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute President Joan Woodward revisits a conversation she had with Charles Symington, President and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), and Sean Ramalho, EVP, Enterprise Distribution Management at Travelers.

Listen as they explore the evolving insurance landscape for independent agents and brokers and share how the Big “I” is supporting its members. Charles also digs into new findings from the Agency Universe Study by Future One, a collaboration of the Big “I” and leading independent agency companies including Travelers.

Learn more about the Big “I”: https://www.independentagent.com/default.aspx

Explore the Agency Universe Study: https://www.independentagent.com/research/agencyuniversestudy/agency-universe.aspx

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Future-Focused: Strategies for Engaging Emerging Talent Nov 24, 2024

Why and how should organizations invest in emerging talent? What are the best strategies for recruiting and retaining tomorrow’s business leaders?

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute President Joan Woodward shares a conversation she had with Shawn VanDerziel, President and CEO of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, and Travelers employees Bruce Soltys, VP, Emerging Talent, and Diana Sanchez, Manager, Economic & Public Policy Insights.

Listen as they discuss strategies, lessons and resources for attracting emerging talent in insurance and beyond.

Learn more about careers at Travelers: https://www.travelers.com/careers

Learn more about Travelers EDGE®: https://www.travelers.com/about-travelers/community/academic-career-success/travelers-edge

Learn more about the National Association of Colleges and Employers: https://www.naceweb.org/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Driving the Transformation Agenda in P&C Insurance Nov 12, 2024

How can organizations leverage technology to drive optimal business outcomes?

Travelers EVP and Chief Technology & Operations Officer, Mojgan Lefebvre, joined the InsurTalk podcast to answer this question and more.

In this special Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience episode, we’re sharing the conversation Mojgan had with InsurTalk host and Guidewire Software Chief Evangelist Laura Drabik. Mojgan shared strategic pillars of successful transformation initiatives and her insights on how to leverage technology.

Learn more about InsurTalk and subscribe: https://guidewireinsurtalk.podbean.com/

Listen to the original episode from InsurTalk: https://guidewireinsurtalk.podbean.com/e/driving-the-transformation-agenda-in-pc-insurance/

Connect with Mojgan Lefebvre on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mojganlefebvre/

Connect with Laura Drabik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauradrabik1/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Employment Practices Liability Explained: What You Need to Know Oct 29, 2024

From hiring and firing to promotions and workplace culture, businesses face daily decisions that affect their employees and could lead to claims of wrongful employment practices. With over 80,000 U.S. workplace discrimination charges filed in 2023, understanding employment practices liability (EPL) is crucial.

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward shares an important conversation she had with Chris Williams, AVP, Executive Liability, and EPL Product Manager at Travelers, and Sarah Skubas, a partner with the Jackson Lewis law firm. Listen as they explore current trends in employment-related insurance claims, recent legal changes, and strategies that employers can use to reduce employment liability risk.

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

From Forecast to Forefront: New Research on the CFO’s Strategic Mindset and Near and Far Trends to Watch Sep 24, 2024

What’s keeping Chief Financial Officers up at night?

In May, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward was joined by Kory Kantenga, Ph.D., Head of Economics, Americas, at LinkedIn, and Eric Divelbiss, EVP and CFO of Orgill, at RISKWORLD® 2024 to examine insights from a new Travelers survey of CFOs. Listen as Kory and Eric discuss how CFOs are approaching risk management, talent shortages, mergers and acquisitions, upskilling and more.

Read “2024 CFO Study: A Travelers Special Report”: https://www.travelers.com/resources/business-topics/business-continuity/cfo-study

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

The Road Ahead: Personal Insurance Market Trends Sep 11, 2024

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward sat down with Bill Zielinski, SVP of Personal Insurance Product at Travelers, and Karen Eckert, SVP of Agent Distribution, Personal Insurance at Travelers. They explored trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the personal insurance landscape and the indispensable role insurance agents and brokers play in this rapidly evolving marketplace. Bill and Karen discussed evolving personal insurance risk dynamics in the context of the changing consumer and highlighted ways that agents, brokers and risk professionals can leverage technology tools and innovative solutions to meet those needs today and into the future.

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Cyber: Prepare, Prevent, Mitigate, Restore® Aug 27, 2024

Ever wonder what it’s like to attend one of the Travelers Institute’s in-person cybersecurity symposia?

Check out this conversation from our April cyber symposium in San Antonio, Texas. Listen as Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute®; Ernesto Ballesteros, Cybersecurity State Coordinator at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA); Rehman Khan, AVP of Cyber Risk Management at Travelers; and Jennifer Coughlin, Partner at Mullen Coughlin, share strategies to prepare for and respond to a cyber incident.

Visit the Travelers Institute® cyber readiness hub to learn more and to find a cyber event near you: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/cyber-security/cyber-readiness

Access more resources on CISA’s website: https://www.cisa.gov/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Geopolitical Risks and Global Hot Spots: A Conversation with Dr. Richard Haass Jul 31, 2024

On this podcast episode, veteran diplomat and respected international relations scholar Dr. Richard Haass joined Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward to discuss the current global landscape. He shared insights on geopolitical risks and what they might mean for society, including the business community. He also reflected on the state of American democracy and its international implications.

Learn about Dr. Haass’ latest book, “The Bill of Obligations”: https://www.cfr.org/book/bill-obligations

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

How Technology Innovations Are Improving Distracted Driving Data and Advancing Safety (Part 2) Jul 10, 2024

In Part 2 of our two-part podcast series on distracted driving, we continue to share the conversation we had at the 2024 Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety. Listen as Johnathon P. Ehsani, Ph.D., M.P.H., from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Kit Delgado, M.D., M.S., from University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; and Ryan McMahon, from Cambridge Mobile Telematics, explore how technology helps assess crash rates caused by distraction, improve data collection and promote safer driving habits.

For tips on combating distracted driving, visit the Travelers Institute® page for its Every Second Matters® initiative: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/distracted-driving

Learn more about Cambridge Mobile Telematics: https://www.cmtelematics.com/

Learn more about the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit: https://chti.upenn.edu/behavioral-interventions-increase-seatbelt-use-and-decrease-distracted-driving

Learn more about the Lifesavers Conference: https://lifesaversconference.org/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

From the Driving Range to Driving Change: Inside the Travelers Championship® Jun 17, 2024

Many of the world’s top golfers are at this year’s Travelers Championship®, which is one of the PGA TOUR®’s Signature Events and the only PGA TOUR event in the Northeast this year. Nathan Grube, Tournament Director of the Travelers Championship, and Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers, sat down with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward to give an exclusive behind-the-scenes preview of this world-class sports event that has generated more than $28 million for over 900 nonprofits since 2007.

Learn more about the Travelers Championship®: https://travelerschampionship.com/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

How Technology Innovations Are Improving Distracted Driving Data and Advancing Safety (Part 1) Jun 04, 2024

Distracted driving has historically been an underreported traffic safety issue. However, advancements in technology, data modeling and AI are providing innovative solutions, such as telematics programs, to help better identify and curb risky driving behaviors.

In Part 1 of our two-part podcast series on distracted driving, we’re sharing a conversation we had at the 2024 Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety. Listen as our expert panel discusses how technology helps assess crash rates caused by distraction, improve data collection and promote safer driving habits.

For tips on talking about distracted driving, visit the Travelers Institute’s Every Second Matters® initiative: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/distracted-driving

Learn more about Cambridge Mobile Telematics: https://www.cmtelematics.com/

Learn more about the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit: https://chti.upenn.edu/behavioral-interventions-increase-seatbelt-use-and-decrease-distracted-driving

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

“Who Gets What” – Setting Compensation After Tragedy May 21, 2024

Kenneth R. Feinberg, renowned mediation expert and Special Master of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, sat down with Travelers Institute^® President Joan Woodward to discuss his experience overseeing high-profile victim compensation funds, including for 9/11, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Boston Marathon bombing. Feinberg discussed the personal and professional challenges of taking on these cases and the difficult process of deciding compensation after the tragic loss of human life.

Referenced in the show:

Read “Who Gets What: Fair Compensation after Tragedy and Financial Upheaval” by Kenneth R. Feinberg: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kenneth-r-feinberg/who-gets-what/9781586489779/

Watch the movie “Worth”: https://www.netflix.com/title/80226212

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

AI and the Future of Insurance with Travelers EVP and Chief Technology & Operations Officer Mojgan Lefebvre May 07, 2024

How should businesses prioritize emerging technology? How does a company successfully adopt AI?

Travelers EVP and Chief Technology & Operations Officer Mojgan Lefebvre recently joined the Enterprise Software Innovators (ESI) podcast to answer these questions and more.

In this special Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience episode, we’re sharing the conversation Mojgan had with ESI hosts Evan Reiser, from Abnormal Security, and Saam Motamedi, from Greylock Partners. They discussed integrating emerging technology into enterprise operations, prioritizing the customer experience through data-driven insights and the importance of culture for successful AI adoption.

Referenced in the show:

Learn more about ESI: https://www.enterprisesoftware.blog/esi-podcast

Read “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott: https://www.radicalcandor.com/the-book/

Read “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Why-We-Sleep/Matthew-Walker/9781501144325

Connect with Evan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanreiser/

Connect with Saam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saammotamedi/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Navigating the Rapidly Changing World of Professional and Financial Lines Insurance Apr 23, 2024

Professional and financial lines insurance are increasingly important to carriers and brokers.

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward revisits a conversation she had with Travelers’ Jeff Klenk, Aon’s Christine Williams and Marsh’s Michelle Sartain as they drilled down into industry trends and shared strategies to address pain points in lines of coverage.

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Retirement Playbook: Your Guide to Life After Insurance Apr 09, 2024

Are you retiring soon or just curious about the process? Wondering what you’ll do with your days after decades spent building a successful career and business? Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward recently sat down with Mark and Jody Rollins, two former top insurance industry executives who are now retirement coaches. They shared their personal journey navigating the post-career world and how they reimagined and transformed their retirement into a time of meaning and purpose.

Referenced in the show:

Visit Mark and Jody's website, Retirement Transformed: https://retirementtransformed.com/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Reclaiming the Lost Art of Connecting Mar 26, 2024

How do you feel about your business network these days? If traditional networking strategies just aren’t cutting it or are feeling too transactional, it may be time for a new approach. “Serial connector” and communications expert Susan McPherson, author of "The Lost Art of Connecting," joined the Travelers Institute® for a primer on building authentic and meaningful business relationships.

Referenced in the show:

Read “The Lost Art of Connecting”: https://www.thelostartofconnecting.com/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

How to Negotiate Without Fear with Expert Strategist Victoria Medvec Mar 12, 2024

Whether it’s a high-stakes corporate takeover or simply your kids’ bedtime, life is filled with negotiations. What are the best strategies for increasing negotiating confidence, maximizing success and losing the fear that holds many of us back? Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward sat down with Dr. Victoria Medvec, a renowned expert in negotiating and executive decision making, to talk about strategies, tips and tricks that will help you refine your negotiating game.

Referenced in the show:

Read “Negotiate Without Fear: Strategies and Tools to Maximize Your Outcomes”: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Negotiate+Without+Fear%3A+Strategies+and+Tools+to+Maximize+Your+Outcomes-p-9781119719113

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

The How and Why of D&I with Travelers’ Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Feb 27, 2024

How can organizations foster a diverse and inclusive culture, and how do companies build diversity and inclusion (D&I) into policies and hiring practices? Travelers’ Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Dr. Lauren Young, joined the Travelers Institute® to share some of her experiences leading Travelers’ enterprisewide D&I program.

Referenced in the show:

50 Ways to Fight Bias: https://leanin.org/50-ways-to-fight-gender-bias

Learn more about D&I at Travelers: https://www.travelers.com/about-travelers/diversity

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Cyber Readiness: 5 Critical Steps for Your Organization Feb 13, 2024

If your organization hasn’t implemented cyber-readiness practices, or doesn’t know where to start, this episode is for you. Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward spoke with Mullen Coughlin’s Carolyn Purwin Ryan and Travelers’ Tim Francis to get a deep dive into five key cybersecurity practices you can begin implementing today.

Referenced in the show:

Visit the Travelers Institute® Cyber Readiness Hub: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/cyber-security/cyber-readiness

Find more resources on the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s website: https://www.cisa.gov/

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Smart Brevity®: Power Up Productivity with Clearer Workplace Communications Jan 31, 2024

“Lost in a fog of words.” That’s how our guest describes how we all feel when we read a wordy email or news story.

How do we make our work communications more effective and to the point?

Mike Allen, co-founder of Axiosand Politico and co-author of the bestselling book “Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less,” joined Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward to share his transformative method for punching through the noise to get people to pay attention to what matters most.

Referenced in the show:

Read “Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less”: https://www.axios.com/smart-brevity

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

A Conversation with Travelers Chairman and CEO Alan Schnitzer Jan 16, 2024

In today’s inaugural episode of the Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience podcast, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward shares the remarkable conversation that she had on a recent Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar with Travelers CEO and Chairman Alan Schnitzer.

Joan sat down with Alan for a discussion about leadership during times of uncertainty and rapid change.

Referenced in the show:

Alan’s book recommendation: “Divided We Fall,” by David French: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250201973/dividedwefall

Learn more about Citizen Travelers^SM: https://www.travelers.com/about-travelers/citizen-travelers

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Introducing Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience Jan 02, 2024

Welcome to the Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience podcast, where we explore issues at the intersection of business, insurance and public policy. Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward hosts candid conversations with thought leaders from across industry and government, weighing in on today’s biggest challenges.

We’re kicking things off with some of our favorite highlights from our webinar series, Wednesdays with Woodward®, specifically tailored for our podcast.

Our podcast will include exclusive content, so stay tuned for more. And thanks for joining us.

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Learn more about Wednesdays with Woodward®: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/webinar-series