Articles by Joseph S. Harrington, CPCU, ARP

Harrington is a Chicago-area business writer and communications specialist. From 1994 to 2016, he served as director of corporate communications for the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS).

Guest Post: Looming Large: Liability for Flood Losses

Thanks to Friend of the Academy of Insurance, Joe Harringon, for this guest post. Joe is an independent business researcher and writer specializing in property and casualty coverages. He is also a regular instructor with the Academy of Insurance. As …

Many Vehicles, Many Uses, Many Questions

This week’s blog post comes to us from friend of the Academy, Joseph S. Harrington. Joe is a prolific writer, observer, and commentator on the insurance industry. This post is based on his recent Academy webinar by the same title. …

Cyber Risk Score Could Help Insurers Refine Cyber Coverage

The rapidly emerging and evolving world of cyber risk poses a paradox for property/casualty insurers, according to two panelists addressing “Risk Selection in Cyber Insurance” at the Casualty Actuarial Society’s 2018 Ratemaking and Product Management seminar, March 19-21 in Chicago. …

How ‘Exposure Data Tracking’ Is Taking Over Personal Lines Insurance

Today’s insurers want to be there for their customers — literally. With sensors in policyholders’ cars, homes and personal devices, “exposure data tracking” is becoming a competitive imperative in personal lines underwriting and rating. That was the message from two …

The Present Use and Promise of Blockchain in Insurance

Twenty years ago, people who thought that the Internet would completely transform business processes would have been right, but they could also have lost a lot of money investing in “dot com” enterprises that failed. Organizations today find themselves in …

A Risk Pool of One: How Technology Could Make Insurance Obsolete

Will technology make insurance obsolete?” That was the stark question posed by William Hartnett, a former Microsoft and ACORD executive, in his opening address to the 2017 Global Insurance Symposium, April 26-27 in Des Moines. The annual event is sponsored …

How ‘Exposure Data Tracking’ Is Taking Over Personal Lines Insurance

Today’s insurers want to be there for their customers—literally. With sensors of various kinds in policyholders’ cars, homes and personal devices, “exposure data tracking” is rapidly becoming a competitive imperative in personal lines underwriting and rating. That was the message …

Insurance Regulators Exploring Ways to Protect Consumers in Age of Big Data

The incorporation of “Big Data” from Internet-based sources is a defining feature of underwriting and rating in today’s property/casualty insurance market. In light of that, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), through its Big Data Task Force, is exploring …

Will Technology Make Insurance Obsolete?

“Will technology make insurance obsolete?” That was the stark question posed by William Hartnett, a former Microsoft and ACORD executive, in his opening address to the 2017 Global Insurance Symposium, April 26-27 in Des Moines. The annual event is sponsored …

Private Firms Lose Privacy When Liability Battles Reach Courtroom

“It’s like a Kardashian episode.” That outburst from an unidentified person spoke to the fact that private companies can make their affairs very public in bitter courtroom battles over management liability. The comment came during a panel discussion entitled “Is …