As far as I can remember, I have always been drawn to numbers. Throughout my early education, I gravitated to all the various “toys” designed to instill a tactile knowledge of mathematical tenets; there were number chains, peg boards, puzzles (some were even three-dimensional!), to name a few. This attraction has always been founded on one notion, or cliché: “numbers don’t lie.”

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) that teaches a computer how to analyze and find hidden patterns in data through the use of algorithms. It’s been called a “revolution,” and from self-driving cars to health care, it has begun to change the way we live our lives. Our Pinnacle University group explored the emerging world of machine learning and how it fits into the insurance industry.

Nuclear verdicts (verdicts over $10 million) are becoming more common and contribute to significant angst experienced by commercial auto executives, underwriters and claims handlers across the country. A common theme in these matters is how plaintiff attorneys have been successfully employing reptile theory.

"WE WON!"

The widest smile stretched across my face as I read the only two all-cap words spanning across a single email. Overcome with pride and joy, an incredible revelation hit me. Those words were stated in the context of winning the case competition in the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) Student Central  Summer Program, but they had a greater meaning that went beyond a single competition. Those words were, and still are, symbolic of what it means to make progressive strides in a journey to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Few industries will be impacted by the compounding effects of climate change as severely as the insurance industry. Extreme climate-related disasters have increasingly dominated the media. Some recent climate data has indicated that expansive wildfires, hurricanes, extreme flooding and prolonged droughts are negatively affecting more and more people. By taking timely action, the insurance industry can help lead change to combat the growing regularity of catastrophic events.