Tuesday, April 28

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11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Check-In

In Front of Orchard Ballroom

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6:00 – 6:30 PM

Welcome Reception

Serenity Garden (On JW Marriott property)

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6:30 – 8:30 PM

Dinner

Serenity Garden (On JW Marriott property)

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Wednesday, April 29

 

7:00 – 8:30 AM

Late Check-In

In Front of Orchard Ballroom

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7:30 AM
Breakfast Opens

Arbor Room

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8:00 – 8:45 AM
Breakfast with Andrew Gulcher, Chief, CDI Investigation Division
Enhanced Enforcement at the CDI: In today’s growing surplus line market, compliance with the surplus line law is becoming increasingly critical. Andrew Gulcher, chief of the Investigation Division at the California Department of Insurance, will speak about the CDI’s surplus line enforcement. This discussion will be of particular importance to compliance professionals who can play a crucial role in mitigating serious enforcement action through attention to compliance.

 

9:00 – 9:20 AM

SLLG Welcome and Opening Remarks

Benjamin McKay, CEO & Executive Director, SLACAL

Orchard Room

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9:20 – 9:50 AM

Updates from U.S. Stamping and Surplus Line Association Offices

• Surplus Line Association of California

• Surplus Line Association of Arizona

• Surplus Lines Association of Minnesota

• Florida Surplus Lines Service Office

• Excess Line Association of New York

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9:50 – 10:10 AM

NAIC and Federal Updates
Speakers: Gary Sullivan, John Meetz, Kate Jensen

• Affordability and availability playbook for homeowners insurance

• Surplus Lines Task Force — potential updates to the NRRA Model Act, Qualified Risk Manager provision

• Signature requirement (Maine)

• NCOIL update (parametric insurance; cancellation/nonrenewal notice)

• NARAB

• Tort reform/litigation financing

• Cannabis rescheduling

 

10:10 – 10:30 AM

Break

 

10:30 – 11:15 AM

Surplus Line Compliance — California and Beyond
Panelists: Meghan Maness, Ben Schiffman, Theresa Fitzgerald
California presents some unique compliance challenges in the surplus line space. Panelists will discuss these matters from both carrier and broker perspectives.

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11:15 – 11:45 AM

Hot Topic Discussion — Artificial Intelligence Risks
Speakers: Paige Waters, Thomas Rush
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Surplus Line Market: AI is rapidly being embedded into underwriting models, claims algorithms, customer interfaces, clinical tools, and core operational systems of insurers and other businesses. This discussion will examine potential liabilities that AI generates and how the surplus line market can respond to the need for coverage for emerging AI risks.

 

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Hot Topic Discussion — Tort Reform and Other Market Implications in the Utility Sector

Speakers: Kate Jensen, Mark Walsh
The surplus line market brings particular benefits to insureds, including flexibility, strategies to deal with increased severity of losses, and approaches to mitigating risk. This discussion will illustrate some of those benefits, using the utility sector as an example, and will include a discussion of the effects of tort reform, wildfire mitigation, and wildfire liability.

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12:15 – 12:30 PM

Closing and Preview of 2026 Fall Surplus Lines Law Group
Janet Pane, CEO & Executive Director, ELANY

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12:30 – 2:30 PM
Adjourn to Lunch

Arbor Room

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*Agenda is subject to change. Attendees are encouraged to check back for updates.