Life Insurance Underwriting Expert Visits UA Classes, Speaks to Insurance Execs
Ross Morton, an internationally recognized expert on life insurance underwriting, spoke to more than 50 insurance professionals at a University of Alabama -sponsored seminar for underwriters hosted by Protective Life in Birmingham.
Protective Life is a Gold-level supporter of the Alabama Insurance Society and works closely with the Alabama Insurance Program in a variety of areas.
Morton also spoke to Dr. William Rabel’s classes on personal insurance planning and life insurance at the Culverhouse College of Commerce where Rabel is the John and Mary Louise Loftis Bickley Endowed Professor of Insurance and Financial Services. He provided insights not only into the field of underwriting, but also provided valuable tips and vignettes illustrating how to be successful in business.
“Morton is very much in demand as a speaker,” Rabel said. “Normally seminars where he speaks are priced at $500 and up. He has spoken in 41 countries and is recognized as one of the true authorities on underwriting. His book, Again, Does It Make Sense, is highly respected among professional underwriters. He visited Tuscaloosa year and fell in love with the place. We hope to have him return on a regular basis when we teach a life insurance course.”
Rabel said he is pleased that Morton agreed to do the seminar free for Alabama companies. “The University of Alabama promotes learning, research, and service as the major goals in its mission. This is part of our service function. We want the financial services industry to look at us as a resource that can meet many of its needs in an efficient, effective manner. They give so much to the school that this is a way of giving back - a gesture of gratitude. If we do a good job over the long run, the people of Alabama will benefit, the industry will benefit, our students will benefit, and the university will benefit.”
Morton is active in international consulting for Reinsurance Group of America, Inc., a well known life reinsurer, as well as acting as reassurer, advisor and mentor to several companies and senior officers in the insurance industry. The experience, built on 33 years in the global insurance operations of 34 countries, has made Ross a source of considerable insight into how the modern insurer should operate and use technology for efficiency.
Morton is on the board of Springbank Woods Inc., Solvators Inc. as well as advisory boards of RGA Taiwan and RGA Hong Kong. In 1969 Ross graduated from University of Toronto after spending time studying abstract mathematics and computer science.