Profile
“I will continue to empower and encourage my staff to perform at their best as I have done for the last decade. I will continue to advocate for my clients, embracing new technology and being open to business and industry changes”
Ken Dixon,
Dixon Insurance Services
Carol Laufer is the head of liability in North America at Allianz Commercial. She brings 30 years of experience in the insurance industry to the AGCS Liability team.
At the beginning of her career, Laufer worked in primary casualty at Reliance National and remained there, in the wholesale industry, for nine years. In her later years at Reliance National, she was an assistant vice president in the technology department. She then joined AIG for 10 years, beginning as a home office Y2K referral underwriter. Laufer held several managerial positions at AIG until 2008, when she became senior vice president of risk management national accounts, primary casualty with 100 employees in 10 regions.
In 2008, she joined ACE USA (now Chubb) and returned to excess casualty with 80 employees across the United States. In 2012, Laufer became an executive vice president of ACE USA. She came to AGCS from Zurich North America, where she started in 2015 as head of excess casualty global corporate North America and quickly became head of excess casualty for Zurich’s United States commercial insurance division. She led over 70 employees in eight field offices. In June 2021, Laufer joined AGCS/Allianz as head of liability.
She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Connecticut College and has a degree in Government.
28 Liberty Street, Floor 25, New York, NY 10005
linkedin.com/in/carol-b-laufer-8b5a1b54
agcs.allianz.com
Carol Laufer
Head of Liability, North America
Allianz Commercial
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“To be able to give back to the community is rewarding and fulfilling. I am honoured to be in a position where I can raise funds for those less fortunate and in need”
Ken Dixon,
Dixon Insurance Services
1985–1996
1998–2008
2008–2015
2015–2021
2021–present
Assistant Vice President at Reliance National
1985-
1996
Senior Vice President at American International Group
1998-
2008
Executive Vice President, Excess Casualty at ACE USA
2008–
2015
2015: YWCA Women to Watch
2019: Served on the Advisen Casualty Board
2015–2021: Senior Vice President, Excess Casualty at Zurich North America
Contributed articles:
“Casualty cat risk grows as regs, media evolve” Advisen, Susanne Scalfane, April 17, 2012
“Good names on the line: Can new and developing reputational risk products keep pace with insureds’ growing need for coverage?” Property Casualty 360, Bonnie Cavanaugh, October 29, 2012
“Catastrophes in the social media age,” Risk and Insurance online story, April 8, 2013
2015–
2021
Head of Liability at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
2021–
present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
How does he distinguish himself among fellow brokers?
“I believe all brokers are working very hard in a difficult market,” he says. “However, I have demonstrated continued growth, advocacy and performance on my client’s behalf, which is now recognised [for 10 consecutive years] in the Elite Broker awards.”
In 1990, Dixon got started with FAI, working in claims and as a team leader. From the late 1990s up until 2003, he worked at FAI and Suncorp in underwriting and as an area manager at VACC, CGU (South East Queensland). From 2003 to 2012, he got into broking and eventually started Dixon Insurance in 2013. Since then, he’s accumulated numerous acccolades, including Elite Broker, Diversity and Equity, and Fast Broker awards.
During the pandemic, Dixon challenged insurers over the Quarantine Act application to insurance wordings. His argument was that the Quarantine Act does not apply as an exclusion, as the Biosecurity Act was invoked by the Morrison Government, and this was not a subsequent amendment to the Quarantine Act. The test case in the Appeals court was won for Dixon’s client with a unanimous five-judge verdict.
He remains focused on transport, manufacturing, motor trade, engineering and large farm clients.
What are his plans for the future?
On a business level, “more of the same. I will continue to empower and encourage my staff to perform at their best as I have done for the last decade. I will continue to advocate for my clients, embracing new technology and being open to business and industry changes.”
On a personal level, Dixon invests significant time, effort and funds, along with his GT3, to support many charities through his passion for motorsport. From participating in and sponsoring the Thunderbolt Run (which provides tens of thousands of dollars in support for Beyond Blue and Prostate Cancer), to organising and running the Track Knights for Amira charity night where 28 Exotic Supercars raised funds through passenger laps in wet conditions, Dixon states “this is our time to give back to the community and those in need. My friendships and association with those seeking to do the same, allows us to contribute to those less fortunate and raise funds and awareness”.
He adds: “To be able to give back to the community is rewarding and fulfilling. I am honoured to be in a position where I can raise funds for those less fortunate and in need.”