NU Online News Service Aug. 20, 1:30 p.m. EDT

The Captive Insurance Companies Association (CICA) and theNational Risk Retention Association (NRRA) have both planned eventsin the Washington D.C. area in October, the organizations said.

CICA's 2010 Fall Seminar will take place Oct. 4 at the ASAEConference Center in Washington, D.C. and will focus on wayscompanies can utilize their captives for employee benefits.

NRRA's 22nd annual conference, Oct. 5-7 at the Ritz CarltonPentagon City in Arlington, Va., will highlight "The Power ofAdvocacy."

NRRA is the national trade association representing theinterests of risk retention groups--insurance companies authorizedby the federal Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986 to operatenationally without additional regulation when licensed in a singlestate.

The 247 RRGs active today generated more than $2.5 billion ofpremiums in 2009, NRRA said.

Michael J. Bemi, president and chief executive officer ofNational Catholic Risk Retention Group Inc., will keynote theconference with a review of how RRGs have grown into a majorsegment of the insurance industry in the 25 years since the federalLRRA was signed into law.

Therese M. "Terri" Vaughn, CEO of the National Association ofInsurance Commissioners, will address the conference on regulatoryissues concerning Risk Retention Groups from the perspective of theNAIC.

For information and registration visit www.nrra-usa.org or call703-297-0059.

CICA's program includes:

o What is the Benefits Buzz All About?--Karin Landry, managingpartner, Spring Consulting Group.

o A View from the DOL--Nancy Gerrie, attorney at law, McDermott,Will & Emery, LLP, on the typical DOL decisions and processthan an employer needs to address when it comes to turning tocaptives for funding employee benefits.

o Group Captives--funding healthcare in group captives,including a review of group captive structure, key factors toconsider and what may change in the coming year.

o RRGs/Cell/Other Structures--Dominic Palmieri, HM LifeInsurance Company, on the basic structure of risk retention groupsand cell captives, the benefits and issues, and funding healthcarebenefits in this type of captive.

o Post Retirement Medical Funding--Karin Landry, managingpartner, Spring Consulting Group will cover how using investmentproducts through a captive insurance company can address theoptions for funding retiree medical benefits and offsetting theliability they hold;

Find out more about the program at www.CICAworld.com or call952-928-4655.