Alliant Insurance Services has appointed Michael J. Cusack as president of Alliant Property & Casualty (P&C). Cusack most recently served as head of Alliant Specialty, overseeing 16 industry verticals and expanding the firm's specialty business across the United States. In his new role, he will manage Alliant's $2.3 billion P&C operation.

Background and Experience

Cusack brings more than 35 years of industry experience, with a focus on surety and construction insurance. His background includes underwriting, account leadership, and brokering large and complex surety programs. He also has a record of recruiting and developing broker talent within the industry. Additionally, Cusack played a central role in forming Alliant Construction, which the company describes as the largest construction brokerage operation in the country.

Leadership Perspective

Peter Arkley, president of National Retail Brokerage at Alliant, cited Cusack's production record and leadership skills in a statement about the appointment. "Mike brings strong business acumen and leadership skills and, as an outstanding producer, he is uniquely qualified to continue to drive significant growth across Alliant P&C," Arkley said. "Mike's client-centric focus, executive level relationships, work ethic and straightforward approach to business have brought significant benefits to Alliant." Get the latest insurance market updates and discover exclusive program opportunities at ProgramBusiness.com. 

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) brought together leaders from 26 insurance organizations in Los Angeles on April 23, 2026, for its annual Philanthropic Roundtable. The event served as a forum for sharing trends and strategies in philanthropy, volunteerism, and community investment. Alongside the gathering, IICF released its 2025 Philanthropic Showcase, an annual report highlighting charitable programs, volunteer projects, and global contributions from IICF Key Partner Companies.

A Billion-Dollar Industry Commitment

The scope of the insurance industry's charitable activity is substantial. Earlier in 2026, IICF updated its Philanthropic Index, reporting that 100 leading insurance companies made charitable donations totaling more than $1.53 billion in 2024. Additionally, 595,000 volunteers contributed nearly 7 million hours of service, benefiting more than 104,000 nonprofit partners and causes. Since its founding in 1994, IICF has contributed more than $55 million in community grants and logged over 400,000 volunteer hours from more than 130,000 industry professionals. The foundation reinvests locally where funds are raised to maximize community impact.

What Companies Presented

Nine companies presented at the 2026 roundtable, spotlighting a range of programs and results from 2025. CNA marked the 10th anniversary of its Volunteer-a-thon. Employees contributed nearly 13,000 volunteer hours, supporting 552 nonprofits across 223 communities worldwide. Efforts focused on mentoring students, addressing food insecurity, and responding to environmental needs. Crum & Forster tackled food security through partnerships with Feeding America and local food banks. The company helped deliver 10 million meals in 2025, with more than 2,800 employees participating in programs to expand community access to essential resources. Falvey Insurance Group, based in Rhode Island, directed support toward local organizations including Hasbro Children's Hospital, Foster Forward, Operation Stand Down Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Employee-led initiatives benefited children, families, veterans and animals. Marsh reported that 31,250 colleagues contributed more than 189,600 volunteer hours and $6.2 million, including company match, to benefit 4,934 nonprofit causes worldwide. Programs addressed disaster preparedness, blood donation, and food and housing insecurity. Munich Re focused on cancer awareness and research, food insecurity, and youth development. The company partnered with organizations including City of Hope, World Central Kitchen and First Tee. Texas Mutual invested more than $20 million across disaster preparedness, workforce development, and health initiatives. The company supported 124 nonprofits, and employees contributed more than 1,300 volunteer hours. The Hartford highlighted its Junior Fire Marshal program, which has reached more than 112 million children nationwide over nearly 80 years. The program provides fire safety education to equip students with the knowledge to protect their families and communities. USAA launched Honor Through Action in 2025, backed by a $500 million, five-year commitment. The initiative focuses on financial security, meaningful careers, and overall well-being for military families, and aims to engage business leaders, policymakers, and citizens alongside USAA employees. Worldwide Broker Network mobilized team members in more than 100 countries. In 2025, more than 32,000 volunteer hours supported over 800 nonprofit partners, with initiatives focused on sustainability, youth development, and health equity.

Key Partners in Attendance

In addition to presenting companies, the roundtable included IICF Key Partner Companies that provide the highest levels of strategic and financial support to the foundation. Participants included Allianz, Alliant/Confie, Aon, AXA XL, BHSI, Chubb, CNA, CRC Group, Crum & Forster, EY, Falvey Insurance Group, HUB International, H.W. Kaufman Group, Markel, Marsh/Marsh McLennan Agency, Munich Re, Swiss Re, Texas Mutual, The Hanover, The Hartford, UFG Insurance, USAA, Verisk, Worldwide Broker Network and Zurich.

What Organizers Said

Steve Marohn, president of commercial lines at Grange Insurance and chair of the IICF Board of Governors, emphasized the value of the forum. "The IICF Philanthropic Roundtable offers a unique platform for learning about the many creative ways the insurance industry is supporting communities and helping to build a stronger and more resilient future through the power of philanthropy," Marohn said. "From thoughtful and impactful volunteering initiatives to engaging community partnerships, the industry continues to channel the strength of charitable giving through IICF, with grant-making and volunteer service, to make a meaningful impact in the communities where we live and work." The 2025 IICF Philanthropic Showcase is available at iicf.org. Stay informed and ahead of the curve — explore more industry insights and program opportunities at ProgramBusiness.com.

New data from Aon's 2026 Climate and Catastrophe Insight (CCI) report shows that floods and droughts are driving record economic losses worldwide, presenting growing challenges for insurers, policymakers, and communities alike.

The Scale of Flood Losses

Global economic losses from flooding exceeded $42 billion in 2025 and have surpassed $2 trillion since 2000. In the United States alone, 2025 brought 14 separate 24-hour periods with rainfall amounts equivalent to a 1-in-1,000-year flood, the highest count since 2002. The year also brought catastrophic flash flooding in Central Texas and extensive inundation along the Mississippi Valley. Flood losses are not limited to the U.S. In China, flooding caused the country's highest single loss event of 2025, with an estimated $14 billion in damage. Looking ahead, Aon's Climate Risk Monitor projects that U.S. pluvial, or rainfall-driven, flood risk could increase by about 12% under a medium-emissions scenario and roughly 19% under a high-emissions scenario by mid-century.

Drought as a Growing Threat

Drought contributed $13 billion in economic losses in 2025. Beyond direct financial damage, the peril produces far-reaching secondary impacts across the economy, particularly as energy demand continues to rise.

A Widening Insurance Gap

Despite the scale of flood losses, insurance coverage remains limited. In U.S. counties that received National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) payouts for 2025 flood events, only 2.6% of residential structures held NFIP flood policies. At the same time, private flood insurance is growing. The number of private home flood policies and the total premium paid for those policies more than doubled between 2020 and 2024. This shift points to an evolving public-private insurance landscape that Aon describes as both a challenge and an opportunity.

What the Report Recommends

The CCI report outlines several strategies to reduce losses before they occur. Nature-based solutions, such as wetlands and coastal ecosystems used alongside traditional infrastructure, are gaining attention as cost-effective mitigation tools. Amphibious housing, which can rise with floodwaters, is also emerging as a novel approach. For the insurance industry, Aon advises (re)insurer clients to review exposure concentrations and expand the use of climate-conditioned scenarios in underwriting, product innovation and capital strategy. For policymakers, the report emphasizes the importance of regulatory frameworks, land-use planning, building codes and investment in resilient infrastructure to manage the societal impacts of more frequent flooding and drought.

Key Voices

Michal Lorinc, head of catastrophe insight for Aon, noted that floods have become an increasingly impactful natural hazard over the past three decades. He added that the firm continues to invest in catastrophe modeling to help clients better understand their flood exposures and make more informed business decisions. Andy Neal, managing director of public sector partnership for Aon, said coordination between the public and private sectors will be increasingly important to expand coverage, invest in resilient infrastructure, and use risk insights to inform planning decisions. Liz Henderson, head of climate risk advisory for Aon, said climate variability is increasingly influencing insurers' business models. She added that natural catastrophe trends point to a more structurally complex risk landscape where traditional views of risk, based only on historical experience, are no longer sufficient. Aon's full 2026 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report is available at aon.io/3LUFi5A. Get the latest insurance market updates and discover exclusive program opportunities at ProgramBusiness.com.