OUR APPROACH
Somers Risk Consulting combines strong consulting support with quality captive management services. We work closely with our clients during the feasibility and implementation phases to ensure that recommended solutions are practical and optimal, that they are implemented effectively and deliver long term value.
THE SOMERS RISK DIFFERENCE
We are a boutique firm, top heavy in experienced consultants. Our many collective years of captive experience translates into thoughtfully constructed, unique captive programs which are tailored to a client’s specific needs. Our experience is in both the traditional and captive insurance worlds and our backgrounds are in the financial, software, regulatory and insurance industries.
We continue to consult with our clients on an on-going basis as part of the captive process. We don’t simply manage the captive once established. We hand hold as needed and typically become an integral part of our client’s risk management team.
We ensure the captive continues to operate effectively and adapts to the changing business and risk management needs of our client, as well as to changing insurance and business environments. Our key people meet with each client at least once a year, and more often if desired, to discuss and update short term and long term strategies. We are always available and questions and ideas are welcomed.
We provide turn-key customized solutions. Our extensive experience has developed a client list from simple small captives through to a commercial insurance company.
We have strong long-term relationships with experienced insurance, legal, accounting, and regulatory professionals. As a result, we know where to go and obtain the best for our clients when outside resources are needed.
We provide onshore and offshore management. We are approved in multiple domiciles and will work with the domicile that works best for each client.
OFFERING A FULL RANGE OF CAPTIVE SERVICES
WHO WE ARE
Managing Director
Kathryn Marsh, after 30+ years of experience in various facets of the captive industry working for a range of companies, formed Somers Risk in 2011.
Prior to establishing Somers Risk, Kathryn held consulting positions with boutique captive consulting firms as well as large firms including KPMG and AON. At AON she headed the company’s regional quantitative and alternative risk groups, and was Chair of the company’s Captive Council, a network of the key captive personnel worldwide. Her employment at KPMG was within the Structured Risk Financing Group of KPMG’s Tax Practice where she was fully immersed in captive tax strategy. Kathryn also spent a number of years managing captive insurance companies in Bermuda with Marsh and Johnson & Higgins and was the Director of Risk Management for NCR Corporation. Most recently she was the insurance expert within the management team of a cell phone insurance company where she structured and implemented the risk program which helped grow the entrepreneurial small company into one that was acquired by Brightstar, a $5 billion global distributor of mobile communication equipment.
Kathryn has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree majoring in Insurance from St. John’s University in New York and an MBA with a double major in Finance and Multinational Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designations.Director, Captive Management.
Director, Client Services
Lawrence has a broad range of captive and insurance experience, which is invaluable in the ongoing consulting and strategic advice he provides to Somers Risk clients.
Lawrence’s diverse forty-year background in the captive industry includes roles in: brokerage; group captives; risk retention groups; insurance/reinsurance companies and third-party claims administration (TPAs). One of Lawrence’s key areas of expertise is in the development and operation of group captives requiring program management, which he has done for diverse industries, both off-shore and on-shore.
Past positions include: Sedgwick, Director Program Management: IMA, Inc., Vice President, Risk Manager/CORnerstone Risk Solutions, Business Development and Carrier Relations; Travelers/Discover Re in various positions; Chubb (legacy ACE Captive Solutions), Vice President; Risk Design Group, Consultant; Arch Insurance Company/First American Insurance Company, Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors; TIG Insurance in several positions; Drayton Company Ltd. (a Bermuda association captive), President; and Drayton Risk Retention Group, Ltd. (a Vermont Risk Retention Group), President; Johnson and Higgins Detroit, New York and Bermuda, Assistant Vice President and Program Manager.
Lawrence currently serves on the Vermont Captive Insurance Association’s Board of Directors, the Tennessee Captive Insurance Association’s Conference Committee and is Vice Chair of Vessels Ministries.
Lawrence holds a bachelor’s degree from Adrian College.
Director, Captive Consulting
Eva Conley works on new formations and special projects, as well as performing ongoing work for existing captives.
Prior to joining Somers Risk, Eva was the supervising financial analyst for the Captive Insurance Division of the South Carolina Department of Insurance. She was responsible for the supervision and staff development of Department’s captive financial analysts. Her focus centered on ensuring the analysis work performed was customized to promote effectiveness and efficiency in accordance with the size, risk, and complexity of the captive insurer. In this position, was jointly responsible for monitoring over 175 captive insurance companies, including 40 risk retention groups. She also served as a member of the licensing team at the Department and assisted with the licensing, marketing, and promotional activities for the domicile and the captive program.
Eva holds both a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Health Administration in Health Services Policy and Management from the University of South Carolina. She achieved the Professional Insurance Regulation designation from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the Certified Insurance Service Representative designation from the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.
Consultant, Captive Accounting
Sue Dean oversees all client audit and annual regulatory filings requirements, coordinating the efforts of Somers’ accounting team, external auditors and other involved external parties. She also works on special projects and new formations.
Prior to Somers, Sue spent over 9 years with a South Carolina accounting and consulting firm, Bauknight, Pietras & Stormer, PA. In this role, she managed the independent external audits for various pure captives, special purpose captives, and risk retention groups domiciled throughout the United States.
Sue Dean is a member of the American Institute of CPAs. She is a licensed, non-practicing CPA in Ohio where she began her career as an audit professional in a Big 8 accounting firm.
Sue received a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Consultant, Captive Accounting
Shaun Geils, a Deloitte qualified chartered accountant, has worked within the alternative risk industry for over 15 Years.
Shaun oversees Somers Risk’s account management team. This team handles the day to day regulatory and financial work involved in the management of each captive. Shaun previously worked for one of the largest global independent captive insurance managers in the Cayman Islands. In this role, he handled a portfolio of captive insurance structures, including single parent, group and special purpose captives. He also managed the Insurance Linked Security (ILS) business. In addition to Cayman captives, his experience includes the management of captive insurance structures across numerous US domiciles and Bermuda. Earlier in his career, he worked for large corporations in the United Kingdom and in South Africa.
Shaun holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with a Higher Diploma in Accounting, and is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.
WHAT WE DO
Somers Risk Consulting specializes in the design, structuring, and implementation of captive insurance and other alternative risk financing programs. We provide complete solutions from captive concept, feasibility, design and structure to development, implementation and ongoing management. We combine strong consulting support with quality captive management services. We work closely with our clients from concept to completion to ensure that recommended solutions are practical, optimal, effective, and deliver long-term value.