John Cashin
Personal Information
  • Address:
    122 County Road 71
    Stillwater, New York 12170
    United States
  • Phone:
    5182229209
  • Email:
Credentials
  • Attorney:
    Yes
  • Education:
    BBA Management St. Francis College MBA Marketing Management Zicklin School of Business, CUNY JD Fordham Law School LLM - International Legal Studies NYU Law School
  • Degrees:
    BBA, MBA, JD, LLM
  • Designations:
    NYS Bar, US District Court, US Court of Appeals, US Court for International Trade, US Supreme Court
  • Offering Services as Expert Witness in:
    Regulatory. duties of Directors/Officers/Brokers and reinsurance contract wording/coverage
  • Certified Arbitrator:
    Yes
Work Experience
Current director of an insurance or reinsurance company: No
Former director of an insurance or reinsurance company: Yes
Current officer of an insurance or reinsurance company: No
Former officer of an insurance or reinsurance company: Yes

Insurance Company: Zurich Group
Insurance Company: Insurance Department, Legal Department, Executive Officer (CEO, COO, CFO, Chief Actuary), Claim Department, Ceded Reinsurance Department, Assumed Reinsurance Department

Reinsurance Company: Zurich Re/Converium, Catalina Re
Reinsurance Department: Reinsurance Department, Legal Department, Executive Officer (CEO, COO, CFO, Chief Actuary), Claim Department

Insurance - related firms: Guy Carpenter, AON, Willis, NYDFS, Central Bank of Ireland

Law Firm (insurance/reinsurance practice): Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
Law Firm Experience: Counsel

Other Work Experience: Broker, Run-off Manager, Independent/Unaffiliated Arbitrator, Umpire and/or Mediator

Breakdown of Experience
Accident & Health: Zurich Insurance Group is a multi-line carrier and provided accident and health coverage in multiple jurisdictions. A&H was a significant line of business in the Middle East where I was Regional General Counsel.
Asbestos: Zurich had a significant exposure to asbestos claims in multiple jurisdictions including, the USA, UK and Australia. As general counsel for reinsurance I often became involved in the commutation and settlement of asbestos claims or legacy portfolios.
Automobile Liability/Property: As a reinsurance broker, regulator and in house counsel, I was deeply engaged in personal and commercial lines in the US and other jurisdictions.
Aviation: As a reinsurance broker I placed the Quota Shares and catastrophe programs for USAIG, the largest writer of aviation insurance in the United States. In addition, I placed the USAIG's reinsurance programs for satellite launch and life. I also placed the reinsurance for a small MGA writing general aviation and aerial crop dusting operators.
Bad Faith/Eco: I served as an expert witness for Chubb (formerly ACE Insurance) on the measures necessary to withstand an allegation of bad faith conduct in claims settlement practices. As a regulator I scruntinized business conduct practices with a view to disciplining companies for abusive practices. As the Chief Compliance Officer I provided guidance on market conduct practices to insulate the company from allegations of bad faith.
Captives/Risk Retention Groups: Zurich often provided both fronting and reinsurance for multinational corporation captive insurance companies through a variety of indemnity agreements. As a reinsurance broker I provided reinsurance for several Bermuda captives writing third party reinsurance.
Catastrophes (Casualty): As a reinsurance broker I negotiated and placed numerous casualty clash and catastrophe programs. As in house counsel I reviewed the terms and conditions for casualty clash and catastrophe programs.
Catastrophes (Property): As a reinsurance broker I negotiated and placed countless catastrophe reinsurance programs.
Commercial Liability: As a reinsurance broker, regulator and in house counsel I was frequently involved in all aspects of commercial liability business and claims arising from such policies.
Commutations: As a regulator and in house counsel at Zurich I was frequently involved in the drafting and approval of commutation/novation agreements. Zurich would use these mechanisms to exit a line of business or a particular jurisdiction.
Contract Wording: As a reinsurance broker and in house counsel I drafted and reviewed thousands of contract wordings for all lines of business. As a regulator I often reviewed reinsurance agreements to ascertain risk transfer and the commercial fairness of intra-company reinsurance agreements.
Energy: As a reinsurance broker I placed the energy treaties both quota share and excess for AIG, Home Insurance and Reliance National.
Excess/Surplus Lines: For several years as a reinsurance broker I placed the entire ceded program for a major excess and surplus lines carrier in the US, London and Bermuda markets. As a regulator I often scrutinized the activities of E&S carriers operating in New York. The Zurich Group is also a major player in the E&S market.
Insolvencies: As a regulator I was responsible for the decision to place several companies into rehabilitation or insolvency, including Frontier Insurance and a medical malpractice insurer.
International: In a variety of roles at the Zurich Group I had responsibility for business conduct in over 100 jurisdictions. I had frequent contact with regulators in many of those jurisdictions. Zurich's Global Corporate Division provided multinational insurance programs for many Swiss based multinational in consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, construction, manufacturing and other industries,
Life: Zurich is significant provider of Life Insurance throughout the world including in the US. In the Middle East, the life insurance business was the major line of business for the Group. The life operations there operated as branches of the Isle of Man and Switzerland life companies. I also served as the Umpire and as a party appointed arbitrator in two life matters that were decided after a full hearing on the merits.
Lloyd's: As a reinsurance broker I negotiated numerous treaties with Lloyd's underwriters. As a regulator, I oversaw Lloyd's non-admitted activities in New York
London Company Market: As a reinsurance broker I placed numerous reinsurance treaties with London Market companies. Zurich Re was also an active London Market Company.
MGA/MGU: As a reinsurance broker, regulator and in house counsel I frequently engaged with MGA/MGU entities.
Ocean Marine: As a reinsurance broker I placed reinsurance for AIG's marine operations as well as Wm. H. McGee, a major MGU for both hull and cargo insurance. At Zurich I had legal oversight of the reinsurance program for marine cargo. In the Middle East I assisted in the negotiation and settlement of a Somalia piracy claim where Zurich Australia was the hull insurer.
Personal Lines: As a reinsurance broker I placed the entire ceded reinsurance program for Met P&C including working excess as well as catastrophe programs. As a regulator, I oversaw the rate filings and approvals as well as general business conduct of all personal lines carriers operating in New York State.
Political Risk : As a reinsurance broker I placed the reinsurance program for AIG's Political Risk Division. At Zurich I approved the contract wordings for political risk exposures.
Product/Consumer Warranties: As a reinsurance broker I placed the quota share programs for warranties for consumer goods and automobiles.
Regulatory/Licensing: As Deputy Superintendent of the NYDFS I approved licensing applications, brought disciplinary actions and adjudicated fines and penalties for violations of the insurance laws and regulations. As the Group Chief Compliance Officer of the Zurich Group I had frequent contact with regulators in numerous jurisdictions. As an Inquiry Panel Member for the Central Bank of Ireland I adjudicated cases brought by the CBI against individuals and institutions for violations of the financial services laws of Ireland and the European Union.
Workers' Compensation: As a regulator I was in frequent contact with the NY State Fund as a principal provided of workers compensation in New York. Zurich is also a significant writer of this line of business in the United States.
By Market
Bermuda/Off- Shore Market: 1-25%
U.K. Market: 1-25%
U.S. Market: 50-75%
ARIAS Experience
ARIAS Conference Faculty: I presented at several annual conferences
Ethics Training, as Trainee: Annually
Workshops, as Trainee: Yes
Arbitration Experience
Number of Arbitrations as an Arbitrator: 12
Number of Appointments as Arbitrator: 12
Completed Arbitrations as Arbitrator: 3
Umpire Experience
Number of Arbitrations as an Umpire: 6
Number of Appointments as Umpire: 6
Completed Arbitrations as Umpire: 3
Biography
John R. Cashin is retired general counsel for the general insurance business of Zurich Insurance Group. The general insurance business segment is the largest portion of Zurich's operations with over $36 billion in written premiums and over 50,000 employees operating in 200 countries. Prior to that role he was the General Counsel and Head of Compliance and Government Affairs for the Group’s Life and General Insurance operations in the Middle East and Africa. He was based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Prior to that assignment he served as the Chief Compliance Officer of Zurich Financial Services, Zurich, Switzerland. In that role he was responsible for oversight and compliance direction for the Group’s operations in over 170 jurisdictions. He joined Zurich in January 2004 from the Insurance Regulatory Practice Group at the law firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavin in New York City. Prior to his law firm practice he served as Deputy Superintendent of the New York State Insurance Department where he was responsible for the Property/Casualty Bureau. Prior to his Insurance Department experience he spent twenty years in the reinsurance business with the major reinsurance intermediaries in the United States.

In addition to his arbitration practice, Mr. Cashin serves in the capacity of an administrative law judge (Inquiry Panel Member) for the Central Bank of Ireland where I adjudicate cases brought by the Bank against individuals and institutions based on alleged violations of the financial services laws of Ireland.

Mr. Cashin is a frequent contributor to insurance industry publications and has authored a quarterly Underwriting Insight column for Best's Review. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the United Nations Development Corporation and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Operating Corporation. He is a member of the bars for New York State and US Federal District Courts, the US Court for International Trade and the United States Supreme Court. He is a graduate of St. Francis College and received his MBA degree from the City University of New York. He holds a law degree from Fordham University and a LLM Degree in International Law from New York University Graduate School of Law.