AzCIA Hosts 6th Annual Conference

The 2009 Annual Conference of the Arizona Captive Insurance Association (AzCIA) took place May 6-8, 2009, at the recently-opened Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley, Ariz.  One hundred and forty professionals from around the U.S. who work in Arizona’s captive industry took part in the program, which focused on best practices and latest techniques in the current economic climate to achieve cost and risk management through alternative risk financing.  

In addition to the higher-than-expected attendance figures at the event, numerous sponsors and exhibitors contributed to the success of this year’s conference, exceeding the anticipated income budgeted for the event.   

Wednesday, May 6 featured three workshop sessions—one covering the latest news on the Medicare reporting requirements for captives and risk retention groups, the second discussing the best and latest technology for captive operations, and the last spotlighting two excellent captive educational programs available to those who want to further their careers in the captive community.  An experimental two-hour Round Robin forum, also held that afternoon, offered conference-goers  a chance to talk to experts in the captive industry, sharing ideas and questions in a relaxed setting.  Arizona’s Director of Insurance, Christina Urias, welcomed the conference attendees at that evening’s opening reception, with encouraging words about how the Department of Insurance is effectively dealing with the current state economic crisis.  She noted that captive applications are still being reviewed and processed as usual, in keeping with their high standards and selection guidelines. 

Thursday offered six educational sessions, including four breakouts, as well as the well-received and enjoyable conference keynote address given by Ed Hochuli, a 35-year litigator and 19-year referee for the NFL.  Hochuli, a partner in the Phoenix-based law firm (and AzCIA member) Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, donated his services as speaker to this year’s event.  Using film clips from some of the most famous moments in NFL history, Hochuli illustrated the keys to his success in the legal profession and the NFL in his presentation entitled “From Pop Warner to the Super Bowl.” 

On Friday, May 8, the final day of the conference, captive owner and risk manager attendees participated in a private, closed-door forum, where they shared ideas with their peers.  That was followed by two general sessions focusing on how to properly operate a captive insurance company, with a closing update on captive tax and accounting procedures. 

Over the course of the three-day event, the program also offered attendees the opportunity to interact with regulators from the Arizona Department of Insurance, owners and managers of captives and RRGs, and other experts from all segments of the captive industry.

The details regarding AzCIA’s 2010 conference will be announced soon.  For more information, call the AzCIA Office at (800) 423-4134.