A Mighty Wind

BY PATRICK STEVENSON

Published 1/7/2009

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This month, the Windstorm Insurance Network will be hosting its 10th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference, or WIND 2009. Taking place Jan. 25-28, 2009, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla., the conference is an educational forum to address issues, exchange ideas, and explore solutions in the windstorm claim industry. In anticipation of the event, Claims spoke with Michelle Griffin, executive director of the Windstorm Insurance Network.

Is this conference directed primarily at Florida insurers?

Since we’re based in Florida, it’s natural for Florida insurers to attend, but we have grown to become a national conference, attracting insurers and claim professionals from all over the country. Since the WIND conference is the only major conference devoted solely to windstorm claim issues, we attract a wide audience, especially from the southern coastal states.

How has the conference evolved over the course of 10 years?

WIND has grown tremendously in the past decade, with average attendance topping 1,200 registrants for the past four years. WIND has definitely evolved into a first-class conference offering numerous professional developments, continuing education, and networking opportunities.

Our first conference was planned in just a few months and drew 350 attendees. In the past few years, we’ve seen a huge growth as we move from a regional to national presence. Our registration profile has professionals attending from 35 states, England, and Canada.

As we look toward our second decade, our goal is to offer additional educational and professional development programming, as well as certification programs and designations to our members, the windstorm claim industry, and related professions. I also see our WIND Umpire Directory and Certification Program, which were developed five years ago, as important areas to expand.

Our board of directors constantly monitors and keeps track of important trends and issues affecting the industry. In the near future, we expect to offer more conferences outside of Florida, namely in Texas by 2011 and are finalizing plans for a one-day seminar in Houston in Spring 2009.

What lessons have we learned from this past hurricane season, and how will you address those at the conference?

It’s obvious that the last few years have resulted in important lessons learned for all facets of the industry. This past season, we’ve found that companies that had the flexibility to respond to simultaneous wind events in multiple states were rewarded with faster claim resolutions, which resulted in quicker cycle times and improved customer service results. Third-party companies — including independent adjusters, engineers, and other experts — faced similar challenges based on the number of states that were affected by this year’s storms.

WIND’s general session speakers will help explain the lessons learned and look at future trends. National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read will present lessons taught, both meteorological and societal, along with ideas for improvement next season and beyond. For our closing session, James Lee Witt, CEO, James Lee Witt Associates and former FEMA director, will discuss what it takes for the business arena to be prepared for the next big disaster.

What continuing education credits can attendees earn?

Our organization’s mission is education, so our CE offerings are always evolving. We continue to offer CE credits for multiple states, bar associations, and numerous professional disciplines. Our conferences offer adjuster and attorney credits for all Southeast coastline states, in addition to RPA, CPCU, IAQA, CPAs, building contractors, as well as NFIP and WIND Umpire Certification classes. Each year, we scrutinize our attendance profile and look to offer additional educational credits.

What workshops do you think attendees will find most valuable?