FORTY under 40: Eric Wunder

Eric Wunder, Consulting actuary, Milliman

Eric Wunder joined Milliman’s Milwaukee Property & Casualty practice in 2009 after graduating from UW-Madison. He has helped clients in both the commercial and captive markets in the areas of reserving, pricing (funding), feasibility studies, tort reform/legislative impacts, and pro forma financial modelling.

He has worked with many coverages during his career, but Wunder is best known for his expertise in the professional liability lines of business (hospitals, physicians, dentists, chiropractors, veterinarians, lawyers, etc).

Wunder frequently contributes articles, with over 40 publications to date, and has also spoken at various conferences during his career. In his current role, he oversees a team of actuaries, helps clients understand market trends, and attends client board meetings to discuss captive-specific or general market trends.

How did you become involved in captive insurance?

I had clients who were interested in exploring captive insurance options, so I dived in and learned what I could to help my clients. I was helped along the way by other (more accomplished) Milliman consultants who changed the shape of my learning curve.

"I believe that there will be continued scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service."

What are the biggest challenges of working in this industry, and what do you find most rewarding?

The challenge is the reward, in a sense. The unique structures that captives can have results in plenty of nuance in the programme design and funding. However, challenging myself to think about these issues more deeply, when I find a great solution it is very rewarding.

Would you recommend the captive insurance industry to young people as a future career path?

From my little corner of the captives market as a consulting actuary, I think the pitch for up-and-coming talent is straightforward. This is a market with a lot of growth potential and a way to help organisations in your local community to solve problems, strengthen their risk management, and understand their risk appetite.

What developments do you see ahead for captives?

I believe that there will be continued scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service, and potentially some regulatory bodies, looking into captive programmes such as the much-maligned 831(b) captives.

Do you think your long-term future remains in the captives market?

Yes. In the long-term, most consulting actuaries will need at least some knowledge of the captives sector. As much as there has been growth over the past decade, there is plenty more growth to come.

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