Travelers Institute Celebrates 15 Years of Advancing Public Policy and Education Initiatives for the Insurance Industry

Announces summer webinar series that includes Dr. Richard Haass discussing geopolitical risks

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Travelers Institute is celebrating 15 years of engaging in public policy dialogue on matters of interest to the property casualty insurance sector and the financial services industry more broadly.

“Travelers has long been committed to taking care of the customers and communities we serve, and in the 15 years since its inception, the Travelers Institute has been an extension of that commitment,” said Alan Schnitzer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers. “The Travelers Institute has made key contributions to the national conversation on critical issues of the day by convening subject matter experts, public policymakers and key constituencies. We look forward to continuing this important work.”

Since its founding in 2009, the Travelers Institute has hosted or participated in more than 1,100 educational events, reaching more than 435,000 attendees through in-person forums in nearly 200 cities across the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada; a recently launched podcast; and its Wednesdays with Woodward® webinars.

During that time, the Travelers Institute has brought together thought leaders from government, academia and industry to participate in educational initiatives such as:

• Cyber: Prepare, Prevent, Mitigate, Restore® – Empowering businesses to understand and tackle evolving cyber threats.
• Every Second Matters® – Educating drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians about the importance of remaining alert and avoiding roadway distractions.
• Small Business – Big Opportunity® – Exploring solutions to everyday small business challenges.
• Insuring Autonomy – Outlining how auto insurance can adapt to changing risks and automated vehicle technology.
• Insurance Essentials: Your Questions Answered – Providing tools and resources to help customers make informed insurance decisions.
• Disaster Preparedness – Promoting resilient communities through preparation for and recovery from unexpected events.
• Coastal Challenges – Addressing the availability and affordability of coastal wind insurance.
• America’s Debt Crisis – Raising awareness about the national debt and its implications for the American opportunity.

“Leveraging more than 160 years of the company’s risk management expertise, the Travelers Institute helps spark ideas and surface solutions through widely accessible programming with some of today’s top experts in their fields,” said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers. “From university faculty and researchers to industry executives and government policymakers, we are grateful to the more than 600 speakers who have joined us in this effort. And we look forward to driving thoughtful conversations that help us all perform today and transform to meet the opportunities ahead.”

Wednesdays with Woodward Summer Series

The Travelers Institute is marking its 15th anniversary with a summer lineup of webinars, including:

• June 26: “Beyond the Surface: Insights from Middle Market Decision-Makers” – Scott Higgins, President of Middle Market, National Property and Business Insurance Field, will share highlights from new research about how middle market decision-makers approach buying insurance and the underlying drivers influencing those decisions.

• July 17: “Geopolitical Risks and Global Hot Spots” – Veteran diplomat and international relations scholar Dr. Richard Haass will discuss the global political landscape and share his perspective on world events that could pose a risk to businesses and society at large.

• July 24: “Wind, Hail, Rain, Fire: Live from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)” – The Travelers Institute will livestream a behind-the-scenes tour of the IBHS Research Center in Richburg, South Carolina. Through a series of live demonstrations, the session will highlight the effects of extreme weather on properties and how the latest building safety research is helping to make communities more resilient.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information about the Travelers Institute or to register for an event, please visit Travelers.com/Travelers-Institute.

About the Travelers Institute

The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and to the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers’ senior management, as well as the technical expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers and other experts, to provide information, analysis and solutions to public policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. For more information, visit Travelers.com.