CSK and YA Group Welcome London Insurance Professionals to Miami for Third Annual Claims Academy

CSK, in partnership with YA Group, recently welcomed a distinguished group of emerging claims and insurance professionals from across the London insurance market to Miami for the Third Annual Claims Academy.

Hosted in Miami at the beginning of June, the Claims Academy was developed as part of CSK’s ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships within the London insurance market. Since the program’s inception in 2023, CSK has partnered with YA Group, a leading technical consulting firm specializing in forensic engineering, construction consulting, risk mitigation, and advisory services for complex projects and claims. Together, the organizations provide practical insight into the litigation and claims-handling issues shaping Florida and the broader U.S. insurance environment.

This year’s program was particularly meaningful as YA Group Founders Ray and Linda Young participated throughout the week, while CSK Managing Partner Richard P. Cole, who founded the firm in 1997, welcomed delegates during their visit to the firm. Their involvement reflected the longstanding partnership and collaborative spirit behind the Claims Academy.

“Programs like the Claims Academy help strengthen the relationships and shared perspectives that are increasingly important across today’s global insurance industry,” said Gene Kissane, Partner at CSK. “Bringing together professionals from the London market and Florida’s legal and claims communities creates a valuable opportunity for collaboration and professional growth.”

Throughout the program, delegates participated in presentations, workshops, courtroom observation, and interactive breakout sessions led by attorneys from CSK and experts from YA Group. The curriculum was designed to provide practical exposure to Florida’s evolving legal landscape, claims strategy, dispute resolution, litigation trends, and the day-to-day realities of claims handling. A highlight of the program was a state court observation, which provided delegates with firsthand exposure to Florida’s litigation environment and the practical realities of claims litigation in one of the nation’s most active legal jurisdictions.

In addition to the educational programming, the Claims Academy fostered professional connection and collaboration while introducing delegates to some of South Florida’s most distinctive destinations. Throughout the week, participants visited locations ranging from Little Havana to the Florida Keys, further strengthening relationships among delegates, presenters, and industry professionals in a uniquely Miami setting.

This year’s delegates included:

• Hachi Agbirigba, Claims Underwriter, Hiscox
• Amy Denton, Senior Claims Executive, Howden Specialty
• Keiran Forster, Claims Adjuster, Renaissance Re
• Zoe Herring, Claims Analyst, Inigo Insurance
• Claudia Hysa, Claims Broker, Amwins Global Risks
• Josh Knight, Claims Adjuster, Dale Underwriting Partners
• Viktoriya Korotova, Marine Claims Underwriter, Hiscox
• Ross Langston, Claims Adjuster, Tokio Marine Kiln
• Imogen Loy, Claims Handler, Inigo Insurance
• Issy Nichols, Claims Advocate, Price Forbes
• Elle King, Claims Expert – International Casualty, EMEA P&C Treaty Claims, SCOR
• Ellis Pearce, Claims Adjuster, The Fidelis Partnership
• Dan Pedge, Associate Director, Bowood
• Aeryn Tavener, Property Claims Adjuster, Ascot Group
• Jack Wallace, Claims Adjuster, Cincinnati Global Underwriting Ltd
• Rachel Willis, Senior Claims Broker, Amwins Global Risks

CSK and YA Group look forward to continuing the growth of the Claims Academy in the years ahead and welcoming future classes of claims and insurance professionals from the London market to South Florida.

For more information about next year’s Claims Academy in Miami, please contact Samuel.Basch@csklegal.com.