A Great Big Thank You! | California Broker Magazine

As we head into Thanksgiving, the Cal Broker team would like to thank our loyal readers and supporters. May you move through the pandemic and open enrollment with courage and health. Please continue to let us know what’s on your mind and how you’re doing. We love your emails even when you don’t agree with us:) Drop us a line at editor@calbrokermag.com. If you’re looking for some good reading, check out the NYT opinion piece by California’s own Meghan Markle (perhaps better known as the Duchess of Sussex). Those in the health insurance and employee benefits industry already know the power of caring, but the Duchess drives home this message. Thanks to reader LH for sending it our way!

HEALTH

It’s not too late to sign up for the CAHU Foundation’s charity walkathon November 27-29. It happens from wherever you are! You sign up and commit to walking a challenging distance and then donate through a NAHU donation page. Register here.

LAAHU Doing Great Things with ‘Hour of Power’

LAAHU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee deserves praise for the new Hour of Power series. Last time was industry icon Carl Dickerson. Next up is attorney Capri Maddox. A little about Maddox:

Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated attorney Capri Maddox to be the first Executive Director of the newly-established Los Angeles Department of Civil and Human Rights (CHRD). The department will be tasked with protecting Angelenos — and anyone who works in or visits the City of Los Angeles — from discrimination that denies equal treatment in private employment, housing, education, or commerce by initiating and investigating complaints of discrimination, as well as enforcing the L.A. Civil and Human Rights Ordinance.

Hour of Power happens Thursday, December 16, from noon-1p.m. The lunch hour event promises to provide an open, inclusive learning forum for members and non-members alike. Register here.

What’s In Store for the U.S. Healthcare Industry in 2021?

What will happen to the healthcare industry in the United States under a Biden Administration? Will the Supreme Court declare the ACA unconstitutional? How will the new political landscape impact the coronavirus vaccine and treatments? Terrific questions! We wish we had all the answers. Instead, we’ll refer you to the The Leadership Development Group’s Dr. Kent Bottles, a medical keynote speaker and healthcare consultant specializing in the future of healthcare and healthcare leadership development. Thursday, December 3 at 9-10:30 a.m. Pacific. To register, click here.

MEDICARE

Still Time to Take In Senior Summit

If you registered for the 2020 Senior Summit earlier this year, the executive committee wishes to remind you that you have until November 30 to log back in and view many of the great sessions presented! You should’ve received a link and log in instructions recently. Also — save the date for 8th Annual Senior Summit at Pechanga, August 31- September 2, 2021!

CLIMATE

AIG, Travelers, Zurich Among Insurers to File Climate Risk Disclosure Docs

Insurance Commissioners Ricardo Lara of California and Mike Kreidler of Washington state announced that eight insurance companies filed TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) reports in response to the Climate Risk Disclosure Survey in 2020. Washington and California, in partnership with the Departments of Insurance from Connecticut, Minnesota, New Mexico, and New York, conduct the annual survey and release the results on the California Department of Insurance website. The Climate Risk Disclosure Survey is sent to insurance companies that generate $100 million or more in annual premium income and are licensed in the participating states, which in total encompasses over 70% of the U.S. insurance market. The TCFD guidelines were approved by the G-20 Finance Ministers and endorsed by more than 1,500 businesses from around the world, as well as environmental groups. The guidelines will help insurance companies better understand the concentrations of carbon-related assets in their investments and recognize climate risks and opportunities in their investing strategy. The news of increased alignment with the TCFD guidelines comes as insurance companies worldwide work toward consistent climate disclosure, a recommendation of multiple international insurance supervisors and a requirement in France. Survey responses for the current and prior years are available to the public and can be found on the California Department of Insurance website. Findings from the 2020 survey include:

Approximately 80% of insurers plan to assess, reduce or mitigate emissions in their operations or organizations.
56% of insurance companies do not have a climate change policy with respect to risk management and investment management.
80% of insurance companies have a process for identifying climate-change-related risks and assessing the consequences for their business, including financial implications.
75% of insurance companies have identified current or anticipated risks that climate change poses to their companies.
Although roughly 80% of insurance companies have considered climate change in their investment portfolios, 58% have not altered their investment strategy in response to those considerations.
More than 75% of insurance companies have acted to manage risks climate change poses to their business.

The companies that filed TCFD disclosures are: AIG, Allianz, Assurant, Axa, QBE, Swiss Re, Travelers, and Zurich Insurance companies.

BRAVO

National African American Insurance Association Founder and Exec Director Inducted Into Insurance Biz America Hall of Fame

The National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA) announced that founder Jerald L. Tillman and executive director Margaret N. Redd have been inducted into Insurance Business America’s 2020 Hall of Fame. Tillman is also founder and owner of JL Tillman Insurance Agency, an independent insurance agency. As founder of the National African American Insurance Association, Jerald’s vision and focus was to establish an association dedicated to diversification by encouraging African Americans to build successful careers in the insurance industry. Margaret Redd’s career journey includes officer level positions with CNA, CNA UniSource, MetLife, and Chicago-based Lambent Risk Management. Margaret’s affiliation with NAAIA dates back to 2001 when she served as a founding member of the organization’s first chapter, NAAIA Chicago. Her service later extended to Chapter President for seven years, the NAAIA National Executive Committee and currently, the Executive Director for the organization. Congrats Jerald and Margaret!

PEOPLE

Montgomery Becomes EVP/Prez CVS Pharmacy/Retail

CVS Health Corporation names Neela Montgomery executive vice president and president of CVS Pharmacy/Retail, effective November 30, 2020. Montgomery, who most recently served as chief executive officer of furniture retailer Crate & Barrel and has nearly 20 years of global retail experience, will oversee the company’s 10,000 pharmacies across the United States. In 2019 she was named to the “Top Women in Retail” list by the Women in Retail Leadership Circle. Prior to Crate & Barrel, she served as Group Executive Board Member of the Otto Group, a global retail and services group and one of the leading e-commerce retailers in the world.

EVENTS

LAAHU’s Zoom Happy Hour is the first Wednesday of the month from 4-5p.m. Members and nonmembers welcome. Register here.
NAHU Power Hour, 4th Wednesday of the month from 4-5p.m. Pacific. Members and nonmembers welcome. Register here.

NAIC Fall National Meeting, Virtual, Dec 3-9

The agenda for the 2020 NAIC Fall National Meeting is now available. The schedule includes interactive sessions, as well as a special session that will be held by The Center for Insurance Policy and Research (CIPR). Meeting registration opened September 25, and the registration fee is $495. As a reminder, unused registration fee credits received from the cancelled 2020 Spring National Meeting may be applied to the registration fees for the 2020 Fall National Meeting. Register here.

NAIFA-Los Angeles 68th Annual Will G. Farrell Award & Leadership Recognition Event, Virtual, Feb. 18, 2021. More info here.

CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit, April 7-9, 2021!

The latest news from CAHU’s WLS committee is that the CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit will now take place April 7 –9, 2021, at Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas. Questions should be emailed to info@cahu.org.