The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s Northeast division hosted its most successful event to date on Dec. 12, raising $1.3 million during its sixth annual benefit dinner. A grant of $960,000 will be divided among such charities as Eden Autism Services, the Central Harlem Initiative for Learning and Development and the American Red Cross, among others. 

One of the highlights of the event was when the IICF honored XL Group plc for philanthropic leadership with the 2012 “Double I” award for influence in the industry and impact in the community. Mike McGavick, CEO of XL Group, accepted the award, which was presented by Marsh & McLennan Cos. outgoing CEO/President Brian Duperreault, who called McGavick “a man of character, a man of integrity.”

In his speech before the more than 1,000 insurance industry leaders in attendance, McGavick offered an inspired, rousing speech in which he praised the insurance industry’s philanthropic efforts, proudly acknowledged its continued work in handling claims from Superstorm Sandy and made clear his distain for those who would villainize insurance companies to make headlines.

“If I watch one more storm where the politicians are already denigrating our industry before it even makes landfall, I’m going to throw up,” he told the audience, moving them to applause. As an industry, he added, “We do the right thing. And we don’t need them to tell us what to do.”

Watch McGavick's powerful speech in its entirety, above.