Conference Program/Sessions

In the digital age, sources and volumes of data for each claim are growing exponentially: medical notes, nearly 70,000 overlapping ICD codes, litigation notices, and more. This session will focus on the power of utilizing intelligent digital automation to capture and validate critical disability data and create automated claim triage pathways more efficiently – and how next generation artificial intelligence is allowing carriers to dramatically reduce cycle times and losses by guiding examiners to the most actionable claims, every day. Flipping the traditional webinar format, claims executives from Reliance Standard Life and Securian Financial will be the ones putting the questions to technology experts from software firms EvolutionIQ and FastTrack to shine a spotlight on specific ways to leverage technology to upend the traditional claims management journey.

The Advanced Life Claims Roundtable is always an informative, extremely lively and well attended session whereby attendees have an open discussion on a variety of topics. The moderators will poll attendees prior to the session for questions they would like posed to the audience. This session is a great venue to learn new ways of doing things and initiating a great network of peers in the claims industry.

Claim shops are facing more and more challenges as they try to stay on top of increased claims, new and novel diagnoses (COVID and Long Haul-we're looking at you) and adjusting to radical changes in their work environment- we're remote, we're hybrid, we're back in office. These seem to be just the right factors for tempers to flare up and engagement to flare out. Join this panel in discussing how to identify causes of employee burnout and whether the recommended solutions cool things down or just heat them up more.

Join members of the Life & Annuity committee in a lively discussion of the challenges presented by “The Great Resignation”, including shared ideas of how to find new and experienced life claims professionals, what kind of training works best, and how to engage and recognize your associates in a meaningful way. Whether your claims team works remotely, hybrid or 100% in the office, we hope this session has something for everyone. We will survey participants prior to the conference to determine your most challenging issues and we look forward to a great discussion in this roundtable session.

This Presentation will look at the Practical and Legal Issues in Policy Rescissions. Attendees will gain valuable insights from both In-house Counsel and Outside Counsel perspectives as we examine legal trends in this ever-evolving area. Whether you are a seasoned Claims Professional or new to the Industry, this Presentation will provide useful information for everyone.

This session will address claims and litigation issues relating to the distinction between total and residual (or partial) disability claims. Anticipated topics include the impact of policy language, dual occupation considerations, claim timing issues, and appropriate care questions.

Step into the rapidly changing Social Security Disability hearing process due to the pandemic. First, we will dive into a mock virtual COVID-19 hearing to look at the fundamental changes. Next, we will highlight the concerns, opportunities, and what the future holds for a possibly more virtual Social Security.

Nearly 20% of COVID patients have symptoms that persist or emerge well after the infection. With over 93 million in U.S. estimated to have contracted COVID, that translates into potentially 18 million Americans that may suffer from long COVID.  Get the latest updates on long COVID from a renowned professor/researcher/medical doctor, including how it is diagnosed, the availability of objective and subjective testing, symptomology, predicted prognosis and of course, its potential impact on occupational duties and activities of daily living, and obtaining the critical information that you need from the treating physician.

Have you seen a change in your claims for supplemental benefits? What have you seen in the way of COVID related claims? Come join our session as we explore and openly discuss the future of supplemental benefit claims in a Post COVID world.

How did Covid turn the life insurance industry upside down? From understanding in force blocks of business and adjusting expected mortality, to scrambling to change underwriting processes with rushing to implement new data sources, and then the influx of claims, Covid has been eye opening across the industry both good and bad. Join this session to discuss how underwriting has evolved and how the impact of Covid will influence the future.

From investigative strategy to advanced technology, this presentation will discuss the unique considerations for uncovering and defeating fraud in Long Term Care. As investigators blend traditional investigative techniques with the latest advancements technology, we will discuss winning strategies to overcome LTC fraud. From the Ring Doorbell app to advanced static cams, new technologies are presenting unique challenges and opportunities for investigators tasked with uncovering the facts. We will also explore winning strategies to defeating fraudulent claims as well as review case studies that resulted in successful resolution.

LTC products are typically structured to reimburse for expenses incurred or fixed monthly indemnity payments.  The speakers will explore how claimant behaviors from eligibility to payment differ between the two reimbursement types and provide claim best practices to manage the varying risks.

Unleash the potential of your life & annuity mortality claim operations with actionable solutions powered by purpose-built technology. Our panel of industry experts will discuss the most critical elements of the claim processing journey, from intake to adjudication, and how digitization and automation can overcome the challenges of today (and prepare you for tomorrow).

Back by popular demand – Quirky State Regs! This time in a round table format. We’ll share what we know and the latest changes we’ve heard about. Come prepared to share your experience and any questions you may have. Our partners from the ICA Law Committee will be there to help us sort it all out.

Our world is ever changing, and so are Return -to-work strategies, tools, thought processes. In this session, you will gain insight on three main topics: • 1) Labor Market and Occupational trends • 2) How the pandemic and technology (A.I.) is changing job search strategies • 3) Accommodations in the workplace

This program will focus on the top ten issues confronting health insurers in the area of mental health parity. This will include fiduciary responsiblity, plan design, wilderness therapy, mental health guidelines, substance abuse, quantitative and non-quantitative treatment limitations, and state mental health parity laws.

Please join us for an interactive session that will address current imposter activity, account take overs trends, and how technology can be used in detecting patterned based activity to mitigate suspicious activity. We will finish with a roundtable discussion on active concerns regarding this topic. We look forward to a lively discussion!

Gather ‘round with us for a chat on annuity topics, from the latest on SECURE Act 2.0 to answering questions you may have on claim handling and payout options, beneficiary designations, abandoned property and other conversation starters!

Please join us for an interactive discussion on the utilization of production analysis to determine occupational duties. Actual case examples will be prepared and presented to help drive the discussion and relatability to your individual claim evaluations.

Whether you’re new to Life, Health & Disability or have decades of experience, evaluating Legal vs. Factual disabilities always presents insurers with challenges. The simple case of a professional losing a license due to any multitude of reasons and then filing a disability claim has been well examined by the courts. However, what about a physician whose ability to practice was curtailed pursuant to a court order; a lawyer who was prevented from submitting court filings; or a dentist who may have lost the ability to generate income due to negative publicity—all of whom had not yet had their license suspended/revoked by state licensing agencies, but whose careers were impacted due to a legal proceeding? Are those Legal disabilities? Please join Kenneth C. (Casey) Murphy of Rivkin Radler LLP and Adam Formus of Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America as they further explore Legal vs. Factual disabilities/scenarios where a professional license remains intact.

Long COVID claimants are starting to return to work but it’s not the claimants you would expect! What’s in the ‘secret sauce’ that’s helping them recover and get back to work? Join us for a lively roundtable discussion where we will share long COVID claimant success stories to understand their motivation, influencing factors and the accommodations that helped them return to work. The tips you learn in this session will enhance your case management skills and can be applied to any claimants in your caseload. Please come prepared to share your success stories with the group!

It is a consistent story across carriers and across the country, Social Security disability awards are down, but is it awards or is it decisions? The session will provide an overview of the current state of Social Security and how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the program and benefits. We will discuss the timeline of events and how Social Security was able to reverse 30 plus years of a hearing backlog, while at the same time create a new logjam at the initial and reconsideration levels of filing. We will include a discussion on the impact of COVID on filings and decisions and the potential impact on insurers and claimants. This is a must-see presentation as it literally affects each and every one of you and it is a hot button political issue.

An experienced litigator will review the latest developments in various states' laws relating to the treatment of STOLI policies throughout the United States.

Life Insurance carriers continue adapting to the pandemic’s sheer volume of claims. What specific challenges were conquered and what opportunities are we taking as an industry to make claim administration more efficient, effective and productive while mitigating the risks?

Join us for an interactive discussion with members of SIU and vendor investigative organizations to address burning questions and/or challenges you face while conducting investigations present day.

We keep hearing that changes in the claims industry are the "new normal". What does that really mean? Join this diverse panel in discussing the fads, flops and fabulous changes that have occurred in the last few years and hear from our panel as to whether they're really new or normal. We'll also share trends that might be new today, but may be normal in the near future.

Whether you have done this a number of times or have not had the privilege, join a claim expert and counsel as we explore this topic from beginning to end. We will begin with depo prep, move through actual deposition using your counsel's advice vs not following their advice. We will also have time to debrief and take questions from the audience.

Nomadic Organized Crime views the insurance industry as a “Cash Cow.” They know the companies, the lingo and how to get the money. The level of success is limited only by their imagination, and their imagination is more powerful than knowledge.

Navigating the Wild West can be a bit intimidating. Join us as we give you a road map to the inner workings of foreign death claims. A diverse look at foreign deaths from the perspectives of a re-insurer and an investigator to help reveal what makes the dominos fall on a death outside of the U.S., items to be wary of, and a discussion of case studies with a finger on the current pulse of the 2022 landscape.

Casting call for Life and AD&D Personnel!  Are you tired of Dancing with the Stars of the plaintiffs’ bar who attack your claims handling practices?  Is your Race not so Amazing when your claim comes up in litigation?  Get over the Fear Factor and come join this interactive discussion with a veteran in-house counsel and seasoned litigator, who will expose the Real World of lapse litigation, death claims, and policy exclusions!  You will get valuable tips for becoming a Survivor of claim challenges both before and after litigation is filed.  No prior reality show experience required!

The Advanced Life Claims Roundtable is always an informative, extremely lively and well attended session whereby attendees have an open discussion on a variety of topics. The moderators will poll attendees prior to the session for questions they would like posed to the audience. This session is a great venue to learn new ways of doing things and initiating a great network of peers in the claims industry.

This session will review recent efforts by disability insurers to enforce “appropriate care” provisions, and discuss how discrepancies in the meaning of clauses requiring “regular care”, “appropriate care,” or treatment that “conforms to generally accepted medical standards” should factor in the enforcement of those provisions.

In this session, Dr. Kristin Fiano will review current hypotheses about how this disease impacts the brain, detailing direct and indirect routes, early and late cognitive manifestations, and potential long term effects. Dr. Fiano will also review the psychological impact of COVID-19, particularly where psychological symptoms intersect with cognitive symptoms.

How can reinsurers help you? Unsure? You can raise a question or share your experience or just relax and listen as we discuss what direct carriers are looking for from their reinsurance partners and other hot topics. This roundtable is a great networking opportunity for direct carriers and reinsurers. All are welcome, so please join us for this lively and informative discussion.

During the height of the pandemic, insurers were faced with growing claim volumes and a decreased workforce. As priorities shifted to adjudicate new disability claims, the stable and mature block (SAM) was put on the back burner. Now that claim volumes appear to be normalizing, it’s time to take some fresh approaches to managing these claims! Join us for a lively panel discussion to learn new opportunities, trends and insights that have emerged over the last two years that will help you succeed in managing this challenging block.

Synthetic Identity Fraud is one of the fastest growing types of fraud. Join Mike Timoney to learn about what synthetic identity is, who is impacted and how to detect it.