James Macdonald

James Macdonald is an independent consultant specializing in insurance and reinsurance. Over the past 38 years, he has developed a broad range of experience in the Property & Casualty business as an insurer, reinsurer, managing general agent, and as a consultant. Until late 2005, James was Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer for one of the nation’s largest commercial insurers, ACE USA. Previous notable positions include President of CNA HealthPro (1994-1998), Chief Underwriting Officer of AIG Risk Management (1989-1993), and senior underwriting officer of Munich Re’s domestic Casualty Facultative Department (1981-1988).  His major areas of expertise include Workers Compensation, all forms of Professional Liability, Excess Liability, MGA program business, and alternative risk financing.  James has served as member of the NCCI Residual Market Pool Board, a founding member of the National Patient Safety Foundation at the AMA, and a member of the RAND Institute for Civil Justice Advisory Board.

Since 2006, James has been actively engaged as a consultant in assisting insurers, policyholders, reinsurers, and brokers in the launch of new strategic initiatives including mergers and acquisitions, and the resolution of disputes.  He has also authored over 30 articles and influential research reports for Conning & Company, the National Underwriter, the John Liner Review, and the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI).  James is currently is a Senior Fellow with RAND’s Institute for Civil Justice, and also the expert commentator for IRMI on terrorism insurance issues and TRIA.  Recent publications include two new chapters titles Introduction to Reinsurance and Traditional Reinsurance for IRMI’s Risk Financing publication, and a recent, major RAND report assessing the reasons for the insolvencies of over thirty Workers Compensation insurers in California between 2000 and 2003.  Several of James’s publications are available for download from his website. 
A native of Pittsburgh and a resident of Philadelphia, James is a Dean’s List graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in Literature and Philosophy. He has also earned professional designations as a CPCU, ARM, and as a licensed P&C insurance agent in Pennsylvania.

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