This year, RISKWORLD is bringing together over 11,000 risk management professionals from more than 70 countries to our hometown of Chicago, IL. Celebrating its 75th anniversary, RISKWORLD unites the risk management community for four full days of cutting-edge educational sessions, prime networking opportunities, and demonstrations of leading innovative solutions. We asked members of Gallagher Bassett’s (GB) Carrier Practice Team for their insights into what to expect, as well as key conference topics that can help you prepare for the future of risk.
What makes RISKWORLD a must-attend event for you year after year?
Joe Berrios (JB): RISKWORLD is a must-attend event for me every year because it provides a great opportunity to connect with industry leaders and network with risk professionals from diverse industries and organizations. The event allows us to spend quality time with key client partners to collaborate on new strategies and risk solutions. There is also a dynamic opportunity to explore topical educational sessions and engage in partnership building with global thought leaders. It is always fascinating to see what innovative solutions are being introduced in the marketplace as well.
Suzanne McCarthy (SM): Attending RISKWORLD each year is a great opportunity to catch up with our partners, meet new prospects, and connect with industry experts. It’s rewarding to participate in presentations and discussions to learn about the challenges, opportunities, and successes our colleagues have experienced since the last RISKWORLD event. Although many changes occur over the span of a year, when we all come together, we often find that the challenges we face are shared by our different partners. This provides an opportunity to collaborate, discuss key initiatives, and further align on goals. It also allows us to express our appreciation for our partners in an environment that facilitates connection on both a personal and professional level.
Jon Stambaugh (JS): RISKWORLD represents a terrific opportunity for us to connect with several key carrier clients to discuss ways to strategically enhance our long-term partnerships. There is so much collaborative energy surrounding our meetings and the event in general. We’re very excited to showcase the progress we’ve made over the last 12 months, specifically in the areas of innovation and operational efficiency, which are potential game-changers for our clients.
Chris Hampshire (CH): RISKWORLD continues to be the annual event that provides the largest concentration of our carrier partners in one location each year. We have the opportunity to host our clients in our meeting suite, engage in in-person conversations about the current state of our partnerships and future plans for profitable growth, and introduce them to our numerous subject matter experts who can outline the latest advances in our technology and service offerings. Beyond that, RISKWORLD provides time to further build our relationships with our clients, future clients, and key strategic partners over multiple days when everyone is together. I consider it the key conference of the year for our Carrier Practice.
What emerging trends or challenges in the risk management and insurance landscape are you most interested in discussing with fellow RISKWORLD attendees?
JB: I’m most interested in trends that advance adaptability and innovation. Embracing cybersecurity resilience, harnessing AI effectively, fostering employee engagement, leveraging advanced risk technologies, and preparing for climate-related risks are essential for navigating the challenges ahead. AI is revolutionizing operational efficiency but also introducing unique risks to our industry. AI solutions continue to expand efficiency and will assist in enhancing clients’ overall experiences and outcomes.
JS: Innovation and the use of AI functionality to enhance operations and claim outcomes are top of mind for our carrier partners. Additionally, I always look forward to discussing current and forecasted market challenges from the perspective of a carrier executive. Headwinds such as managing the talent gap, legacy IT systems, supporting profitable underwriting growth into new products and services, and the ever-changing regulatory landscape are as relevant today as they were a few years ago.
CH: AI was the predominant topic at RISKWORLD last year, with many conversations revolving around how different insurance entities were beginning to deploy and utilize this new technology. This year, I believe the conversation will shift toward the positive results AI is generating, as well as the lessons learned in utilizing this technology. For GB, that means demonstrating to our clients how we’re thoughtfully using AI to reduce the time our Resolution Managers spend on manual tasks. We’re leveraging AI to support our team members in doing their best work more efficiently. Effective claims management is both an art and a science, and we aim to create AI tools that free up our talented claims professionals to use their knowledge and decision-making skills to make the best decisions for our clients.
What exciting developments or initiatives from Gallagher Bassett’s Carrier Practice are you eager to discuss with fellow attendees?
Caryn Siebert: I’m looking forward to discussing the results of our recent whitepaper, Carrier Perspective: 2025 Claims Insights, which covered a variety of topics including cybersecurity resilience, harnessing AI effectively, fostering employee engagement and retention, leveraging advanced risk technologies, and preparing for climate-related and ESG risks. I am also excited about the demos we will be conducting in our suite regarding AI, which I think of as Assisted Intelligence rather than Artificial Intelligence. This approach will continue to yield operational efficiency and superior claims outcomes. AI solutions continue to supplement the skills of our claims and risk professionals and will assist them in enhancing the client’s overall experience and outcomes.
JB: I’m excited to share the advantages of our newly released Claim Summarizer with our clients and interested prospects. This AI tool brings several operational efficiencies to the reassignment of claim files by significantly reducing the time required to review claims that have been reassigned to new Claim Resolution Managers. It offers equal advantages for onboarding legacy portfolios with older claims that have developed significantly over several years. The tool efficiently reviews the claim information and provides a comprehensive summary report in just a few seconds. We are also looking forward to discussing another exciting tool called Email Sentry, which enhances the identification of time-sensitive correspondence for our Resolution Managers.
SM: I’m really excited to continue discussing the advances we’re making with AI, as well as our ongoing commitment to enhancing both the client and employee experience. We’ve implemented strategic internal changes to better align our operations, all in support of our focus on excellence.
CH: I was drawn to GB nearly a decade ago to help launch what was then a new concept—a practice group solely dedicated to the unique needs of carriers and program administrators. Our growth is attributable to the trust our clients have placed in us and our efforts in helping them drive down the total cost of risk for their programs. I’m proud to say that our Carrier Practice group recently crossed the $300 million revenue threshold, and we’re just getting started.
I’m excited to share the recent advances in decision support tools that we’ve deployed to help our Resolution Managers deliver the best outcomes for our clients. In addition, our AI offerings continue to provide targeted and thoughtful advancements. We are also continuing to enhance our mobile application, which has been well received by both clients and claimants.
How can having the right claims and risk management partner, like GB, help organizations navigate challenges and embrace opportunities in an evolving insurance landscape?
JB: Having the right claims and risk management partner, such as GB, can significantly benefit organizations in navigating challenges and embracing opportunities in the evolving insurance landscape. There are several ways this partnership can be advantageous: GB brings extensive expertise and experience in handling claims and managing risks across various industries. This knowledge helps organizations effectively address complex claims and mitigate risks to achieve the best possible outcomes. GB also provides customized solutions and strategies that align with an organization’s specific needs and goals. This tailored approach ensures that the solutions are strategic and effective in addressing unique challenges.
In addition, GB leverages advanced data analytics to provide insights into trends and performance patterns in claims and risks. These insights enable organizations to make informed decisions and adapt to changes in the insurance landscape. With proven regulatory expertise, GB ensures that organizations remain compliant with evolving regulations and industry standards, reducing the risk of legal issues and penalties. GB’s approach to enhanced organizational well-being includes investing in the health, financial well-being, and career growth of its employees. This holistic strategy aligns with organizational goals and fosters a positive work environment, helping to support retention and continued growth.
CH: Having the right resources available and ready to assist during our clients’ times of need is essential. GB recognized a decade ago that the way a traditional self-insured risk management client and a carrier want a claim managed is different—not good or bad by comparison, but different. Our GB Carrier Practice Team has claims, client services, and sales personnel that are dedicated to meeting the unique needs of carriers and program administrators.
We know that our clients look to us to provide the claims talent and technology solutions that help them grow their businesses profitably. I’m excited to be able to show how GB continues to be on the leading edge of the TPA industry again at RISKWORLD 2025.
Meet with GB at RISKWORLD
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