Building a Career on Loving Complexity 

Many people build careers by simplifying things; Frederick Fisher built his by embracing complexity. “I found that I love the complexities of professional liability exposures, hazards and claims,” he states. “I also found understanding the coverage to be quite challenging… No 2 were alike.” This fascination became his professional engine. 

After 20 years of running a claim adjusting firm and third-party claim administration (TPA) firm, he made his next “very smart move.” In 1995, he formed a wholesale insurance brokerage specializing in professional liability. “The timing couldn’t have been better,” he notes, “as there were very few experts in professional liability back then.” 

This brokerage was not just another sales office. It was built on a distinct philosophy, a mantra that would come to define his brand: “We provide financial security, we let our competition sell you some insurance.” This guiding principle reflected his deep understanding of the stakes. His clients were “often involved in very sophisticated businesses requiring sophisticated coverages.” They didn’t just need a policy; they needed a financial shield crafted by an expert. This commitment to expertise over simple sales is what first established him as a truly trusted advisor. 

When he eventually left his brokerage post acquisition, retirement was not an option. “I was not ready to retire,” he says. Having already been retained as an expert witness on occasion since the 1980s, he saw a clear path forward. “After all, one needs to have a reason to get up in the morning, and there were plenty of lawyers who knew who I was and wanted to hire me.” Thus, the Fisher Consulting Group was born, the natural culmination of a career spent mastering the details. 

A Call for Reform: The “Boots on the Ground” Solution 

Today, as one of the industry’s most sought-after consultants and expert witnesses, Fisher is not just advising on claims; he is on a mission to fix a broken system. He points to several “very disturbing trends” that threaten the integrity of the industry. 

First, he sees a dangerous shift in policy drafting. “More and more, unfortunately, law firms are actively trying to help insurance companies draft policy language so as to be able to avoid paying claims one would normally pay,” he warns. He speculates this is driven by “CPAs who run insurance companies as opposed to insurance people,” prioritizing cash flow and profit over the fundamental promise of insurance. 

Second, he is vocal about the erosion of the broker’s primary duty. “Insurance brokerages have learned that in 37 states, an insurance broker has no duty to advise the customer,” he states. “They are simply “order takers.” He calls the situation “ridiculous,” as it leaves policyholders on their own to determine if their complex needs are being met. This, he notes, is exactly why “insurance producers are getting sued, and get sued a lot.” Yet, if they gave accurate advice, and documented it, they could avoid a lawsuit or shut one down more quickly. After all,  what’s better,  defending a lawsuit that will probably settle, or not have one at all?  

But Fisher doesn’t just identify problems; he offers concrete solutions. His primary advice to companies is to rethink their entire claims process. “Don’t send claims directly to lawyers,” he urges. He argues that insurance companies, in an effort to save costs, have “abandoned” their most effective tool: “boots on the ground field adjusters.” 

His logic is built on decades of experience. “A good claim investigation can develop much of the facts and evidence within 90 days. Defense lawyers can’t even get a scheduling order in that period of time,” he explains. Furthermore, legal discovery is “shrouded in how to get as much information from the other party without giving them anything,” a stalemate that prevents true fact-finding. A “boots on the ground investigator,” however, works in a more casual atmosphere and can develop facts and interview witnesses far more effectively. 

This leads to his greatest consulting challenge: getting insurers to see this as an investment, not an expense. “Getting insurance companies to understand that faster claim development means that reserves and more accurately set,” he says. This isn’t just about one file; it’s about the health of the entire book of business. “If reserves are more accurately set earlier, actuaries can analyze the book of business and recommend adjustments rather than exiting the market after five years.” In short, investing in a proper investigation at the start always leads to a lower total cost than “sending everything to the lawyers who run up a big bill and often settle before trial.” 

The True Currency: Ethics, Education, and Mentorship 

In a world of complex contracts and financial transactions, what is the most valuable asset? For Fisher, the answer is simple. “It’s all you’ve got,” he says of ethics and integrity. “In essence, it is extremely important.” 

This belief fuels his passion for his most rewarding work: education. Reflecting the legacy of his first mentor, Fisher now finds his greatest satisfaction in giving back. “At this point in my career, I love mentoring others and teaching them whatever they think I can provide to help them achieve their own successful careers,” he shares. 

He sees education as an “absolute necessity” in a specialty lines industry that is “very complicated” and “certainly not static,” with courts constantly reinterpreting policies. It’s this complexity that makes his law degree so valuable, not because he ever practiced, but because it gave him the foundational education to understand the intricate machine of law, liability, and insurance. He now shares this knowledge through numerous webinars and seminars, actively publicizing the industry’s pitfalls to help others avoid them.