ARIAS·U.S. Mediator Programs

Background

ARIAS•U.S. recognizes that mediation is a viable tool for the resolution of reinsurance disputes. Successful mediation offers several benefits to the parties, including reducing the costs of dispute resolution, reducing the time that corporate personnel commit to dispute resolution, giving the parties the opportunity to maintain a productive commercial relationship and bringing about a relatively speedy resolution.

ARIAS by-laws authorize the organization’s advocacy and sponsorship of mediation. These program provide a means for ARIAS•U.S. Certified Arbitrators with mediation training to be easily contacted for service in mediation of disputes.

Successful mediation generally requires a mediator who has been professionally trained in consensual dispute resolution or has substantial experience in the field. ARIAS•U.S. does not have in-house resources to train mediators, nor would it be cost effective for ARIAS to contract with an outside vendor to provide mediation training through ARIAS.

The ARIAS·U.S. Mediator Programs

ARIAS desires to facilitate use of mediation in reinsurance disputes through the following three elements:

Providing continuing education regarding mediation at ARIAS conferences and in ARIAS publications,

The Qualified Mediator Program, which consists of creating and maintaining a list of qualified mediators (“ARIAS•U.S. Qualified Mediators”), and

The ARIAS•U.S. Voluntary Mediation Program in which ARIAS Qualified Mediators offer to donate three hours of their time toward resolving smaller disputes.

These programs are offered for use by the insurance/reinsurance industry.