Dawn Walker, Associate Director of Industry Relations – DUAE at AM Best, recently appeared on the Insurance Nerds’ Assignment of Benefits Podcast, which has been spotlighting Florida’s insurance market, to discuss the current state of the Delegated Underwriting Authority Enterprise (DUAE) sector.
In the episode, Walker sheds light on AM Best’s Performance Assessments, which offer an unbiased evaluation of a DUAE’s capability to deliver services for its insurance partners. She highlights the growing significance of DUAEs—encompassing managing general agents and similar entities—in the insurance value chain, noting that global premiums in this area have doubled over the past decade. Walker also details how DUAEs contribute to the insurance ecosystem by developing business portfolios and programs for insurers, outlines the procedure for obtaining a Performance Assessment, and addresses key challenges facing carriers and DUAEs in the current market. Walker joined AM Best in 2022, bringing a wealth of experience in risk management.
The podcast episode, hosted by Nicholas Lamparelli—managing partner at Insurance Nerds and co-founder and co-CEO of The Insurance Advocacy Forum of Florida—is available here. Lamparelli brings decades of industry experience as an agent, broker, and underwriter.
For the latest Best’s Market Segment Report on the DUAE segment, visit AM Best.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher, and data analytics provider with a focus on the insurance industry. Headquartered in the U.S., AM Best operates in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.
