Sandra Fenters Named to List of Influential Women in Captive Insurance

Posted on July 18, 2024 by jeremy

This feature ran in Captive International on June 16, 2024.

“I have had success, and therefore I believe I have an obligation to pass that on.”

Sandra Fenters is the president of Capterra Risk Solutions, working with entrepreneurs of closely held businesses, private equity firms, public entities, and not-for-profit organisations seeking to capture profits within their organisations by implementing solid risk management and loss prevention techniques.

The firm specialises in creating alternative risk transfer (ART) mechanisms and captive insurance companies. Fenters and her team provide captive management and consulting services for captive formations of all types including pure single parent, group arrangements, and association captives.

Fenters began her insurance career with a large international insurance company as a surety underwriter. Her experience spans multiple disciplines including surety, professional liability, commercial liability, and high net worth personal lines insurance. Fenters has authored numerous articles on captive insurance and was faculty for University of Delaware’s Captive Program. She is an active member of the Self-Insurance Institute of America and sits on committees specific to captives and advocacy.

Fenters is a graduate of Allegheny College and holds a BA in political science and a BA in English. She is also a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Business Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, Fellows Class of 2010.

How did you get started in the captive insurance industry?

I started as an underwriter at Chubb Insurance and worked in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and also in the headquarters in New Jersey. When I was in New Jersey I worked on reinsurance deals, which is how I became familiar with the captive insurance industry. I moved back to Pittsburgh to start a family and I have three children.

Then I worked for a brokerage firm headquartered in Pittsburgh. Eventually I decided to start my own insurance company, which is based in Utah, and start a captive management and consulting firm in Pittsburgh. Our clients are located all over the world, and we are in every domicile that is favourable to captive insurance.

Who inspired you or acted as a mentor?

I was mentored by the finest in the industry, which is very difficult to find nowadays. Looking globally for talent is key. I am very grateful for the mentors that were in my life, they became fathers to me.

What do you think deters people from entering the world of captives?

I see no limitations at all in terms of coming into the industry other than the willingness to understand the traditional terms and conditions of insurance and then applying the captive application to it.

How can mentorship and sponsorship programmes be designed to better support the career development of women?

That’s a tough question. I don’t think it’s about men or women—it’s about surrounding yourself with key talent across all states nationally and internationally, and I believe it’s about paying it forward. I have had success, and therefore I believe I have an obligation to pass that on.

What are your ambitions?

I’ve been able to establish my own insurance company as well as my own captive management consultant company. So in terms of ambition I’ve made my focus in life to be the best version of myself and the best mentor I can be to those I come in contact with.

July 16, 2024

Delaware Captive Insurance Association 2014 Spring Forum Highlights

Posted on May 28, 2014 by jeremy

We attended the Delaware Captive Insurance Association Forum on May 12th and 13th in Wilmington, DE. The event was well attended with 79 participants from many disciplines all working in the captive space: attorneys, actuaries, CPA’s, captive managers, and Delaware regulators including the Insurance Commissioner, Karen Weldin. The forum offered a great opportunity to meet with several key players working with captives domiciled in Delaware.

Sandra was asked to present Tuesday morning and conducted a lively session regarding policy construction with Andrew Rennick, Esquire of Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. We had an interesting session with Steve Kinion, the Delaware Director, Bureau of Captive and Financial Insurance Products, where he shared his views on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) move to change the definition of multi-state insurers which may adversely affect captives. Steve also went over his proposed changes to Delaware regulations primarily affecting series captives, as well as providing new loan guidelines for all captives.

One of the participants of note was Chaz Lavelle of Bingham Greenebaum Doll, LLP. Chaz was the Tax Counsel for two key taxpayer victories in captive insurance cases including the Humana Inc. v. Commissioner which decided the “brother-sister” issue regarding risk sharing and risk distribution.

Great forum and time well spent!

Vermont Signs New Captive Insurance Legislation into Law

Posted on May 1, 2014 by jeremy

“Vermont’s New Captive Insurance Legislation Signed into Law; Changes Strengthen Vermont’s “Gold Standard” Captive Insurance Legislation”

Article posted by PRWeb.com on Thursday, April 17, 2014

Press Release posted by Digital Journal.com on Friday, April 18, 2014

Vermont has just enacted new legislation which creates a “dormant” status for captives. The dormant status provides a way for a captive that has ceased insurance operations to cost-effectively retain its license should it elect to resume operations in the future. (Bill H.563 amending Title 8) – Lynn H. Desmone, Account Executive, Capterra Risk Solutions (4/25/2014)

Captive Domiciles

Posted on March 17, 2014 by jeremy

Finally! We’re feeling a thaw here in Pittsburgh and are ready to embrace spring! While winter might be a time of hibernation for some, not here at Capterra Risk Solutions. We were busy over the winter forming several new captives, three of which were organized in a relatively new domicile for us, Utah. The Utah Captive Insurance Division was most helpful in getting these new captives up and running and the staff has been a real pleasure to work with. We now have captives located in several domiciles, both onshore and offshore.

In addition to working with business owners to assess their fit for forming a captive, we’ve been working closely with the regulators in several domiciles, staying abreast of changes such as new filing requirements in Delaware and tightened regulations in Anguilla due to increased focus from the International Monetary Fund regarding all financial institutions domiciled there. Each domicile has its own challenges and opportunities. Several states have recently enacted new legislation making the organization of a new captive in a U.S. domicile an attractive option.

Is a captive insurance company a fit for you? As an additional risk management tool, a captive insurance company allows you, the business owner, to determine how much risk to retain, as well as insure risks that may be traditionally “uninsurable” or cost prohibitive. Risks like warranty programs, loss of a key contract or key employee, these all fit well into a captive insurance company.

Want to learn more? Please give us a call, or send us a comment or question!

Capterra Risk Solutions