Like its predecessors, the '04 conference in Denver will feature a top-notch array of
programs – check out the details below. Also available is a downloadable
registration form, as well as a link so you can
request registration materials be mailed to you. (To get a feel for the entire program, you can click
here to download a copy of the 
printed '03 program (607k PDF) – the '04 program should
be in the mail in March.
If you have a general question about CDS, please contact the '04 CDS chair, Jo LeDuc. Or click on the links below to send a message to one of this past year's seven section chairs. We're always looking for good ideas for sessions of interest to regulators. If you have one for '04, click that link above and tell Jo about it. (After '04, incidentally, future Career Development Seminars are scheduled for '05 in Tampa and '06 in Chicago.)
Career Development Sessions
The list of sessions below is for the '04 meeting in Denver. Bookmark this space so you can check back as more details begin to become available.
Commissioners Roundtable
One of the most popular sessions at every CDS typically is the Commissioners Roundtable, where a panel of insurance commissioners (usually including the current year's NAIC president) discusses hot issues of the day. The moderator will once again be Bill Bailey.
Use of Third-Party Vendors
The Tuesday morning general session covered a topic of growing interest to regulators – whether and how insurers make use of outside vendors to take on core tasks such as claims, utilization review or customer service. Is it a wise business decision or an alarming trend? Should the vendors be licensed? What access should regulators have to their records? Who really benefits from these arrangements?
Consumer Services Section
Contact Section Chair: Violetta R. Pinkerton, AIE
vi.pinkerton@dora.state.co.us • 303-894-2263
Changing Industry Practice through Effective Use of Market Analysis Data –
This session will cover how to collect and use data from complaints, the trending of complaints and other consumer issues to effect company changes. All Lines
Driving Uninsured –
What are states doing to identify and reduce the number of uninsured motorists? Property-Casualty
Interacting Successfully With the DOL on Federal Initiatives and Law Changes –
What are the Department of Labor (DOL) and other federal agencies are looking at/for? This workshop will discuss ways to get information to insurance departments and consumers regarding laws such as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA)/portability and other laws and law changes. Life & Health
Putting a Face on Your Insurance Department –
This session will cover methods and types of public outreach programs currently used by various insurance departments. In addition, it will discuss what works and what doesn't, the benefits to the Insurance Departments and consumers. All Lines
Property and Casualty Section
Contact Section Chair: Barbara Fitzgerald, AIE
fitzgeraldb@insurance.ca.gov • 415-538-4229
CLUE and other Models for Rating and Underwriting Homeowners –
Insurers are using technology to improve their bottom line. Besides credit scoring there are a number of other models insurers use to rate or underwrite their policies. CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) has received the most attention in the press. What special problems does the use of electonic models bring and how can insurers and regulators resolve the issues? Property & Casualty
Workers Compensation Reform –
Workers compensation insurance can directly impact the economy and jobs. But workers compensation insurance has been hitting the headlines again, as the cost is on the rise and benefits are staying the same or decreasing. What are the cost drivers and what have states done or are doing to address the problems to make WC more affordable. Property & Casualty
Medical Malpractice Market –
Many states still have a crisis in availability and affordabilty in the medical malpratice insurance market. This session would look at the possible causes and what states have done or are doing to make these coverages available and affordable. Included in this session may be a discussion of proposed changes in laws, alternate forms of coverage such as fair plans, reciprocals and captives. Property & Casualty
Use of other Models and Computer Algorithms for Underwriting and Claims –
Insurers are using technology to improve their bottom line. There are a number of models (other than credit scoring) that insurers use to underwrite their policies and settle claims such as an electronic approach to set replacement cost, or to underwrite personal lines and settle claims. What special problems does the use of electonic models bring and how can insurers and regulators resolve the issues? Property & Casualty
Life & Health Section
Contact Section Cochairs: Jamie Key, AIE
jamie.key@oci.state.wi.us • 608-267-1234
Small Employer Health Insurance –
A review of how states are handling the steady increase in premiums for small employer health insurance. Discussion on alternatives for small businesses including basic health benefit plans or associated health plans. Health
Whose Best Interest? –
An advanced discussion on suitability standards for life and annuity products. What oversight do regulators and insurers have on the sales tactics of agents? Life
MEWAs and HRAs –
An ill-understood part of the present health insurance and benefit market is the infiltration of unauthorized insurance, such as multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs) and health reimbursement agreements (HRAs). Although schemes existed during past hard market cycles, they now seem to be more numerous, and are far more sophisticated than their predecessors. This session will discus how to identify the plans and limit the damage caused to consumers and the insurance industry. Life & Health
What is POC and Deval-Reval? –
Policy design, endorsements, system conversions, and exception processing can significanty impact the proof of claim (POC) and devaluation/revaluation of life and annuity policies in the receivership process. This session will describe these processes and provide insights to market conduct examiners on how to recognize issues in the operations of a company which may lead to or indicate solvency issues. Life
Financial Section
Contact Section Chair: Donald Carbone, CIE
dcarbone@ins.state.ny.us • 212-480-5142
Alternative Solutions to Traditional Insurance –
A look at non-traditional insurance markets, such as risk retention groups, risk purchasing groups, captive insurers, surplus lines, high deductibles and self insurance. This session will explore the risks associated with each of the non-traditional insurance markets and how it affects the insurance marketplace. Property & Casualty
Examination Tools and Tips –
This session will examine the numerous tools available to examiners to conduct an efficient and effective exam, including the latest updates for I-SITE, ACL, TeamMate and NILS. We will also look at useful information available on the Web, as well as explore emerging technology to assist with value-added examinations. All Lines
Building a Bridge from Market Conduct to Financial Examinations –
A discussion of how financial and market conduct examiners can work together to build a better examination. By reviewing major accounts we can discuss building from both sides of examination. With a value added approach, both sides will benefit. All Lines
Who Really Regulates Insurance? –
A discussion of the impact of rate service organizations on the insurance industry. What is their approach to rating? What have they done to ensure insurance company balance sheets are accurate? Should we examine them? We will also look at the NAIC task force and its perception of rating agencies All Lines
Producer Licensing Section
Contact Section Chair: John E. Braun Jr., CIE
jbraun@utah.gov • 801-538-3865
Producer Data Base (PDB) and Market Regulation –
This workshop will discuss the use of the Producer Data Base (PDB) in market regulation – investigations, audits, market conduct examinations, compliance activities. All Lines
Uniformity – Where Are We? –
An update on on-going uniformity activity, discussion of new information about licensing, continuing education, fingerprinting. All Lines
Electronic Licensing Services – Dream or Reality? –
A discussion of the issues, hurdles, and recent progress in providing electronic licensing and licensing services such as appointments, terminations, licensee demographic changes, and letters of clearance/certification. All Lines
Enforcement & Compliance Section
Contact Section Chair: Francis Smith, AIE
fsmith@mail.state.mo.us • 573-526-3409
Just How Much Money Are We Talking About? –
This session will discuss of the costs associated with fraud. Just how much is it really costing? All Lines
Still Following the Money –
This session will present and discuss case studies of money laundering and how to detect it. It will also discuss of the Interplay between the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Patriot Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. All Lines
Who's Been in Your Wallet? –
A discussion about E-commerce fraud problems, piracy, identity theft and assisting victims. All lines
Keeping the Bad Apples Out of the Barrel –
This session will cover the procedures states use to conduct investigations of producers, both prior to & after licensure. How to keep the "bad ones" out of the industry and how to get the bad ones out once their in? What should the role of the company be? All Lines
Market Conduct Section
Contact Section Chair: Katie C. Johnson
kjohnson@scc.state.va.us • 804-371-9688
HIPPA/Privacy –
We are currently working on putting the finishing touches on these sessions. Check back later for a more detailed description of each session in the Market Conduct Section.
Uniformity Workshop
Market Conduct Annual Statement
NAIC Financial Statements
Round Robin Discussions
Contact: Donald P. Koch, CIE
dkoch@alaska.com • 907-789-9497
How does one actually apply and test standards in the Market Conduct Examiners Handbook? The round tables will feature one standard (or part of one) per table and discuss issues and challenges arising from application of the standards in the Handbook. Most of the presenters are actively engaged in market conduct examinations. A few tables will be dedicated to issues or tools pertinent to the examination process. All Lines
Topics include:
- Market Conduct Examiner Certification Process
- Procedure Review
- Uniformity in the Market Conduct Examination Process
- Market Conduct Exam Jumpstart (Electronic Tool from the NAIC)
- Reciprocity and Baseline Exams
- Use of Technology
- Health Claims and Documentation
- Privacy
- Market Analysis
Joint sessions
Contact: Mitchel Gennaoui, CIE
mgennaou@scc.state.ny.us • 212-480-4697
Insurance Alert –
This session will cover various state initiatives to cover the uninsured and touch on federal initiative or lack thereof. This session will also cover current events to be ever watchful of insurance scams, and unauthorized companies. If your business is desparate for low insurance rates, then there are those waiting to take advantage of that. (Sponsored by the Financial, Consumer Services and Producer Licensing Sections) All Lines
Contact: Francis Smith, AIE
fsmith@mail.state.mo.us | 573-526-3409Mandatory Arbitration –
A discussion of mandatory arbitration including the pros and cons of this clause from the regulator, industry and consumer prospectives. (Sponsored by the Life & Health and Property & Casualty Sections) All Lines
Contact: Barbara Fitzgerald, AIE
fitzgeraldb@insurance.ca.gov | 415-538-4229Market Analysis –
We are currently working on putting the finishing touches on this session. Check back later for a more detailed description of this session. (Sponsored by the Market Conduct and Enforcement & Compliance Sections)
See you in Denver!
We hope you've already booked your room for the '04 CDS, Aug. 15-17 at the Marriott City
Center in Denver. If you would like more information about the hotel, please follow the link
below. We'll be adding still more detail about the professional development program, so be sure
to check back regularly.
Marriott City Center
Other Seminars & Schools
After this year's Career Development Seminar in Denver, we're scheduled to be in Tampa in '05, Chicago in '06 and Pittsburgh in '07.
Besides CDS, the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society has other sessions aimed at encouraging professional development in the critical area of insurance regulation. Click here to learn more about them.