{"id":3156,"date":"2025-12-12T21:42:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T21:42:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/100-best-insurance-leaders-in-the-usa-hot-100\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T21:42:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T21:42:56","slug":"100-best-insurance-leaders-in-the-usa-hot-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/100-best-insurance-leaders-in-the-usa-hot-100\/","title":{"rendered":"100 Best Insurance Leaders in the USA | Hot 100"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jump to winners<\/strong><\/u> |\u00a0<\/span>Jump to methodology<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

Enabling people to work better<\/h2>\n

Paradoxically, for America\u2019s best insurance leaders, the biggest challenge this past year has been juggling so many challenges at once.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From rising reinsurance costs and severe weather events to carriers pulling back from key markets and shifting regulations, the hurdles kept coming. However, the biggest factor within their control has been addressing talent shortages and employee gaps, which have been exposed by a new generation of ultra-connected customers who expect lightning-fast service.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cLeaders have been forced to make peace with chaos. To adapt faster than regulation allows. To rebuild trust in an age when headlines travel faster than help,\u201d says Jeff Arnold, founder of RightSure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Jacobson Group\u2019s president, Corey Pinkham, paints a similarly tough picture of the situation facing industry leaders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOrganizations are being hammered by high costs, inflation, and large payouts from recent catastrophes \u2013 seeing their margins and profitability constrained. At the same time, there\u2019s increasing pressure for leaders to make high-cost technological investments to stay competitive, specifically in AI,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Insurance Business America<\/em>\u2019s 11th annual\u202fHot\u202f100\u202flist honors those who have risen to the challenge and overcome the hurdles on their path. The 2026 list was narrowed down to those who have shaped the insurance industry over the past 12 months and are the best the industry has to offer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Solving the talent problem<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\nA commonality among IBA<\/em>\u2019s Hot 100 has been dealing with employment issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Zippia research suggests that the average insurance agent’s age is 46 years old, while the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that nearly half of the insurance workforce will have retired by 2038.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some are impacted by a talent gap and not seeing enough candidates with the necessary skills. However, the prevailing situation is leaders unlocking talent sources with initiative solutions and coupling that with leading-edge tech to fully leverage their team\u2019s skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Chief Financial Officer

\nHeffernan Insurance Brokers<\/strong>

\nLocation:\u00a0Walnut Creek, CA\u00a0<\/h4>\n

\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nHitting $2 billion in premiums in 2025, up from $600 million just three years ago, is a testament to the powerhouse performance of the firm\u2019s finance team. Along with playing his part in the rise, Mortimer has faced retirements and addressed this by rebuilding the team from the ground up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way it worked before was there\u2019s a team, everybody doing a bit of everything,\u201d says Mortimer. \u201cSo, in the first year, I really wanted to define the roles and responsibilities and make sure people understood what they owned. When you give ownership and accountability, there\u2019s a sense of empowerment that they can control what\u2019s going on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As CFO, Mortimer guides guides the business in a fiscally responsible way but also makes a point of understanding where the firm is going.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re always going to say no, you\u2019re not going to get a seat at the table. You need to be understanding and hear other people\u2019s perspective and communicate at a level that they understand when it comes to finance. You want to make sure that you\u2019re communicating in a way that they feel that when they have concerns, they\u2019re heard,\u201d he says.

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\"Philip<\/div>\n
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\u201cI have to be myself in this role and bring my own skill set, but I need to also have a team around me that can really help with my shortcomings\u201d

\nPhilip Mortimer<\/span>Heffernan Insurance Brokers<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


\nMortimer has also shifted the view of the finance department\u2019s role.<\/p>\n

He explains, \u201cWhen I came in, my goal was to move us from a back-office function to a business partner. The only way you can really do that is to make sure that everyone feels empowered to bring their ideas to the table.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mortimer has encouraged this practice from day one and frequently does one-on-one meetings to keep his finger on the pulse.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI ask the team, \u2018Where do you want to be in a year or two years?\u2019 I blend that with what the company is going to need as we move forward from a strategy perspective. I always want to make sure that the people here have the first opportunity when new roles come up and new asks are required from the business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keeping this pipeline of talent alive is a priority for Mortimer, but he never loses perspective on what the company needs. The strategy is to align both initiatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always talking about, \u2018What\u2019s the plan? Who\u2019s the next person up?\u2019 And if the plan needs to change for whatever reason, we can pivot. We\u2019ve identified some top talent here at Heffernan who are ready to take that next step in their career,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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President of US Loss Adjusting

\nCrawford & Company\u00a0<\/strong>

\nLocation: Peachtree Corners, GA<\/h4>\n

\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nCrawford & Company\u2019s GTS team has undergone 250 percent growth over the last three years by focusing on addressing increasingly complex and larger losses with specialized talent and a team-based approach, enabling faster and more effective claims management.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To achieve this and address the talent gap, Crawford & Company revamped its Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Program, which reduces the process to become an executive general adjuster from 10\u201315 years down to around five. The program attracts talent of varying backgrounds, some of whom are straight out of college and others already working in other industries.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kottler says, \u201cThey are not mid-career because it\u2019s the younger crowd that\u2019s joining, but they\u2019re very smart, and we pair them with our executive general adjusters or managing executive general adjusters. They\u2019re getting on-the-job training from day one.\u201d\u00a0

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\"Paul<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe specifically target talent and bring them in. We have CPAs, investment bankers, typical Wall Street types, and academics joining our ranks\u201d

\nPaul Kottler<\/span>Crawford & Company\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


\nWith three decades of experience, he recalls when insurance companies didn\u2019t train their own people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the escalation of losses and the size and complexity of the policies, we\u2019ve really needed to close that gap. And the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Program allows us to quickly get people into higher-level positions,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bringing in this type of talent with varied degrees and industry experience (e.g., finance, law, engineering, and technology) has made the claims teams more adaptable and capable, with younger professionals driving technological adoption and operational efficiency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another of Kottler\u2019s initiatives was the successful relaunch of the Ocean Marine Division, facilitated by securing specialized talent and a targeted, expertise-driven approach, recognizing the complexity and importance of marine and inland transport in global trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something that we\u2019ve had our eye on, but you have to have the experts to do it. It\u2019s a very specialized skill set,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The team is aware of international implications, but also all of America\u2019s domestic waterways transporting everything from oil to grain supplies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kottler says, \u201cThe majority of goods are transported by water in and out of the US, and we have some of the largest ports in the world on both sides of the country.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Chief Executive Officer

\nMSIG USA<\/strong>

\nLocation: New York, NY<\/h4>\n

\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nMcKenna has headed a team that has seen remarkable growth in both profits and talent, with the aim of servicing Fortune 3000-level companies. \u00a0<\/p>\n

MSIG USA\u2019s recent product expansions have been driven by leveraging its global network, financial strength, and underwriting talent to enter markets where these differentiators matter, with a focus on thoughtful, long-term growth.

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\"Peter<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re an organization that\u2019s been around for over 350 years. We want to make sure that we\u2019re going to be here for the next 100 years\u201d

\nPeter McKenna<\/span>MSIG USA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


\nThere has been impressive growth across the team, as 180 people were hired in the last 12 months, with 13 executive leaders. Discovering this wave of new talent has allowed MSIG USA to be on the forefront of the industry\u2019s digital revolution.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cModernizing the underwriting experience has attracted us a lot more people, especially the younger folk,\u201d McKenna says. \u201cIt allows us to monitor the business more efficiently and change course if we need to, if things in the marketplace are changing against us.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Part of this modernization has seen the vast majority of MSIG USA\u2019s top leaders replaced over the last 18 months. McKenna describes the environment as \u201cnew blood everywhere\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The new senior leaders have been selected for skills outside of their core insurance roles, so they can ensure the firm has a talent pipeline to enable it to continue thriving for years to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are all recognized within the industry as being very competent in their roles, but also have good reputations for working in creating team environments,\u201d says McKenna. \u201cThey have built businesses before, but what I\u2019m most proud of is how they\u2019re spending a lot of time with these younger folks. They\u2019re training them up and the most impressive thing is we\u2019re changing the culture at this organization.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Shareholder and Chair

\nGreenberg Traurig\u2019s Global Insurance Regulatory and Transactions Practice Group<\/strong>

\nLocation: Fort Lauderdale, FL<\/h4>\n

\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\nLeading by example and ensuring his team is able to develop is a focus for Karlinsky.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He says, \u201cI want my team to work hard, and I want them to be knowledgeable about issues. I try to be the hardest working guy on the team.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He keeps everyone sharp by making sure they\u2019re always in the loop on the latest industry news and trends. With his commitment to constant research and staying informed, Karlinsky ensures his team is one step ahead.\u00a0

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\"Fred<\/div>\n
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\u201cI believe in leading by example when it comes to talent development. I strive to set a standard for hard work, and I encourage my team to stay constantly informed and engaged with the issues our clients face\u201d

\nFred Karlinsky<\/span>Greenberg Traurig\u2019s Global Insurance Regulatory and Transactions Practice Group<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


\n\u201cIt requires a lot being at the top of your game all the time. That\u2019s what I expect from myself and that\u2019s what I expect from the team, and when the team gets to that point, they\u2019re positioning themselves best for professional development as well as for helping our clients,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another point that Karlinsky advocates is specialization. He encourages employees to become more than generalists\u00a0so they can offer defined value.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t see a lot of cases of first impression, and even when we do, there\u2019s some semblance of a lot of things we\u2019ve done before,\u201d he says. \u201cSpecializing to me is an important component of being the best professional you can be and being efficient for clients.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Power of AI and technology<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\nSkills shortages are being solved not only by innovative recruitment but by tapping into tech. IBA<\/em>\u2019s Hot 100 are supporters of using systems and platforms to drive efficiencies and bridge the talent gap.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pinkham lays out the complex and evolving nature of the current market in the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s increasing pressure for leaders to make high-cost technological investments to stay competitive, specifically in AI. Not all leaders need to be AI experts, but they need to familiarize themselves with it and focus on building teams that possess the specific technology,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Arnold believes future leaders will have to be \u201cpart technologist, part humanist\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He explains, \u201cAn exceptional leader in the insurance industry of 2026 isn\u2019t measured by policy counts or premium volume. They\u2019re measured by the human impact they create \u2013 in how they merge technology with trust and data with empathy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Arnold states that the most pressing challenge is integrating new AI-driven tech while remaining focused on client outcomes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re watching an industry once defined by paper and patience transform into one powered by prediction and personalization,\u201d he says. \u201cAI and automation are no longer buzzwords, they\u2019re the backbone of modern operations. It\u2019s not about who has the newest tool \u2013 it\u2019s about who can connect the dots best. Systems talking to systems. Leaders learning to lead through data and not just around it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kottler spoke of how technology is important but isn\u2019t as cutting edge as some expect. He says, \u201cThe efficiencies of technology insurance are still decades behind other industries, but I think it is catching up, and introducing these newer folks into our business is really going to make it excel.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also notes that while the speedier and more accurate access to information has increased efficiencies, the technical skills and human judgment necessary to be a high-level adjuster remain the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One form of tech that has greatly improved Kottler and his team\u2019s capabilities is the use of drones and satellite imagery to rapidly assess claims.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we have a data center that\u2019s a $100-million loss, we\u2019re putting drones on it immediately to calculate the square footage. We\u2019re asking, \u2018What is the damage? What experts do we need to get on it?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Mortimer also ensures his team is well-versed in the latest tools to enhance their capabilities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the transactions are the same, we need to be looking at AI, and we need to be looking at technology to be able to do those quicker,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One AI-powered tool is Comulate, which allows Heffernan to automate the reconciliation process. It uses a combination of OCR technology, machine learning, and AI to bring forward a process that used to take days to an hour.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to do that to free the folks. We pose questions to account managers, commercial lines managers, and other executives, such as, \u2018What is the information you need to see to make the best decisions?\u2019 We wouldn\u2019t have been able to do that before because we just wouldn\u2019t have had the time,\u201d he explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mortimer stresses how tech and people can come together in a perfect storm.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He says, \u201cI see there\u2019s so much talent on the team and there\u2019s so much more we can do. If we leverage these types of technology, we can truly bring the business forward as a partner and provide insights that maybe we wouldn\u2019t have had time previously to provide.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mortimer\u2019s team is also using Workday Adaptive Planning, an EPM software that has allowed them to increase efficiency in financial reporting, budgeting, planning, and revenue analysis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Karlinsky highlights the possibilities for improved speed and accuracy within claims, fraud detection, and underwriting due to AI. He does, however, emphasize the importance of diligent use, with human oversight being a crucial component of technology adoption.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou certainly need to make sure there isn\u2019t any unintended bias or unintended consequences. And you need to make sure that human eyes are on things when they need to be on them,\u201d he says.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

While AI implementation has drastically changed many roles within insurance, McKenna explains that underwriting capabilities have seen a drastic shift, with underwriters now able to assess risk through a faster process and more complete data.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do is build a data-driven platform. Our underwriting workbench is a hundred percent electronic, so the underwriter doesn\u2019t have to look through troves of documents. It\u2019s all AI ingested.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

McKinsey\u2019s \u201cThe future of AI in the insurance industry\u201d report highlights fraud detection through advanced data analytics as a pertinent opportunity for insurance firms to capitalize on. This is an area where MSIG is active, with McKenna noting the need to root out fraudulent claims to remain profitable.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

McKenna also highlights that MSIG USA is not burdened with the legacy tech systems that some other firms operate under, which has allowed for smooth implementation of new technology.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He adds, \u201cWe\u2019ve been able, over the last year, to collapse a lot of this into one component that we\u2019re classifying as our enterprise data platform. That\u2019s allowing us to have finance, operations, claims, and underwriting in one ecosystem. Not separate ones coming together, but all in one, which allows for better speed and consistency.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

McKenna believes there is no lack of talent, but concedes there is a need to do more with fewer people in the modern industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to know who we are attracting to fill our roles. When I talk about data-driven insurance companies, what we\u2019re trying to do is enabling the underwriting to take place in a much more thoughtful way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Conclusion: the Hot 100\u2019s strategy for building high-performing organizations<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\nThe 2026 Hot 100 honorees have distinguished themselves by successfully navigating a turbulent industry facing challenges from all directions. These leaders have enabled their organizations to thrive under difficult circumstances by finding new talent to enable higher performance, along with supercharging the existing talent within their ranks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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  • \n

    Integrating technology and human skills:<\/strong> merging technology with trust and data with empathy\u00a0while focusing on the human impact

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    Accelerating talent development programs:<\/strong> fast-tracking talent through structured mentorship and training, allowing high-potential individuals to reach leadership positions quicker\u00a0while also infusing the organization with new perspectives

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    Modernizing systems to attract and retain talent:<\/strong> making firms more attractive to younger professionals and allowing adaptation more quickly to market changes, supporting both operational efficiency and talent retention

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    Promoting collaboration and business partnership:<\/strong> empowering teams to contribute insights and drive company strategy, further unlocking talent potential<\/p>\n

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    \n<\/ul>\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n

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    \n\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Jump to winners |\u00a0Jump to methodology Enabling people to work better Paradoxically, for America\u2019s best insurance leaders, the biggest challenge this past year has been juggling so many challenges at once.\u00a0 From rising reinsurance costs and severe weather events to carriers pulling back from key markets and shifting regulations, the hurdles kept coming. However, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3157,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1925,11,792,1235],"class_list":["post-3156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-hot","tag-insurance","tag-leaders","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3156\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insuracarelife.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}