New York City Metropolitan Area
At Deloitte, I conducted primary research via surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with insurance consumers and industry officials to support white papers, articles, blogs, webcasts, and conference presentations. I focused on customer experience, operational excellence, technology innovation, distribution, risk management, climate risk, diversity and inclusion, the state of various insurance markets, and cybersecurity, as well as regulatory issues. While I specialized in insurance, I also worked with my research colleagues across the financial services sector on areas of common interest (such as technology, privacy, and retirement financing) as a member of the leadership team at Deloitte's Center for Financial Services, which studies trends and produces thought leadership in banking, capital markets, investment management, and commercial real estate, as well as insurance. My most recent work focused on: --New ways to address privacy challenges while going beyond regulatory compliance concerns --Accelerating innovation in the Age of InsurTech —Reinvention of the small-business insurance market —Bolstering the value of data and analytics —Improving distribution partnerships and production with key agents and brokers. --Product innovation in auto and homeowners insurance for the digital age --Underwriting and claims transformation via the integration of tech and exponential professionals --Obstacles hindering cyber insurance growth and how to overcome them --The potential for small-business insurers to sell direct to consumers without an agent or broker --Disruptive threats and opportunities facing the insurance industry --How financial services companies can overcome barriers to help people plan and prepare for retirement Before joining Deloitte, I was the long-time Editor in Chief at National Underwriter, one of the preeminent sources for news and analysis among insurance companies, agents and brokers, and corporate risk managers. I ran NU's weekly newsmagazine, as well as its daily online news service, its conferences and award programs, while writing an award-winning column and blog, "A View From The Press Box." I continued to publish outside of Deloitte in NU and other publications. I’m now retired and commenting regularly on developments in business, entertainment, and society in my blog, “Sam’s View From The Press Box” on Substack.
While I’ve retired from full time work after 42 years writing about insurance--first for 29 years as a financial journalist and Editor in Chief of National Underwriter, followed by 13 years as the Insurance Research Leader at the Deloitte Center for Financial Services--I am eager to branch out and write about topics beyond the wonderful world of insurance, from sports to politics, as well as business and entertainment. But I intend to keep up to date and remain in touch with insurance industry news and trends and may yet contribute further to thought leadership in that space. Check out my blog at https://substack.com/@aviewfromthepressbox
My mission was to lead primary research projects that produce actionable intelligence to help insurance companies and other financial institutions gain insights into their target markets, improve customer experience, boost efficiency and productivity, cut costs, bolster tech capabilities, and increase market share. I share our research results and recommendations over a variety of platforms, including white papers, blogs, articles, webcasts, and conference appearances.
I was Editor in Chief of National Underwriter, the top insurance weekly newsmagazine and daily news website, while also serving as Group Editor overseeing four other brands: American Agent & Broker, Claims, Tech Decisions for Insurance and Florida Underwriter. I ran day-to-day news operations, created programs and was a speaker for webcasts and live conferences, and also wrote an award-winning column and blog, "A View From The Press Box."