STRIMA 2025 Recap

For over 51 years, state government risk managers from across the United States, their teams and vendor partners, reunite in September for the annual State Risk Insurance and Management Association (STRIMA) conference. Over the course of the week, STRIMA attendees experience educational workshops and roundtable sessions to hear directly from their peers. In addition, attendees participate in conference activities at curated venues over casual dinners, strengthening relationships built over the years attending STRIMA. This year’s conference was hosted by the State of Georgia on the state-owned venue of Jekyll Island, a quiet beach town with Southern charm. The host and planning committee pulled out all the stops this year and put on one of STRIMA’s most memorable annual events yet.

A highlight of the conference every year is the State Roundtable Sessions, in which each state risk manager speaks on happenings within their jurisdiction. Many risk managers shared legislative updates including potential tort reform and issues involving sovereign immunities. As many states are pressed for resources impacting programs and forced to make hard decisions about funding decisions, there is a generalized worry on how the federal government will respond to emergencies (i.e. FEMA) or a possible reduction in federal funds impacting state budgets. Most states reported their recent property and cyber insurance renewals had gone favorably in the current soft market cycle, a welcome reprieve from the hard market of recent years. Several states shared concerns surrounding distracted driving claims and the need for defensive driving programs, an issue that Alliant is seeing within other industry segments as well. Items that are top of mind for many risk managers include guidelines for the proper use of artificial intelligence as well as recruitment/retention talent challenges. Many states are facing challenges in recruiting qualified risk managers for their programs. Another common theme discussed was state risk management teams having minimal to no involvement in procurement processes, removing them from very important decisions when selecting an insurance broker or other key vendor partners.

Breakout sessions throughout the week were enriching. Topics ranged from Active Assailant, FEMA Funding Secrets, Artificial Intelligence, Tackling the Mental Health Crisis and Alternate Risk Financing, among others. Alliant was honored to once again be selected to lead a session, Tort Trends: Navigating Implications in a Changing Landscape, hosted and moderated by Anne Shackelford, Senior Vice President, Alliant Public Entity. The session’s panel of specialists included veterans in the industry with extensive experience. Panelists included Ron Boyter, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Georgia Department of Law; Todd Holt, Deputy Executive Director, Texas State Office of Risk Management; and Dave Randall, Vice President, Safety National Casualty Corporate. The session brought attendees some eye-opening statistics around how tort costs have become a national, household issue with jury verdicts and large settlements equally impacting the insurance community and taxpayers across a variety of non-tort and tort-protected jurisdictions. The active plaintiffs’ bar are challenging the insurance community, from a variety of approaches, with “legal system abuse” discussed as a key contributing factor. The panel participants spoke to how their specific states have created, adapted and evolved their own tort claims act legislation. The panel featured their own states’ perspectives becoming more relatable as tort claims continue to grow in frequency and severity, with the cost being born by taxpayers, not insurers as many seem to believe. Safety National’s involvement showcased how insureds should proactively engage with their insurer community and share creative risk management philosophies, including open dialogues around claims handling with their carrier partners. The session reminded the attendees of the value of strong partnerships with their insurers and suggested ongoing, proactive care of claims transparency in the light of the ongoing casualty hard marketplace.

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