This month, the Windstorm Insurance Network will be hosting its15th Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference, or “WIND 2014.”

Taking place Jan. 27-30, at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando,Fla., the conference is an educational forum where representativesfrom all segments of the windstorm insurance claims industry canponder the impact of past hurricane seasons and exchange ideas andsolutions. In addition to professional development and networking,the conference offers continuing education (CE) credits fornumerous states, bar associations, and numerous designations.

In anticipation of the event, Claims spoke withMichelle Griffin, executive director of the Windstorm InsuranceNetwork.

What's new at this year's WIND conference?

Griffin: This year, we are celebrating our15th anniversary, so one key focus will be on how far we have comein such a short time. We're also excited to launch the WINDProfessional Designation Program, which was established torecognize individuals within the industry who demonstrateexceptional professionalism and technical knowledge in the field ofproperty and windstorm insurance claims.

The program includes two levels of designations: the WindstormInsurance Network Associate (WIND-A) and Windstorm InsuranceNetwork Fellow (WIND-F). Both designations recognize individualswho show a dedication to ongoing education in their respectiveconcentrations.

Has this year's CE program been expanded compared tothat in 2013?

The 2014 conference provides the largest total CE opportunitiesever for WIND. For example, an insurance adjuster or licensed agentwho attends all of this year's sessions can secure as many as 22credit hours of continuing education. Attorneys can secure, onaverage, as many as 14 CLEs. For most of our professionalcategories, every single workshop has been applied for CEofferings.

The conference has also expanded its CE offerings for generalcontractors to their full annual requirement of 12 hours of CEs ifthey attend the specific workshops that have been approvedspecifically for them. Additionally, there are opportunitiesspecifically for CPAs, engineers, mediators, CPCUs, RPAs, andothers to garner credits.

In the brochure, you allude to nearly 'two years' worth'of CEs. How did you come up with that number?

Almost all states and professions require either 12 CE/CLE peryear, or 24 every two years. This means attendees can easily secureway more [credits] than the one-year requirement, given that theconference offers a total of 22 hours—or nearly two full years ofCE.

In your opinion, what are the most important takeawaysfor this year's attendees?

Well, many policyholders and insurance professionals had notexperienced the magnitude and nature of damages from a storm likeSandy previously. In light of this, they are newly experiencingsome of the issues and claims-handling challenges that we here inthe Southeast and Gulf Coast have braved throughout the years.Therefore, we expect some of the [new] hot topics to be:

1. Reviving wind vs. wave discussions.
2. Appraisal issues. Many of the firms in theNortheast simply have not experienced what industry professionalsin the southeast have, in terms of the appraisal process.
3. Building methods used in the originalconstruction of homes, including how new codes will affectrebuilding efforts.

For more information, including the application process andcriteria, about the WIND Professional Designation Program, visitwindnetwork.com/designation-program.com.

Sessions To Watch

Keynote Speaker: Dave Barry

The author, humorist and Pulitzer prize-winner will take thestage at 8:30 a.m. on Tues., Jan. 28 during the generalsession.

Hurricane Wind vs. Surge Timing: The Facts, PlusWhen and How to Find a Meteorologist

Wed., Jan. 29 (WD16) 1:30 to 3:15 p.m. (WD26) 3:45 to 5:30 p.m.During the workshop, five industry leaders will addressmisunderstandings relating to timing the arrival of damaging windsand storm surge associated with hurricanes.

The presentation will include a broad overview of the scientificfacts concerning such hazards, along with a discussion of relevantcase law from both the insurer and policyholder perspectives. Itwill also address the role meteorologists can play in providingscientific reconstructions of the magnitude of typical elementscomprising a wind-related weather event.