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Artwork for Almost Nowhere

Almost Nowhere

The CAS Institute
Artificial Intelligence
Actuarial Science
Insurance
Catastrophe Modeling
Climate Change
Casualty Actuarial Society
Loyalty Programs
Capital Modeling
Insurance Industry
Climate Risk
Telematics
Sponsorships
China
Reserving
Uber
Data Science
Insurtech
Genai
Paleoclimatology
Pricing

Almost Nowhere explores the intersection of data science, AI, and actuarial thinking in the P&C insurance industry—and beyond. In a world where innovation feels slow and risk is constantly evolving, we ask the hard questions, spotlight real-world progress, and talk with the people driving change. Whether you're an actuary, a data scientist, or just curious about what’s next, this show dives into h... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes36Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusiness

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Artwork for Almost Nowhere

Latest Episodes

Recorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores a question that sits at the center of modern actuarial practice: what does pricing sophistication actually mean?

While many North American conversations focus ... more

Recorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere cuts through the noise surrounding InsurTech, GenAI, and the future of insurance software. Alicia Burke, Max Martinelli, and guest co-host Sergey sit down with Betty Zhu... more

Recorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores how Japan’s insurance industry manages some of the most concentrated catastrophe risk in the world.

Hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli are join... more

Climate risk is changing faster than actuarial practice.

In this episode of Almost Nowhere, Jim Weiss challenges how actuaries think about responsibility when models, data, and assumptions start to break down. From overlooked casualty impacts to the... more

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Recent Guests

Betty Zhu
InsurTech pricing technology expert with experience across SureTech, WTW, Aon, Accurate
Episode: Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype
Suguru Fujita
Actuary data scientist at Accurate; bridges innovation with regulatory and actuary practices in Japan
Accurate
Episode: Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System
Kenichi Yamoka
Reservings professional at Sampo
Sampo
Episode: Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System
Kenta Ito
Actuarial analyst in reinsurance solutions
Aon Japan
Episode: Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System
Yohei Konishi
Pricing actuary at Sampo
Sampo
Episode: Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System
Jim Weiss
Climate risk professional focusing on catastrophe modeling, rate making, reserving, and ERM
Episode: Jim Weiss & Howard Kunst
Charles Johnson
Founder of the Actual Development Institute; co-founder of InsureViews; actuary with experience in practice and education
Actual Development Institute; InsureViews
Episode: Charles Johnson
Mario DiCaro
VP of Capital Modeling and Analytics
Tokyo Marine HCC
Episode: Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer
Shain Wang
Senior Actuarial Consultant
Y1S Mutual
Episode: Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer

Hosts

Alicia Burke
Host of Almost Nowhere; affiliated with CAS Institute and CIS Institute; engages in guiding conversations and topic framing across episodes.
Max Martinelli
Co-host and show host; liaison with guests; frequently anchors episode structure and sponsorship discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#24
Poland/Business/Management
Apple Podcasts
#185
India/Business/Management
Apple Podcasts
#233
Poland/Business
Apple Podcasts
#250
Japan/Business/Management

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype
Q: How should buyers navigate the buy-versus-build tension in the current GenAI-driven landscape?
Balance speed and scale with governance, seek vendors with a holistic, multi-problem capability and a strong house of experts, and consider intermediate partners to filter noise and guide the decision process.
Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype
Q: What should actuaries look for when grounding the InsurTech hype cycle to real value?
Focus on whether the solution delivers durable value beyond a flashy demo, consider vendor stability and track record, and ensure alignment with the insurer's actual problems and operational constraints.
Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype
Q: Can we talk more about tips for evaluating a vendor? How do you tell who's just making stuff up and who really knows what they're talking about?
Prioritize a non-negotiable proof-of-concept to test real capabilities, assess the in-house expertise of the vendor, and verify the team's domain knowledge and end-to-end understanding, not just demo polish.
Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer
Q: How should actuaries think differently about validation when the logic of the model isn't fully transparent?
They recommend defining the problems AI will be used for, avoiding out-of-the-box pricing with LLMs, using human-in-the-loop validation, and employing multi-source checks to ensure outputs are sensible and auditable.
Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer
Q: From a capital modeling perspective, where do AI-based approaches create the most tension with existing model risk management and regulatory expectations?
The guests discuss correlation risks, model concentration points, and the difficulty of validating outputs when AI systems are federated and run across multiple vendors, emphasizing governance, oversight, and clear ownership.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Almost Nowhere

What is Almost Nowhere about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on data science, AI, and actuarial thinking within the property and casualty insurance space, often extending into adjacent fields like climate risk, building science, and risk governance. Episodes frequently feature actuaries, data scientists, and industry technologists discussing practical uses of AI, model governance, catastrophe modeling, telematics, and moving upstream in policy and pricing decisions. A standout pattern is the mix of practitioner-focused conversations with analytical depth, guest experts from CAT Risk, IBHS, TomTom, and AI-forward startups, plus industry leaders at CAS events. The format tends to blend real-world case studies with forward-looking debates about ethics, regulation, data quality, and the... more

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1. Freakonomics Radio
2. Planet Money
3. The Indicator from Planet Money
4. All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
5. Revisionist History

How many episodes of Almost Nowhere are there?

Almost Nowhere launched a year ago and published 36 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Almost Nowhere?

Recent guests on Almost Nowhere include:

1. Betty Zhu
2. Suguru Fujita
3. Kenichi Yamoka
4. Kenta Ito
5. Yohei Konishi
6. Jim Weiss
7. Charles Johnson
8. Mario DiCaro

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