AAIS spoke with Lillian Colson, Vice President and Secretary of Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA), the national association for the commercial inland marine insurance industry in the U.S. Colson discussed trends shaping today’s inland marine market, effects of climate change on inland marine, the use of data and technology tools, and what’s new at IMUA, including its upcoming Annual Meeting.

For this Advisory Report, Stephanie Vasey, Product Manager of Commercial Lines & Inland Marine at AAIS sat down with Kevin O’Brien, President and CEO of IMUA, and Tony Falcone, Regional President of Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions and Deputy Chair of IMUA. They discussed the biggest underwriting issues arising due to the economy, the current outlook of the cargo industry’s effect on insurance coverage, what’s new at the IMUA, and more.

There is no understating Bob Guevara’s contributions to AAIS and the Inland Marine insurance community: He transformed thinking about inland marine risks, raising awareness with regulators and creating new rating paradigms and valuable tools and resources for AAIS Member insurers. As he looks forward to retiring after 29 years, and transitions to a consulting role, continuing to support AAIS, Bob spoke with AAIS Views.

Let’s start at the beginning. What first drew you to the insurance industry?

Bob Guevara: When I graduated from college in the 1970s the country was coming out of a recession. There was a lot of instability out there. I wanted to join an industry that would be very stable for the long haul, which led me to insurance. I’ve been in the business ever since – 15 years of inland marine underwriting and 29 at AAIS.

In this edition of CEO Angles, the topic turns to the tremendous changes affecting the Inland Marine insurance market. From supply chain issues and driver shortages to government infrastructure spending, automation, even cryptocurrency, all are putting pressure on inland marine underwriters to respond.

AAIS has been a longtime supporter of the Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA). The national association provides exemplary curriculum, training, and resources to strengthen underwriting in inland marine insurance. Every year, the IMUA holds an annual meeting to provide educational opportunities for professionals of all inland marine backgrounds.