menu
Profile
Barbara Murray
vCard vCard
Current Employment
  • Company:
    Pricewaterhouse Coopers
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Director, in the PwC AIMS practice serving as a Party Arbitrator, Expert Witness, and Consultant for Insurance, Reinsurance and related organizations with respect to reserve adequacy, complex direct and assumed claims management, litigation and vendor management, reinsurance cessions and collections, asset identification and securitization, financial reporting, process and controls development and improvement, organizational restructuring, and systems development.

  • Address:
    123 S Green, #1203B
    Chicago, ILLINOIS 60607
  • Cell:
    708-359-1425
  • Email:
    barbara.k.murray@us.pwc.com
Offering Services as Expert Witness in:
Asbestos Claims, Errors and Omissions Claims, Health Hazard Claims, Insurance Claims, Liability Claims, Medical Malpractice Claims, Pollution Claims, Professional Liability Claims, Reinsurance Claims, Toxic Tort Claims, Audit / Records Inspection, Captives, Commutations, Coverage / Contract Interpretation, Fronting Arrangements, Regulatory / Compliance, Reinsurance Contract Wording
Previous Employment
  • Company:
    Murray Advisors
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Barbara Murray, recipient of the AIRROC Run-Off Person of the Year 2009 award, and an ARIAS certified Arbitrator, is well known in the insurance and reinsurance industry as a forward thinking, innovative senior executive with a keen focus on teaming, effectiveness, efficiency and problem solving. She has extensive success in bringing parties together to resolve conflicts, effectuate transactions and improve operations. She has significant experience in property and casualty direct and reinsurance (ceded and assumed) claims and litigation management, serving as a fact and expert witness, acting as a party Arbitrator, and carrying out resolution activities from policy buy backs and novations to commutations and loss portfolio transfers. She is well versed in issues tied to asset securitization, credit control, financial reporting, Schedule F, and operational controls. With a Masters degree in Organizational Management, Ms. Murray has been instrumental in effectuating operational re-engineering and successful change management initiatives.

  • Company:
    Lumbermens Mutual Group (f/k/a Kemper Insurance Companies)
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Senior Vice President of Reinsurance. Responsible for overseeing the accounting and claim management functions with respect to ceded and assumed reinsurance operations, including process improvement, financial reporting, contract application, dispute management, commutations, audit, billing and collections.

  • Company:
    PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Chicago, IL
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Director in the Insurance Services Division. Provided expert witness, consulting and auditing services to insurance, reinsurance and related organizations with respect to reserving, claims and litigation management, reinsurance collections, systems, controls and processes.

  • Company:
    Insurance Run-Off Consultants, a Division of Argonaut Ins. Co.
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Executive Vice President. Ultimately responsible for the day to day operations of the discontinued claims operations, resolving liabilities arising from direct and reinsurance policies issued in the US and UK through individual settlements, buybacks and commutations. Developed ground up analysis processes, centralized management of coverage disputes, and designed and implemented claims management systems, including the use of automated litigation technology.

  • Company:
    Professional Managers Inc.
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Managed professional liability claims on behalf of Freemont Insurance.

  • Company:
    Law Office of Marvin Brustin
  • Position(s) and Responsibilities:

    Paralegal

Credentials
  • Attorney:
    No
  • Education:
    MAOM, University of Phoenix; BS, University of Illinois, Chicago; Casualty Claims Law Associate, American Educational Institute; Reinsurance Accounting and Management, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Numerous courses completed through the American Educational Institute relating to Bad Faith and Environmental Claims
  • Degrees:
    Masters of Arts in Organizational Management;
    Bachelors of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Designations:
    AIRROC Person of the Year 2009;
    Casualty Claims Law Associate;
    ARIAS Certified Arbitrator
  • Other Information:
    Member of AIRROC Education Committee, Instructed courses in Reinsurance Accounting and Management at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Participated in numerous speaking engagements including the Casualty Property Actuarial Society, Environmental Claims Managers Association, Mealey’s Asbestos and Reinsurance seminars, Bermuda Hawksmere Reinsurance Roundtable events, Illinois CPA Society, Chicago Insurance Symposium at DePaul University, and the NYSSA. Meeting coordinator for the Environmental Claims Managers Association for ten years.
Work Experience
  • Insurance Company: 25 years.
    Executive Officer (CEO, COO, CFO, Chief Actuary): 4 years. Senior Vice President Reinsurance, Lumbermens Mutual Group (f/k/a/ Kemper Group); Executive Vice President of Insurance Run-Off Consultants, a Division of Argonaut; Executive Vice President, Insurance Run-Off Consultants a Division of Argonaut Insurance;
    Claim Department: 10 years. Assistant Vice President Special Claims, Argonaut Insurance; Claims Analyst, Professional Managers Inc
    Ceded Reinsurance Department: 3 years. Vice President of Reinsurance, Lumbermens Mutual Group
    Assumed Reinsurance Department: 8 years. Executive Vice President, Insurance Run-Off Consultants a Division of Argonaut Insurance; SVP, IROC
  • Insurance-related Firms: 5 years.
    Accounting Firm: 4 years. Director Insurance Services; Pricewaterhouse Coopers , Audit and Consulting
    Consultant: 1 year. Murray Advisors , Arbitration and Consulting services
  • Independent/Other Relevant Experience: 2 years.
    Independent/Unaffiliated Arbitrator, Umpire and/or Mediator: 2 years. Paralegal
Breakdown of Experience
  • Commutations
    20%
  • Environmental/Pollution
    10%
  • Asbestos
    10%
  • Workers' Compensation
    7%
  • Insolvencies
    5%
  • Toxic Tort
    5%
  • Contract Wording
    5%
  • Professional Liability/Errors &, Omissions
    5%
  • Product Liability
    5%
  • Bad Faith/ECO
    5%
  • Captives/Risk Retention Groups
    4%
  • MGA/MGU
    4%
  • Directors &, Officers
    4%
  • Finite
    2%
  • Excess/Surplus Lines
    2%
  • Construction Defects
    2%
  • Third Party Administrator
    1%
  • Fidelity &, Surety
    1%
  • Catastrophes (Property)
    1%
  • Commercial Liability
    1%
  • Catastrophes (Casualty)
    1%
By Market
  • U.S. Market:
    50%
  • U.K. Market:
    30%
  • Bermuda/Off-shore Market:
    5%
  • European Market:
    10%
  • Global Market:
    5%

Insurance vs. Reinsurance: 35/65%
Treaty vs. Facultative Reinsurance: 50/50%
Current Insurance or Reinsurance Company Officer

ARIAS Experience

Workshops, as Trainee: 1; September 2009

Ethics Training, as Trainee: 1; November 2009; September 2011

Arbitration Experience

Number of Arbitrations

As an Arbitrator: 5

As Employee Manager: 40

As Corporate Representative: 15

Arbitrator Experience
Number of Arbitrations
4
Appointed as an arbitrator.
1
Acted as an arbitrator through the organizational meeting or the arbitration has only reached this stage and the resolution of significant pre-hearing motions.
Employee Manager Experience
Number of Arbitrations
16
Employee Manager of arbitration.
8
Employee Manager of arbitration through the organizational meeting or the arbitration has only reached this stage.
3
Employee Manager of arbitration through the organizational meeting or the arbitration has only reached this stage as well as significant motions before the panel, panel consultations, and interim awards, but not through the hearing briefs.
6
Employee Manager of arbitration through pre-hearing briefs.
7
Employee Manager of arbitration through evidentiary hearing of at least three full day regarding the substantive merits of the parties' dispute.
Company Representative Experience
Number of Arbitrations
8
Appointed to act as Company Representative.
2
Company Representative in arbitration through the organizational meeting or the arbitration has only reached this stage.
3
Company Representative in arbitration through evidentiary hearing of at least one full day and less than three full days regarding the substantive merits of the parties' dispute.
2
Company Representative in arbitration through evidentiary hearing of at least three full days regarding the substantive merits of the parties' dispute.
Biography

Barbara Murray, recipient of the AIRROC Run-Off Person of the Year 2009 award, and an ARIAS certified Arbitrator, is well known in the insurance and reinsurance industry as a forward thinking, innovative senior executive with a keen focus on teaming, effectiveness, efficiency and problem solving. She has extensive success in bringing parties together to resolve conflicts, effectuate transactions and improve operations. She has significant experience in property and casualty direct and reinsurance (ceded and assumed) claims and litigation management, serving as a fact and expert witness, acting as a party Arbitrator, and carrying out resolution activities from policy buy backs and novations to commutations and loss portfolio transfers. She is well versed in issues tied to asset securitization, credit control, financial reporting, Schedule F, and operational controls. With a Masters degree in Organizational Management, Ms. Murray has been instrumental in effectuating operational re-engineering and successful change management initiatives.

Ms. Murray, has rejoined the PwC AIMS practice as a Director providing both audit and consulting services to insurance, reinsurance and related organizations. Prior to this she provided Consulting and Arbitration services in her role as President of Murray Advisors. Ms. Murray held the position of Senior Vice President of Reinsurance of Lumbermens Mutual Group (f/k/a/ Kemper Insurance Companies), as a key member of the executive team charged with overseeing the largest and most successful run-off of a U.S. Property and Casualty insurer. Ms. Murray oversaw all operations with respect to ceded and assumed reinsurance, including accounting, financial reporting, credit control, asset securitization, commutations, dispute management/resolution, claim reporting, billing and collections. Prior to joining Lumbermens, Ms. Murray was a Director in the Insurance Services Division of Pricewaterhouse Coopers where she provided expert, consulting and auditing services to insurance, reinsurance and related organizations with respect to reserving, claims and litigation management, reinsurance collections, systems, controls and processes. Ms. Murray was the Executive Vice President, Insurance Run-Off Consultants, a Division of Argonaut Ins. Co., where she was ultimately responsible for the day to day operations of the discontinued claims operations, resolving primarily APH and Medical Professional liabilities arising from direct and reinsurance policies issued in the US and UK, while providing consulting services to industry stakeholders.

Ms. Murray is a strong proponent for the continuing education of insurance professionals. As a founding faculty member of the University of Insurance and Reinsurance, she is teaming with other executives in developing regional educational programs aimed at establishing a venue for leaders to address issues facing the industry and workshops for professionals looking to expand their knowledge base. She is currently a member of the Education Committee of AIRROC, led courses at the University of Wisconsin’s Executive Education program on Reinsurance Accounting and Management, and was the meeting coordinator for the Environmental Claims Managers Association for ten years. Ms. Murray has produced training videos addressing claims management, avoiding bad faith and reinsurance reporting. She has authored articles addressing a variety of industry issues and participated in several international speaking engagements for industry associations.