Outline of Griffin Seminars

In addition to the formal Risk Management Process, The Griffin also offers training and information to each of its Members focusing on topics of concern and interest to the membership at large.

Below is a list of seminars that Griffin Members can benefit from. 

 1. Law Affecting Brokers
This is a very broad outline of the legal framework which governs a broker's duties and obligations when placing insurance on behalf of its client. It covers most of the fundamentals such as standard of care expected, the law of agency, obligations to the client in respect of scope of cover, warnings regarding warranties and other unusual or onerous provisions, maintenance of documents and the assumption of responsibility where non-broking advice is given.

Suited to more junior staff or as a refresher course.

Duration: 1 hour

2. E&O Hit List – Spot the Easy Target - 1
This presentation is broken down into five key areas: Business Relationships, Documentation, Placing Business, Confirming Cover and Claims Handling. It considers mistakes that are commonly made in each area, with the consequences being illustrated by reference to legal decisions.

Suitable for all members of staff.

Duration: 1 hour

3. E&O Hit List - Spot the Easy Target - 2
This presentation concentrates on mistakes commonly made in the Placing the Risk, Confirming Cover and Claims areas. Issues considered in detail include the duty to make a fair presentation of the risk, confirming details of the cover to clients and other parties and duties that arise at the claims stage, by reference to legal decisions.

Ideally this presentation should be attended at least three months after Spot the Easy Target – 1, since it is intended to reinforce some of the issues addressed in that first presentation.

Suitable for all members of staff.

Duration: 1 hour

 4. Binding Authorities
Binding authorities are a relatively high risk area, not only where the broker is the coverholder but also when responsible for the placement of a Binding Authority on behalf of a client (third party coverholder). This presentation will provide guidance on the areas of most exposure and suggestions on how these can be managed.

Suitable for brokers and technicians who place and administer Binding Authorities.

Duration: 1 hour

5. "We May Have a Problem"
This presentation centres around an LIBC produced training video/dvd on errors and omission avoidance. The video/dvd content is a court scene - the dissatisfied client is suing its broker and non-paying underwriter who has rejected the claim due to non-disclosure of material facts. There are a series of "flash backs" showing how the circumstances occurred.

The Griffin presenters take the audience through the various stages of the action, stopping the video/dvd and discussing the various risk management issues. Training material is distributed and full audience participation is encouraged.

Suited to more junior members of staff, with between 10 to 12 attendees being the ideal number, seated around a table with the presenters.

Duration: 2 hours

6. Brokers E&O Quiz
This presentation highlights the legal and management decisions that need to be taken when dealing with an E&O claim. The format is interactive, focusing on both practical and legal issues.

Suitable for senior managers as well as junior employees.

Duration: 1 hour

 7. Coverage Pitfalls – Avoiding Trouble in Getting Clients' Claims Paid
This workshop demonstrates some of the issues brokers might encounter when trying to get their clients' claims paid. Although aimed at mid-level claims handlers and wording technicians, both junior and senior employees are likely to find the workshop helpful. It is also likely to be useful to placing brokers who want a better understanding of how the wordings they place may affect subsequent claims processing.

Due to the duration of this workshop it is preferable to incorporate a reasonable break during the session e.g. over a sandwich lunch.

Ideal number of attendees 8-10.

Duration: 3 hours

8. Warranties, Conditions Precedent, Premium Payment Warranties and Premium Payment Conditions
This presentation considers what a warranty and a condition precedent is and the consequences of breach in each instance.  It looks at the difference between these onerous policy provisions and highlights the many guises under which they may appear in a policy wording.  The presentation also covers premium payment warranties and premium payment conditions and considers particular issues in connection with these.  

Ideally the maximum number of attendees at this presentation is 12, seated around a table with the presenters.  Members are asked to provide standard policy wordings in advance so that warranties and conditions precedent within these wordings can be considered during the presentation. 

Duration: 1½ hours

 9. Classification of Policy Provisions
This presentation considers the classification of terms in an insurance contract and the consequences of breaching the different types of provision. It considers situations where the status of a particular provision may be unclear. It focuses particularly on the more onerous provisions, conditions and warranties, and the impact on the contract where these are breached.

Suitable for more senior members of staff.

Duration: 1 hour

10. Back to Basics
This presentation gives an overview of some areas that are covered in more detail in the other presentations.  It considers the broker’s duties and responsibilities as agent of the client and looks at those duties in the context of the different stages of a placement.  It then considers the different capacities in which the broker can be involved in binding authorities and the resultant duties and potential conflicts of interest.  It also looks at the importance of documentation from an errors and omissions perspective.  Finally it considers some of the issues faced by brokers as a consequence of the explosion in use of e-mail.

Suitable for all members of staff.      

Duration: 1 hour