FOCUS RIMS 2019

RIMS

FOCUS 2019

Scott R. Hudson

President and CEO
GALLAGHER BASSETT

AWARDS

[ 8 YEARS RUNNING ]

2018 Forbes Best Top-rated TPA in 2018 Captive Claims
Companies to Work For 2018 RMIS Report Management Firm of the Year

Most Highly Regarded 2018 Comp Laude 2018 Insurance Industry
Insurer/TPA for Casualty Award Winner Innovation of the Year

Claims Handling

Florida Workers' 2018 Innovation Award for 2018 Business Insurance
Compensation Institute SMART Solutions Future Leaders Award Winner

Hall of Fame

table of contents

3 WELCOME | Beyond the Business

Scott Hudson

5 FOCUS | Claims Management

Mike Hessling

8 SPOTLIGHT | Talent

Chenoa Daley

10 FOCUS | Risk Management Practice

Carrie Cannataro, Joe Zinga

11 FOCUS | Carrier Practice

Dawn Griffin

12 SPOTLIGHT | SMART Solutions

Joe Powell

14 SPOTLIGHT | Treatment Quality IndexTM

Jeff White

15 FOCUS| Captive Practice

Gordy Padera

18 SPOTLIGHT | Industry Groups

Kapil Mohan, Mary McGurn, Tim Kelly

19 FOCUS | Specialty Liability Group

Rob Blasio

21 SPOTLIGHT | Transportation

Keith Dunlap

22 FOCUS | Environmental Risk Group

Chip D’Angelo, Cynthia Randall

24 FOCUS | International

Jon Winsbury, Stacey Williams

FOCUS |2

Beyond the Business

Dear Readers, Scott R. Hudson
Welcome to the first issue of FOCUS, a Gallagher Bassett magazine representing
the many voices of GB. President and CEO
Why a magazine and not a brochure or a series of one-sheets to explain who we are
and what we do? Well, magazines are all about context; how ideas and images are
presented in relation to one another and within a larger point of view. Magazines help
people learn from different points of view. It’s only from the voice of a person that we
build trust and partnership, so I’m proud to share FOCUS with you because as the
President and CEO of GB, I’m just one voice in our company.
There are so many people at GB you need to hear from, and I hope you take the time to
read, and get to know them a little better.
Inside this magazine, you’ll see how the combination of the right people, processes, and
products, all working together, give risk managers and all of our clients the end-to-end
solutions for all of their needs.
I believe great results come from passionate people with a purpose. Well, our purpose is
to help people face unexpected loss, and uncertain futures, with confidence. We do that
by providing expertise, innovation and quality, wrapped in a unique culture, that delivers
the best results.
You may already know GB as a company of stability and growth, handling workers’
compensation and general liability claims since 1962. We’re still that. But, we’re also
so much more. New acquisitions, new divisions with new leaders, and new global
capabilities give GB the ability to help our clients prevent, manage, and resolve
any type of claim, anywhere in the world.
I hope you enjoy our FOCUS, and ask you to provide me with feedback about our
new magazine, our company, and our unique solutions to the needs facing the risk
management and claims industry. You can email me at [email protected].
And, if you find yourself in the Chicagoland area and want to see our beautiful
headquarters and meet more of our passionate people, please let me know.
I’d be happy to personally give you a tour.
Guide. Guard. Go Beyond.

Scott Hudson
3| FOCUS

Are you managing
in the dark?

Other RMIS solutions

LUMINOS lights the way to better outcomes
through innovative analytic capabilities and the

most robust RMIS platform in the TPA industry.

To learn how LUMINOS can bring brighter insights to
your program, visit us at gallagherbassett.com

|

FOCUS A conversation with

Michael Hessling

Executive Vice President
Chief Client Officer

Claims Management

Inside a brightly lit conference room off the Talent & Acquisition Development team use to
bustling common meeting area at Gallagher evaluate potential additions to our team. We
Bassett’s Home Office, Mike Hessling put the consider thousands of applicants annually,
cap back on his marker and laid it on the tray of individuals who are drawn to our warm, support-
the dry erase board. In front of us was a com- ive culture and reputation of delivering claim
prehensive view of Claims Management at GB. service excellence for our clients. Folks know GB
is a great place to work, and our ability to attract
Mike highlighted and boxed a number of and retain talent proves it.
words on the board. But one stood out above
the rest. Expertise. Once onboard, we support
our team through continuous
“Claims Management is, first “Claims Management training on technical, business
and foremost, a people and leadership skills. When
business,” said Mike Hessling, is, first and foremost, you are confident in your
GB’s Executive Vice President a business by and skills, it shows in the way you

and Chief Client Officer. for people.” guide claimants, clients and
“When it comes right down to other stakeholders throughout
it, we put lives back together the claim process.
and rely on the expertise of our claim profes-
sionals to make that happen seamlessly. These individual skills are supplemented by GB’s
institutional knowledge, which manifests in the
For Mike Hessling, expertise in Claims Manage- form of best practices, innovative solutions and
ment can be depicted as three concentric circles. decision-support tools which help manage the
end-to-end claim process. In essence, the collec-
The Center – Our Claims Professionals tive wisdom and experience of all resolution
At the center of Claims Management is the managers has been harnessed through these
individual resolution manager. From the first institutional capabilities – meaning every claim
notice of loss through ultimate claim resolutions, has years of experience and expertise behind it.
our claims professionals quarterback the claim
process through their unique blend of skills. Building and maintaining the best team isn’t just
Technical expertise, empathy, time management, about skills, it’s also about ensuring each team
business acumen, intellectual curiosity – all are member is motivated and passionate about their
hallmarks of GB’s exceptional claims team. impact. A great way to reinforce this passion is
through recognition programs, which celebrate
Of course, building a team with these traits the best of our team and culture. Throughout the
doesn’t just happen; these are the criteria our year we celebrate the great work of our teams

5| FOCUS

and individuals through branch celebrations, whose prompt claim resolution encourages
Spotlight awards and our Top 100 resolution repeat visits to a restaurant. For carrier clients,
manager program, which culminates with a we might seek early reserve certainty to drive
day-long recognition of our very best claims improved underwriting results or another might
talent – a thrill for our entire Executive team. desire white-glove service to cater to indus-
The Next Layer - Claim Outcomes try-specific clientele. And for our captive
and Insights clients, the business outcome might be defined
Delivering superior outcomes is not just about as ownership – of loss control decisions, of
actions on individual claims. It’s also about being claim strategy and ultimately financial impact to
able to see the forest for the trees, to see patterns their business.
and generate insights that drive action within a Each segment is unique – all with the goal of
claims portfolio – whether on an individual client delivering superior outcomes to their business. This
program or across GB’s book of business. is why we’ve organized GB into distinct Practices

This is the mission of our Analytics
team – to evaluate claim
outcomes, to identify patterns and
continuously ask “why” and
“what can we do to drive better
results?” Innovations we’ve made
in benchmarking, like SMART,
allow us to isolate what’s causing Expertise
performance differences to
continuously evolve our best
practices and advise clients on
how to achieve better claim
outcomes for their organizations.
We’ve just started to scratch the surface of what’s around client segments (Risk Management,
possible through the capabilities of our team and Carrier and Captive) and why we continue to
analytic tools like SMART, LUMINOS and Legal- drive insights regarding what matters most to
Score. I’m very excited for what the future holds industry verticals and each individual client.
for GB, our clients and the industry in this area!
In the pages that follow you’ll meet leaders from
The Outer Ring – Business Outcomes our client segments, who will share the exciting
and Client Alignment work we are doing to fulfill our vision – to be the
While any two people can likely agree on com- premier provider of risk and claims management
ponents of a successful claim outcome (duration, services, with demonstrably superior outcomes.
cost, MMI), this remains only a subset of the
broader goal for clients across our industry – For our current clients, thank you for your confi-
business outcomes. For risk management clients, dence in GB, it is an honor to serve you and your
business outcomes might be defined as a highly organizations. For prospective clients, what are
motivated and engaged workforce (where claim you waiting for? The future is very bright at GB!
experience matters most) or a satisfied customer

FOCUS |6

GET THE
OUTCOMES
YOU WANT.

FOCUS ON
WHAT MATTERS.

SPOTLIGHT TALENT

Since 2002, Chenoa Daley’s dedication to intrinsically understand customer service and
quality performance, talent development, and her those who instinctively come from a place of care
persistent drive to make Gallagher Bassett an and compassion,” Chenoa paused, “We can
employer of choice have propelled her rise to teach the rest.” Specific HR onboarding programs
become GB’s Global Vice President for Human have been tailored to meet the needs of people
who come to GB with transferable skills, which
Resources. She was immediately open career opportunities to the right
appointed to this global people, at the right time, with the right attitude.
leadership position in Paths To Growth
October, and we were GB focuses on sourcing talent with the right
pleased to be able to attitude who we can grow to be great. GB
meet with Chenoa earlier University is one of the leading pathways to
this year to talk about employee growth. “GB University employs
talent at GB. recruiting tools and strategies to target the best
From The Top talent, provides positive new hire experiences that
For Chenoa, the GB talent strategy depends on increase employee retention, provides robust
the principle that strong, sustained performance role-based training and mentoring, and focused
from all employees is critical to organizational engagement and recognition programs,”
success. “Our people are our strength and we explained Chenoa.
support one another. We hold each other GB recognizes that employee growth comes in
accountable, and our actions and behaviors many forms. Chenoa concluded, “Throughout the
directly impact performance ratings and compen- organization we have embedded Inclusion &
sation,” said Chenoa, a passionate believer in Diversity programs, corporate ethics resources,
evaluating the whole person when determining and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
GB’s highest performers. “We believe in transpar- initiatives that foster an environment where
ency; we share information with our people about people have a purpose, can be themselves at
talent processes and the talent decisions that work, can realize their full potential, and feel
personally affect them.” good about who they are at GB.”
Finding The Best For This Business Meeting with Chenoa certainly confirmed our title
Chenoa’s mission is to attract the right talent, and message—passionate people with a purpose
help them grow to deliver exceptional service, drive this organization forward.
and achieve demonstrably superior outcomes.
Certainly this involves attracting the best talent in
the industry, and those with the obvious technical
skills. Beyond this, “We look for people who

FOCUS |8

Gallagher Bassett’s Litigation Management Program (GBLMP) offers solutions that help risk
managers effectively manage legal spend and their counsel to produce better claim outcomes.
We leveraged our data and analytics to develop an integrated suite of solutions that include

LegalSpend, our comprehensive bill review tool, and LegalScore, which generates a
fair comparison of law firm performance.

GBLMP solutions is the next generation in litigation management to help
risk managers achieve their ultimate goal. Superior Claim Outcomes.

LITIGATION
MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM

For more information about GB’s Litigation Management Program solutions,
please contact Chris Carucci at [email protected]

FOCUS A conversation with

Carrie Cannataro
& Joe Zinga

Risk Management Practice

Earlier this April, we met up with GB Senior Vice these run throughout our
Presidents, Carrie Cannataro and Joe Zinga at practice industry verticals.
our corporate Home Office in Rolling Meadows.
We talked about the key factors that set GB’s Risk Beyond front-line opera-
Management Practice apart. tions, the Risk Management
Practice emphasizes the
“The experience that truly matters most in our connection between individ-
business is that of our clients,” offered Carrie, ual claim transactions and a client’s larger finan-
who oversees some of the longest-standing risk cial picture. “Explaining the impact of our claims
management claims programs in the organiza- practices to our client’s financial results inspires our
tion. Nodding in full agreement, Joe added, “It’s teams to perform at their highest level,” said
our job to make our risk manager Carrie, recalling specific instances
clients heroes in the eyes of their of GB’s claims services positively
companies. And when they win, “Experience is at the affecting collateral positions and
we celebrate their success right heart of GB’s value overall client financial stability.
alongside them.”
proposition.”

A Cultural Fit Cultivating Innovation
The breadth of the industries served by the
The GB Risk Management Practice knows and Risk Management Practice enables a cross-col-
embraces its clients’ histories and celebrates their laboration of the best claims practices and
unique cultures. “We share the same bond to our data-driven insights for its clients. “I’ve seen
client’s product and services,” said Carrie, recall- cost-allocation models applied from one sector
ing the full gamut of shared client engagement to another,” said Joe. “And every day, we’re
experiences during her career. “We partner with recommending targeted loss control initiatives
our clients to protect their most critical assets—their that result from cross-industry data.” The scope
people and their brands.” of the Risk Management Practice creates
powerful creative insights and continuous
Understanding Their Business improvement ideas for our clients.
To best serve the business needs of its national
clients, the Risk Management Practice tailors claims As we finished our conversation, Carrie summed
services to meet the needs of its client’s operations. it up best, “Our deep understanding of our
“Take our food service clients as one example,” clients’ unique cultures, business practices, and
Joe suggested. “We’ve adapted our claims com- program needs allows our Risk Management
munication practices to respect the schedules of Practice to truly shine.”
restaurant staff to avoid peak hours, and to limit
disruptions to business operations.” Insights like

FOCUS |10

FOCUS A conversation with

Dawn Griffin

SVP, Carrier Practice

Carrier Practice

When we asked Dawn Griffin to offer a few experience. Landing on the model of claims
words to describe GB’s Carrier Practice, she service is a first design principle of the Carrier
didn’t hesitate. “Consistent, transparent, mea- Practice. No matter the model chosen, the foun-
sured, process,” she offered emphatically. dation supporting the model combines compre-
“These are the cornerstones of the Carrier hensive quality review, precise measurement, and
Practice. Everything we build starts from here.” rigorous process orientation.

For GB’s Carrier Practice, building is an everyday Remodeling
occurrence, and Dawn Griffin is the architect of its A carrier’s decision to partner with a claims
claims operation. We sat down in her impeccable management firm follows a consultative pathway
Rolling Meadows office, as she sketched her from due diligence, to transitional capabilities, to
vision of the practice. stewardship feedback. This process blends carrier
A Carrier Perspective objectives and claims functionality to arrive at the
GB Carrier Practice is an extension of GB’s optimal claims management experience. Suc-
culture of innovation. Carrier Practice platform, cessful ventures require the coordination of
which was constructed in collaboration with policy data to a robust claims system and proper
insurers, intentionally veers from the TPA model. alignment of the carrier’s brand to the claims
GB Carrier Practice is a dedicated, cross-func- management operation.
tional team assembled to meet the unique goals Turnkey
and objectives of insurance carriers, managing Ensuring a seamless transition throughout the
general agents, and alternative risk managers. carrier/claims partnership depends on critical
The Practice serves over 150 carriers, from business planning. Identifying proper data
start-ups to legacy firms, with claim payments transfer protocols, developing human resources
exceeding $1.6 billion annually. and rebadging strategies, and accounting for
Where Design And Functionality Meet supplemental staffing needs form the entryway to
A carrier’s lines of business, the expectations of the new carrier claims department. Once inside,
its consumers, and the complexity of its insured the ongoing program stewardship and accessi-
losses determine the extent to which claim bility of program status become the internal
servicing can be commoditized or customized. controls that will fine tune the structure.
Depending on the nature of the insurance product, With the combination of leadership, claims
customers may need a speedy fulfillment acumen, and effective design, the Carrier Practice
process. On the other hand, insureds in a casualty at Gallagher Bassett is building strong.
loss may need a far more customized claims

11| FOCUS

SPOTLIGHT SMART
SOLUTIONS

On March 21st, at the U.S. Insurance Awards
Dinner in New York City, Joe Powell, Vice
President of Analytics strode across the main
stage. He was greeted by the Editor of Business
Insurance and a rousing applause from the
audience, punctuated by some extra cheers from
his team at Table 34.

Joe proudly represented Gallagher Bassett as he
accepted the 2018 Business Insurance
Innovation Award for the development of the
Severity Mix Adjusted Rating Technique (SMART)
methodology for professional risk managers.

SMART was developed to be a more mean- Joe Powell accepts BI Innovation Award from
ingful benchmark. Standard TPA benchmarks Gavin Souter, Editor Business Insurance
typically compare client claim data to an
entire book-of-business or, at best, data from ______________________________________
similar industries. While instructive, traditional To learn more about how Gallagher Bassett
benchmarks lack the refined approach of the uses analytics to drive demonstrably superior
SMART solution. outcomes, we recommend you watch The Guide
GB’s SMART methodology powers GB’s ability Line. This easy-to-watch video series dives into
to evaluate client program performance, benchmarking, big data, and how to get the
solution effectiveness, and the impact of GB most out of your insurance program.
and client practices on outcomes by enabling
apples-to-apples comparisons of claims and To watch Joe Powell’s Guide Line video series
results. Through our state-of-the-art claim com- on our YouTube play list, scan this QR code.
plexity rating algorithm, SMART incorporates an
extensive number of claim-level characteristics to
gauge expected claim severity. Factors used to
develop this proprietary benchmark include
benefit jurisdiction, job classifications, litigation
indicators, diagnosis codes, comorbidity indicators,
and narcotic usage.

FOCUS |12

The Right Care. At the Right Time.
For the Right Reason.

Learn more about GB’s end-to-end integrated platform
of medical management services and solutions that can
drive superior outcomes for your programs and your people.

SPOTLIGHT TREATMENT
QUALITY INDEXTM

For Jeff White, Senior Vice President for these rapid changes, the industry has lagged in
Workers’ Compensation, Gallagher Bassett’s its ability to optimize medical care to improve
patent pending Treatment injured worker outcomes. Consequently, medical
Quality Index™ (TQI) management strategies have not evolved
performs one the most beyond yesterday’s elementary cost-driven, not
important functions in “care-driven” measures.
pursuit of superior medical
outcomes in workers’ Making Tomorrow Today
compensation—it makes Bringing state-of-the-art, safe and effective care
the complex simple. to all injured workers requires a fundamental
change in claims management.
Clinically Effective “A new standard for Proactive, value-based clinical
TQI incorporates the latest quality need to be the new norm.
clinical research and data claims management The claims management strate-
analytics drawn from the and outcomes with gies of tomorrow must be
GBCARE platform to improve a comprehensive evidence-based. They must
claims handling. Diagnosis anticipate the needs of our
creep, inconsistent clinical clients and be based on the best
treatment plans, and potent measure of quality available scientific knowledge,
narcotics have increased the of care.” and seek to improve quality of

complexity of the claim popula- care to ensure optimal and
tion over the last decade. Containing medical consistent care. The means by which we can
cost for clients and improving outcomes for reliably achieve this goal is the implementation
injured workers now goes far beyond the imple- of the Treatment Quality Index™.
mentation of simple price and utilization controls.
With TQI, Gallagher Bassett establishes a
new standard for claims management and _______________________________
outcomes with a comprehensive measure of
quality of care.
If you would like to learn more

Simplifying the Design about TQI, please contact Jeff White
The growing complexity of today’s medicine is [email protected]

characterized by more—more to know, more to
do, more to control, more to watch, and more
people involved. More makes workers’ compen-
sation claims more difficult to manage. Faced with

FOCUS |14

FOCUS A conversation with

Gordy Padera

Executive Vice President
Captive Practice and Risk Control

Captive Practice

It was a crisp spring Saturday in suburban data-driven insights. GB uses proprietary online
Chicago as we pulled up the long driveway. educational materials to train the Captive Practice
The lawn alongside the pavement was immaculate. on the important aspects of group captive
Stepping off his riding mower was Gordy Padera, management to build the team’s knowledge of
Executive Vice President for the Captive Practice captive management. Senior managers teach
and Risk Control at GB. “Thanks for meeting out branch-level courses on risk sharing to educate
here,” Gordy said, as he led us to his back patio. their dedicated resolution mangers on critical
“Now, this is my kind of off-site meeting.” areas of captive financing.

As the Captive Practice leader, Gordy travels the The outcomes speak for themselves.
globe serving group captives domiciled outside
the United States. To meet him at home was a Taking Home The Award
double privilege. Last August, GB was named the Captive Claims
Management Firm of the Year. U.S. Captive
“There’s something about Review Awards recognize
ownership that inspires incre- “The principal providers of captive insurance
mental improvement,” said defining feature of services who outperform their
Gordy, looking around his yard captive insurance competitors and demonstrate
and patio, taking mental note of is ownership.” excellence to this market. The
the rest of his cherished weekend judges were “impressed by
homework. “I was thinking Gallagher Bassett’s evident
about our discussion as I finished customer service and its diverse
up the side yard just now. My one word to portfolio of captive clients with an evident com-
describe the Captive Practice is ‘ownership.’” mitment to new technology and innovation.”

Ownership Builds Equity Owning the Responsibility
The principal feature of captive insurance is “We won that award because of the dedicated
ownership. When a member company enters a work of the resolution managers and account
captive, it’s no longer a purchaser of risk and managers in the Captive Practice, day in and day
insurance. It becomes a risk portfolio owner and out.” Gordy said, boasting with the same pride
an equity stakeholder of an insurance company. he holds for his home and property. “If there ever
This mindset changes everything. was a time when each claim counted, it was that
The Captive Practice has built a tailored claims night in August.”
management model with nuanced reserve That’s the way to own your responsibilities.
reporting, incorporated risk control, and

15| FOCUS

8 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

Integrity is what you do
when no one is watching.

But it sure is nice when
you’re noticed.

Wherever business takes you,
THE NETWORK is there for you.

Your easy access to the News Network
latest insights, news and
people shaping the risk
and insurance industry.

News in the palm
of your hand.

THE
NETWORK

TSOUBDSACYR! IBE

news.gallagherbassett.com

SPOTLIGHT INDUSTRY
GROUPS

We caught up with one of the newest leaders in liability claims within the restau-
Gallagher Bassett’s Risk Management Practice, rant industry space. Tim and the
Restaurant Industry group
Kapil Mohan, Senior Vice developed case studies and
President of Account analyzed outcomes across a
Management. “I am so sampling of similar clients to
excited by the opportunity to determine the financial impact
work the with Risk Manage- of video surveillance. They studied the statistical
ment Practice at Gallagher correlation between the presence of video
Bassett,” said Kapil as we took surveillance technology and claim outcomes.
a seat in the airport lounge at Visit GB’s acclaimed on-line newsroom, The
O’Hare, en route to a partnership meeting. Kapil Network, to view Tim’s work in the most recent
added, as passengers hustled by, “Supporting edition of Industry Insights.
and advancing our Industry Practice Groups is In a separate study, Mary
one of our leading initiatives.” McGurn, Vice President
For GB’s Industry Practice Groups, thought and leader of the Retail Group,
leadership means just that – thinking critically found that claims related to
about relevant industry issues and leading clients violence in the retail space has
to the practices and ideas that will produce increased over 68% in the last
demonstrably superior outcomes. five years, as compared to a
Taking Off 6% increase in non-violent claims. This statistic is
The Industry Groups are made up of experts from a sobering reminder that, beyond the financial
Account Management, Claims Management, and losses, human lives are affected by workplace
Analytics, working together to analyze the Risk violence. Retail risk managers have become
Management Practice’s main industry verticals, aware that one shoplifting incident can unfortu-
from Retail, to Food Service, to Hospitality and nately turn into a workers’ compensation claim or
beyond. These teams study, write, and publish on a liability claim, such as allegations of discrimi-
pertinent topics, and, at the same time, develop nation or false imprisonment. These can affect
best practices and industry insights to serve GB’s total cost of risk. Mary and the team detail their
customers, broker partners, and the market. full findings in an edition of Industry Insights from
In-flight Information earlier this quarter.
Tim Kelly, Vice President and leader of the The Industry Practice Groups’ editorial calendars
Restaurant and Food Service Practice, recently are loaded with top-flight content. Stay tuned
evaluated the impact that closed circuit television to The Network and GB media channels for
has on both workers' compensation and general more information.

FOCUS |18

FOCUS A conversation with

Rob Blasio

Managing Director
GB Specialty

Specialty Liability

Peering out from a desk full of file jackets, resolution of complex claims. The combination of
Rob Blasio closed his iPhone and placed it their experience and expertise drives their
face down on his legal pad. “Some cases can success on these claims.
make you lose sleep,” Blasio proclaimed, as Complexity Binds
he leaned back in his chair and clasped his GB’s Specialty Liability Group has handled more
fingers at the back of his head. “But, there’s than 500,000 claims in the areas of healthcare
no sweeter rest than putting one of these and other lines of professional liability, product
difficult files to bed.” liability, construction, and transportation. While
As the leader of GB’s Specialty Liability Unit, Rob the line of coverage may differ, it is the complexi-
Blasio has resolved some of the industry’s most ty of the law and facts, coupled with the severity
complex cases. And he relishes every one. in exposure that binds these claims.

In our industry, claims resolu- “When a claim is In some instances it is the cause,
tion usually requires generalist mechanism, or the instrumental-
thinking. Resolution managers ity of the injury that is compli-
have to move swiftly and wrapped in cated. These claims might arise
capably between various as product liability claims or
claims for damage or benefits. complexity, professional liability exposures.
A broad skillset and a wide In other matters, the damages
field of knowledge benefit the it needs a specialist are so severe that the entire
resolution manager. To be portfolio of losses for an insured
to unravel it.”

successful in higher claim client could hang in the
volume environments, speed to balance of the jury’s verdict.
closure is the touchstone. Furthermore, the issues in these cases are not
always related to the plaintiff vs. the defendant.
But some claims are just different. When a claim Rather, they frequently involve contractual indem-
is wrapped in complexity, it needs a specialist to nity or defenses that mandate diligent document
unravel it. analyses and reviews, which add to the complexity
of the file handling.
Recognizing the emerging need to address
complex claims in our industry, Gallagher Bassett Lawyers Analyzing Lawyers
has created a specialty liability group comprised There are a small percentage of complex claims
of seasoned claims professionals, many of whom that drive the total exposure on a program. Very
hold advanced degrees in law or clinical back- often, controlling these claims requires unparal-
grounds, and have dedicated their careers to the leled focus and a keen understanding of the role

19| FOCUS

of outside counsel. To be certain, outside counsel strophic injury claims and total losses for the long
is essential to the claims resolution. The claims haul trucking industry.
professionals at GB Specialty draw on their past GB Specialty is committed to growing and
experience as litigators to proactively manage retaining its renowned talent. Led by one of the
external counsel’s strategies and expenditures. industry’s foremost liability professionals, Sam
The civil justice system is based on the notion of Terzich, GB Specialty has developed a practice
the jury trial. This represents the potential apex in the areas of product liability and product
of a civil action. The decisions related to recall services. Based on this platform, GB
advancing a case to trial are essential, and Specialty is primed to adapt to the landscape of
directly related to the total experience for any liability claims, with plans to expand into emerg-
claim. GB Specialty’s professionals embrace ing areas of risk, such as cyber liability, business
their fiduciary duty to their clients to make interruption, and related commercial general
informed and expert recommendations as to liability programs.
when, or if, to settle a claim or whether they must
position the claim for trial. There is no
more important series of decisions
determinative of claim outcomes.

Building From Strength Complexity
The foundation of GB Specialty is its
healthcare practice. The legacy team The secret to GB Specialty’s success is a relent-
from Western Litigation pioneered the less commitment to embrace responsibility for a
use of legal professionals as resolution risk manager’s most complex claims. Above all
managers to resolve medical malpractice else, GB Specialty mobilizes intellectual capital
claims for some of the nation’s most to investigate, negotiate, and adjudicate those
influential medical groups, hospital claims that keep the industry awake at night.
systems, and insurers. This practice
group has decades of professional
liability experience and an acclaimed
track record of customer satisfaction. It
is this skill set that will enable future
growth in all lines of professional
liability, including attorneys, employ-
ment practices, directors and officers,
financial planners, and beyond.
Driving Forward
Building on this success, GB Specialty has its
eyes trained on the road ahead. With the addi-
tion of a team of trucking experts, led by Keith
Dunlap from National Transportation Adjusters,
GB Specialty enters a new day of handling
complex transportation losses, including cata-

FOCUS |20

SPOTLIGHT TRANSPORTATION

Earlier this month, Keith Dunlap, CPCU, AIC, Scanning The Horizon
SCLA, RPA, Senior Vice President and Keith’s team takes an aggressive, relentless, and
Transportation Practice Leader of Gallagher diligent approach to transportation claims han-
dling, from initial investigation through final
Bassett was named the resolution to subrogation. This is a goal-oriented
2019 recipient of the organization that knows that a client’s success is
USLAW Network’s dependent upon the experience, skills and
Bill Burns Award. The competency of the frontline personnel and the
award was created to management team. At the same time, the Trans-
annually recognize an portation Practice commits to total client service
individual that has shown through tailored claims handling instructions,
outstanding service to timely reporting, and adherence to rigorous
the industry and the reserve and authority request protocols.
USLAW organization.

Over the past 34 years, teams under Mr. Dunlap’s Specialization
direction have responded to more than 210,000 The hallmark of claims handling quality is reserv-
trucking accidents across the United States. Today, ing, the ability to forecast accurate outcomes for
Keith leads a GB team of focused, specialized insurers and their motor carrier clients. The GB
claim professionals who handle complex claims for Transportation Practice is committed to accurate
many of the largest private and public motor reserves on every case, at any given point in
carriers and insurers in the motor carrier industry. time. This is possible because of the organiza-
A Focused Unit tion’s deep understanding of state and federal
The Practice’s strength stems from its concentrated tort laws, venue differentiation, and our partner-
effort in the transportation sector. GB’s special- ships with transportation-specific field vendors
ized fleet and motor carrier claim professionals and law firms engaged in transportation defense
deliver superior outcomes through cutting edge around the county. Its specialized experience
instinctive claim service, responding to trucking with rapid response, gathering of physical and
loss activity around the clock and across the video evidence along with other vehicle telemat-
country. The organization’s call escalation ics, driver behavior, timely formal reporting and
service timely connects clients to a trusted trans- compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier
portation adjuster, anytime and anywhere. And, Safety Administration regulations inform and
through structured claim review and reserve improve reserving accuracy.
authority protocols, the practice leaders are The Burns Award is a deserving recognition for
actively involved in all levels of claim activity as Keith Dunlap’s service and dedication to the
investigations develop. transportation sector.

21| FOCUS

FOCUS A conversation with

Chip D’Angelo &
Cynthia Randall

Environmental Risk

“Broadway is the oldest north-south route in New market today is comprised of
York City,” remarked Chip D’Angelo, leaning established and emerging
against the 19th floor window of his Mid-Town insurance carriers who offer
Manhattan office. “Every building on this magnif- a wide range of commercial
icent thoroughfare has a lifecycle, like a living, insurance products to protect
breathing being.” health, property, and envi-
ronment both in their special-
“You can see remnants of the entire course of a ty lines and in the more traditional products. In
property’s lifecycle—from groundbreaking or partnership with GB’s Carrier Practice, the
demolition, from new construction to renovation, all Environmental Risk Group serves the carrier
captured from one ideal vantage point,” admired market in the administration and consultative
Cynthia Randall, Vice President National needs of some of the nation’s most influential
Business Development, pulling the insurance carriers serving the
shade open to see the grand property, environmental, con-
expanse of the avenue below. “EHS consultants identify, struction and real estate sectors.
“From our perspective, this is the quantify, mitigate, and

best view in the city.” transfer inter-related Navigating Market
environmental risks across Expansion
For Chip and his leadership team Three market drivers help explain
the view is clear. a project’s lifecycle.” the growth of EHS risks today.

Today’s risk managers face ever increasing, First, the prevalence of climate
change discussions in mainstream media and
inter-related hazards affecting employee unprecedented weather events, which often
health, property assets, and the surrounding result in an environmental release. High winds,
environment across their entire property and powerful hurricanes, and rising flood waters
business portfolio. And more than ever, it takes release or cause hazardous materials exposure
a dedicated team of environmental, health, and to workers and physical harm to assets. These
safety (EHS) consultants to properly identify, risks, with higher frequency, fall to risk manage-
quantify, mitigate, and transfer environmental ment departments.
and safety risks.
Next, we have seen increased environmental
A Market View regulatory complexity. Several overlapping
At the confluence of Gallagher Bassett’s more governing bodies claim jurisdiction over the
recent acquisitions, experts formerly of WCD real estate transaction, site clean–up, and
Group and Aires Consulting now operate GB’s construction lifecycle. This includes OSHA and
Environmental Risk Group. The environmental risk EPA, both at the federal level, and increasingly,

[continue on page 23]

FOCUS |22

the state level and even local level. complicated hazard profiles. Take water for
In fact, the de-regulatory efforts of the Trump example. Water is an invasive, corrosive, and
administration have worked to increase damaging reality in every building event. Every
state-based enforcement. structure starts with its core. Contractors cannot
Finally, construction and real estate sectors seal off the center core from precipitation or
continue to build with confidence in urban centers, ground water during the excavation and assembly
both in the form of rehabilitation and new con- of the building’s core.
struction. There is an increasing demographic that The art and science of environment risk is to
is bringing populations back to the waterfront identify, quantify, and mitigate water’s deleterious
and inner city, and therefore former industrial effects on the project. Water infiltration could lead
sites. Converting complex uses like power facili- to mold as contractors seal the fascia or assemble
ties into habitable, commercial, and distribution the drywall. Water can compromise structural
centers creates new challenges for EHS. integrity during the freeze cycle on multi-year
A Building’s Lifecycle projects, or adverse weather. In operating build-
Buildings undergo a dynamic process as they rise ings, water use systems can breed Legionella, or
through construction, completion, and occupancy, other harmful biologics, which exposure building
and then eventually in rehabilitation, renovation occupants to health risks, resulting in possible third
or demolition, and reconstruction. When buildings party exposures, brand reputation damage, and
are operational, they are subject to property loss a building stigma.
and environmental events. Each phase is rife with By using sophisticated engineering skills and
environmental, health, and safety issues. tools, GB Environmental Risk Group can identi-
fy and quantify risks, so the risk team can
Lifecycle make informed decisions about construction
progress, building operations, and the need
GB Environmental Risk Group serves developers for hazard remediation.
and contractors who are looking to safely and
responsibly transform spaces through each of And That’s
these phases. Risk managers, contractors, and Just Water
developers face all measures of hazards during When we consider the com-
this lifecycle. plexity of chemicals found in
Hazardous Compounds Abound
Even some of the simplest compounds can create the existing environment,
building supplies, construction
materials, process chemicals,
and the owner’s operation, the risk of an
improper environmental release multiplies.
Risk managers facing today’s complex and
high exposures environmental risks need to
see the inter-related hazards affecting their most
valuable assets—their people and the real
property they occupy.

23| FOCUS

FOCUS A conversation with

International Jon Winsbury &
Stacey Williams

A few weeks ago, we were fortunate to meet up location around the world,
with Jon Winsbury, Executive Vice President, east to west. These two
Gallagher Bassett International and Stacey coordinates reflect a rela-
Williams, Executive Director Account Manage- tionship between breadth
ment, GB Australia, during a U.S. stop on their and depth.
international travel. Despite reversed time zones,
the rigors of international travel, and extremely As we discussed the global
tight schedules, Jon and Stacey greeted us with positioning of GB interna-
the usual high level of energy and enthusiasm at tional, Jon and Stacey were pin-point accurate.
GB International. Coordinates are the apt metaphor
“The sun never sets at GB International.
“We were thinking about this on Gallagher Longitude
meeting on the ride over, mate,” Bassett.”
said Jon, apparently impervious Lines of longitude measure
to the jetlag that should have positional breadth. For GB
slowed him down. “It was the International, and for clients with
plane’s global positioning numbers on the inflight multi-national exposures and claims programs,
map that really sparked the idea,” said Stacey, this breadth represents a horizontal integration of
matching Jon’s pace. “The one word that product offerings spreading out across the globe.
describes GB’s Interna- In countries that recog-
tional offering is…,” Jon nize workers’ compen-
slowed to emphasize sation or work cover
and enunciate each of schemes, Gallagher
the word’s five sylla- Bassett continues to
bles, “coordinated.” extend its global WC
services, building on
You see, geographic global operating
coordinates identify models, transferable
every location on Earth technology, procedual
with a set of positional efficiencies, quality
numbers. Latitude auditing, and best
marks a location’s practices to enhance
vertical orientation Coordinate this product offering.
between the north and [continue on page 25]
south poles. Longitude
specifies a precise

FOCUS |24

Alongside workplace accidents, GB International network of efficient claims damage appraisal and
offers multi-national claims handling for liability repair options to address high frequency and
claims, particularly for multi-national retail, logis- lower severity property claims. This allows for
tics, hospitality, and manufacturing brands. The rapid restoration of fleet with limited interruption to
same is true for lines of coverage in motor and business service for GB International clients.
property damage. Through a concerted effort to Global Coordination
coordinate, share, and learn from its international Gallagher Bassett’s established office locations
locations and world-wide base of experts, GB outside the U.S. now employs claims professionals
International continues to extend its products and throughout the United Kingdom, Canada, Austra-
services with a greater horizontal reach. What’s lia, and New Zealand. GB also maintains a
more, this level of globalization allows GB to more strategic partnership arrangement, which is
quickly expand its services and product offerings supported by international account managers,
to service its clients’ global needs. with McLarens to administer property and casualty
Latitude claims services in more than 70 countries.
Equally important, GB continues to build depth One of the historic challenges to international
of service and vertical integration in these claims administration has been the siloed aspects
multi-national coverages and product lines. In of claims data and risk management information
many ways, this depth of service mirrors the systems. Gallagher Bassett features an innova-
claims supply chain, in which GB is acquiring, tive, acclaimed single system, LUMINOS, which
sourcing, and controlling a greater percentage of enables coordinated claims and risk manage-
the steps necessary to resolve insured claims to ment information from around the world. The
demonstrably superior outcomes. Presently, and system allows for language translation, and
through strategic acquisition, GB International claims notes available in English. What’s more,
controls a great percentage of the supply chain all claim financial information can be viewed in
in worker injury claims, and now includes the client’s currency of choice.
employee wellness, preventative injury measures, Under GB International’s dynamic leadership
and health care networks. team, and its increasing breadth and depth of
Similarly, to build depth in its motor and property service, the sun never sets on Gallagher Bassett.
offerings, GB International now controls a robust

FOCUS Magazine ART DIRECTION
Carol Clark Visual Branding Lead, Marketing | Gallagher Bassett
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Gregory McKenna SVP– Director of Communications DIGITAL
Gallagher Bassett 630-285-3751 [email protected] Megan Reed Senior Digital Marketing Specialist | Gallagher Bassett
FOCUS Magazine on Twitter / YouTube
ADDITIONAL EDITORS
Mike Hessling EVP– Chief Client Officer | Gallagher Bassett To contact any of our experts featured in this addition
Dave Gordon Chief Marketing Officer | Gallagher Bassett of FOCUS Magazine, please scan this QR code
Colleen Saurbier VP Marketing & Communications | Gallagher Bassett or contact Gregory McKenna, Editor in Chief, directly.

25| FOCUS

CHICAGO LONDON

AROUND THE WORLD THE PEOPLE AND THE POWER
OF GB ARE READY TO WORK FOR YOU.

As the premier multi-line claims services provider we help people,
companies and organizations around the world get back on track.

The sooner. The better.

MUMBAI SYDNEY AUCKLAND

When you choose Gallagher Bassett,
you’re getting the premier provider of risk and

claims management services in the world.

Combining people and platforms that bring a
higher standard of performance to any claim.