RiskCellar

Two weeks ago, I posted about Lemonade, and it racked up over 250,000 impressions. So, needless to say, I went viral. ?? Okay, maybe not viral, but it’s clear that people find the topic fascinating. A lot of that interest comes from a collective fear—will AI take our jobs? This time, I want to shift the focus to what can go right with AI in insurance. Because like it or not, AI is going to be a major part of our daily lives moving forward.

Check out the Zag Daily article that Brandon Schuh participated in this week!

RiskCellar Weekly Briefing: Industry Shifts You Can’t Ignore On last week’s episode of the RiskCellar Podcast, Brandon Schuh and Nick Hartmann unpacked some pivotal developments reshaping how brokers, underwriters, and risk managers navigate risk. From Tesla’s mounting insurance troubles to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s warning about climate risk’s impact on market stability, the signals are clear—adapting isn’t optional. Insights That Matter Right Now: Tesla’s Insurance Tightrope: Beyond battery fire headlines, underwriters are increasingly wary of Tesla due to driver behavior patterns and soaring repair expenses. This isn’t just an EV story—it’s a signal for fleets and personal auto policies alike. Are you prepared to recalibrate your approach? Climate Pressure on Housing & Insurance: Powell’s testimony on Capitol Hill flagged a growing concern: some regions may become uninsurable. While Powell isn’t an insurance authority, his acknowledgment that this is now on the Fed’s radar should make every risk advisor take note. Carrier balance sheets are strained—could the Fed intervene? More importantly, are you ready to guide your clients through this uncertainty? Carrier Appetite in 2025—Same Old Story? Market appetite still favors the “safe bets”—distribution, basic manufacturing, and low-touch industries. But when it comes to consumer-facing products, auto, and shared mobility? Capacity is scarce, and underwriting scrutiny is tightening. Are you exploring creative solutions for these harder-to-place risks? Juror Sentiment > Social Inflation: The buzzword is still “social inflation,” but Brandon Schuh and Nick peeled it back further. It’s deeper—public frustration, corporate distrust, and litigation funding are fanning the flames. This shift isn’t slowing down; it’s accelerating. Are you factoring this evolving liability landscape into your advisory approach? Adapt or Get Left Behind. These aren’t hypothetical risks—they’re shaping renewals and pricing right now. Brandon Schuh and Nick dug into the real-world implications, sharing stories from the field and strategies brokers are using to stay ahead. ?? Catch the full conversation in the comments. What challenges are keeping you up at night this year? Drop them below—RiskCellar is built on conversations with experts like you. Your insights could shape a future episode. #InsuranceInsights #RiskManagement #ClimateRisk #Underwriting #InsuranceInnovation #RiskCellar

Tune in to another great episode of RiskCellar with Brandon Schuh and Nick Hartmann

Check out the latest Zag interview we did on our new #Robotics focus/program. #lastmile #delivery #drones #consumerrobotics #bots #AgTech #mobitech Very excited for this! After being through #CES now for multiple years in row, seeing a big trend in this category, we thought it was a good time to put some resources behind it and focus on it with one of our favorite MGA markets. In addition to a lot of nooks and crannies in the offering, we are, as we often do, pairing with Nilan Johnson Lewis PA for their help to armor these clients against the potential of litigation. Main contacts here: John Wackman Christy Mennen + David (DJ) Warden and Kathleen Curtis Link below in the comments - Thanks Ben Hubbard and Zag Daily for the piece. Reach out to me or Mark Alt, CLCS for information on this program. Let's Go!!!

?? New RiskCellar Episode: The Tariff Trap & Mobility’s Future ?? In our latest episode, Brandon Schuh and Nick Hartmann sat down with Sean Flood, founder of Today, to talk about how new tariffs are throwing a wrench into the micromobility industry. Sean’s company assembles e-bikes and e-mopeds in Birmingham, Alabama, but with essential components coming from overseas, these tariffs aren’t helping—they’re just making everything more expensive for businesses and consumers. We break down why the U.S. doesn’t have the manufacturing infrastructure to replace these imports overnight, why tariffs drive inflation, not innovation, and what real solutions should look like. If you care about mobility, jobs, and the economy, you won’t want to miss this one! ????? ?? Listen now: #RiskCellar #Podcast #Tariffs #Mobility #Economy #Trade #RiskCellar #Podcast #Tariffs #Mobility #Economy #Trade Brandon Schuh

?? Tariffs Aren’t Strategy—They’re Just a Tax on You ?? The latest round of tariffs isn’t a master plan—it’s a blunt-force instrument that’s going to drive up costs, stifle innovation, and kill jobs. Take micromobility. I recently had Sean Flood on the RiskCellar and he broke it down perfectly. Sean runs Today, a mobility company that assembles #ebikes, #emopeds, and #escooters in Birmingham, Alabama, using parts sourced from long-standing partners in China. His business creates American jobs, supports U.S. cities, and helps accelerate the shift to clean transportation. But here’s the problem: these tariffs don’t build American manufacturing—they just make his products more expensive. The U.S. simply doesn’t have the infrastructure to manufacture everything from lithium batteries to aluminum extrusions. Slapping a tax on imported components doesn’t magically create factories—it just kills businesses and makes transportation less affordable for everyone. Here’s the reality: ?? Tariffs = higher prices for American businesses and consumers ?? We haven’t invested in U.S. manufacturing for decades—it’s not coming back in 24 months ?? If we want to compete, we need incentives for smart manufacturing, not artificial price hikes Sean and his team are doing things the right way—investing in U.S. jobs while building high-quality mobility solutions. But tariffs threaten that progress. This isn’t economic strategy—it’s politics, and it’s making everything cost more. Instead of taxing companies that are trying to innovate, let’s focus on real solutions: domestic investment, infrastructure, and policies that actually drive growth. Agree? Disagree? Let’s hear it. ?? #Trade #Tariffs #Economy #Mobility #RiskCellar Thanks to Ascend for their partnership Thanks to Micme for edits links below.

?? When Security is an Afterthought, Tragedy Follows ?? The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in broad daylight was a wake-up call—not just for executives, but for every business leader responsible for protecting people, assets, and reputation. This isn’t about fear-mongering. It’s about awareness. A Fortune 50 CEO—the head of a company worth $300B+—was walking alone on a New York street, headed to a shareholder meeting, and was executed from behind. No security. No protective measures. A public figure left completely exposed. This isn’t an isolated incident. Corporate security is being deprioritized. ?? Security budgets are the first to be cut when companies tighten expenses. ?? Many leaders believe, "It won’t happen to us." ?? The role of executive security is evolving, but policies aren’t keeping up. The reality? Risk is no longer just about cyberattacks and lawsuits. It’s about physical safety in a world where public sentiment can turn hostile overnight. This tragedy should force every boardroom to ask: ?? Are we proactively addressing threats to our executives and employees? ?? Do our security protocols reflect today’s risks, not yesterday’s assumptions? ?? Are we investing in the right safeguards—or just hoping for the best? The time to ask these questions isn’t after a crisis. Large corporations, especially those in finance, healthcare, tech, and high-profile industries, need to treat security as a core business function—not just an overhead cost. Empathy doesn’t mean avoiding hard truths. The loss of a leader is a tragedy. Failing to learn from it would be an even bigger one. Listen to Brandon Schuh and Nick Hartmann riff on this topic along with #DeepTechAI and more. How can businesses start thinking differently about security? Let’s have the conversation. ?? #RiskManagement #ExecutiveSecurity #CorporateResponsibility #BusinessLeadership #Insurance #RiskCellar

?? Is Politics Killing Progress? ?? Episode: #TikTok, #Trump and #Taxi Turmoil Let's talk about the recent inauguration. Depending on your perspective, it was either a showcase of power and fear… or another partisan spectacle. On the RiskCellar Podcast, Nick Hartmann and I didn’t pull punches. We dissected the event—Trump's theatrical stage management, Zuckerberg’s awkward camera moment, and a speech that felt more like a morbid campaign rally than a leader addressing a nation. Where’s the unity we desperately need? It feels like we’re stuck in a perpetual election cycle, with governing taking a backseat. Transitioning to Business with a twinge of politics - #BiteDance and #TikTok are up in the air. The app stores have headed the ruling the #SCOTUS and stopped listing these apps. Meanwhile, #Trump is trying to broker some odd kleptocracy-style bidding war for the #US portion of the company. Anyone's bet on how this will shake down. ?? Meanwhile, in the insurance world: ?? M&A activity hit its lowest since 2017—are we running out of targets, or is the market recalibrating? ?? Reinsurance rates softened globally, yet admitted markets are losing ground in states like Texas and California. It’s a reshuffle, not new growth—so why isn’t anyone fixing the underlying risks? ?? And New York’s taxi insurance market? A mess of unpaid claims, regulatory oversights, and legislative band-aids caused by #ATIC and their transparency (or lack thereof) antics. ?? We also talked consumer data. GM got caught mishandling driver data, and it’s a reminder that your data isn’t yours anymore. These privacy missteps aren’t just mistakes—they’re betrayals. If you don’t control your data, who does? ??? What we need: Leaders (in politics, business, and society) who stop campaigning and start solving. Less about party loyalty, more about collaboration. Less about maximizing profits, more about sustainable progress. Less about who wins, more about what’s right. ?? Oh, and we sipped a Maomi Pinot Noir during the pod. Verdict? Too fruity. Bring on the Bordeaux. ?? What do you think? Are we doomed to partisanship and gridlock, or is there a way forward? Let’s debate—and don’t hold back. #RiskCellarPod #InsuranceInsights #LeadershipMatters #Politics #DataPrivacy Thanks to Ascend for your partnership Thanks to Micme for edits Links in comments

?? RiskCellar is back, and we’re taking no prisoners! ?? Nick Hartmann and I are excited to be back in broadcasting mode! In our weekly round up we talked #CES2025 to set the mood: From robotic lawn mowers to AI-powered helmets. But let’s talk about the real shocker: a $300K flying car that folds into a collapsible helicopter! Thousands are already pre-ordered—fantasy or future? We then pivoted to the #wildfire insurance crisis in California. Early estimates are $150 billion in uninsured wildfire losses. With approximately $30B in insured losses. This will likely be one of the most expensive natural disasters in history. It's a very good thing that the #GettyMuseum did some fire-proofing back in the '70's as the fire came within six feet of their walls without damaging the building and its' $9b in relics. The stories of bravery and unbelievable loss are really emotional, inspiring and tragic. Blame is being pushed in a lot of directions but the stories of a community coming together and supporting one another is truly what should be taken from this horror. We also tackle data privacy wars—from Texas lawsuits to telematics gone rogue. It's great to be back and look for more guests, more episodes and more hilarious banter from us in 2025 (happy 1 year anniversary to RiskCellar! ) Thanks to our sponsor - Ascend Thanks to our editor - Micme Thanks to all of our guests in 2024. ?? #RiskManagement #InsuranceInnovation #FutureTech Link in comments to episode