Jim Leatzow
Experience and Insight
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As an ARIAS-US Certified Arbitrator focusing on insurance and re-insurance disputes, Jim Leatzow provides a perspective built on his 30+ years of experience creating and implementing specialized insurance programs, while managing and adjudicating claims. Jim Leatzow’s knowledge, experience, and insight provide effective dispute resolution.
In 1975, after nearly 10 years in the insurance business, Jim Leatzow built his own national insurance agency from the ground up. Leatzow & Associates has continued to operate nationally since that time.
Jim’s specialties and those of his firm over the last 34 years have grown to include the creation of numerous national insurance programs; creation of off-shore insurance and reinsurance facilities; being “given the pen” as a national Managing General Agent for various insurance companies for the past 23 years; creation and implementation of specialized risk management programs to targeted industries for the last 20 years; managing and adjudicating claims as a national Third Party Claims Administrator for the last 10 years; and serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of a reinsurance company for the last 10 years.
In fact, Jim Leatzow has worn nearly every hat in the insurance industry, on the marketing, underwriting, and claims sides of the business, lending a unique perspective from all levels offers rare insight into every aspect of the insurance business. Jim Leatzow is a frequent speaker to large national trade association meetings and is a guest lecturer at many large universities on such topics as risk management, claim avoidance, Risk Retention Act issues, creative thinking, and improving communications in organizations.
Expert Services / Litigation Support / Insurance – Reinsurance Arbitration
- 47 years of property/casualty insurance industry & agency experience
- 23 years national managing / underwriting general agent experience
- 26 years reinsurance experience
- 20 years national Third Party Administrator (TPA) – claims handling
- 47 years licensed property-casualty agent / broker
- Licensed surplus lines broker in 50 states + D.C. until October 2005
- 19 years ARIAS Certified insurance & reinsurance arbitrator
President/Founder, Leatzow & Associates, Inc. – (consulting firm) – 1975 to present
President/Founder, Three Lakes Insurance Co., Ltd. (reinsurer) – 1992 to present
Practical insurance & reinsurance industry experience including:
- Property-Casualty Agent / Broker / Producer duties, obligations & standard of care
- Managing General Agent (MGA) / Wholesaler duties, obligations & standard of care
- Third Party Administrator (TPA) claim handling obligations & standard of care
- Qualified bad faith expert with testimony in state & federal courts
- Errors & Omissions claims handler (20 years+)
- Coverage expert involving appropriateness, placement & disputes involving:
- General Liability
- Professional Liability
- Property
- Surety
- Errors & Omissions (E&O)
- Claims-made trigger
- Excess – Surplus lines
- Construction industry insurance placement & claims specialization (20+ years)
- Underwriting experience (20+ years)
- History of representing both plaintiff & defense in expert testimony consulting
- Provided testimony in 10 of 11 federal districts / Rule 26 Report specialization
- 400+ Expert retentions / 80+ depositions / 15 trial testimonies / 45 arbitration retentions
- Active reinsurance company officer
- No charge for travel time, coast to coast
Education
B.A., Ripon College – 1969
Professional Memberships:
- Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIAA)
- Certified insurance & reinsurance Arbitrator in ARIAS
- Private pilot of 54 years experience with commercial, multi-engine, instrument & seaplane ratings
- Former Corps of Engineers Officer & Combat Engineer Company Commander (1970-1974)
