The Captive Insurance Companies Association (CICA) has cancelled its 2021 annual in-person event, scheduled on 14 to 16 March in Scottsdale, Arizona. In December, CICA moved forward with plans in the hope of hosting an in-person event, but due to ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and worsening conditions in the state, the conference will no longer go ahead. Dan Towle, president of CICA, says: “We hoped things would improve to make it possible to host an in-person conference. Unfortunately, Arizona has been experiencing record numbers of COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths since the start of the new year.” CICA also reveals that due to overwhelming feedback from CICA members, there will not be a virtual conference. But plans are underway to offer the conference education sessions via a new Digital Education Series. As part of the online series, on-demand video education sessions will be released weekly followed by a live Q&A session with the presenters later that week. Towle comments: “We hope this new Digital Series format gives session attendees the flexibility to watch at times that fit their schedules while also giving listeners the opportunity to ask specific questions that help them apply the information.” CICA’s 2020 Annual Conference was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After cancelling the conference, CICA settled its event cancellation insurance claim with Tokio Marine HCC. At the time of the settlement, Towle explained: “Having event cancellation insurance is about planning for the unexpected. No one expects that a pandemic is going to lead to cancelling your conference, but the coverage was available to us and we decided it was prudent to obtain. The insurance coverage did what it was supposed to do and was invaluable to our association.”
