Luke Renz
Captive Consultant
Captives.Insure
Captive Consultant Luke Renz, shares his professional journey from the traditional insurance market to his current role at Captives.Insure. He discusses how the punitive nature of commercial policies drew him to the unique risk management structures offered by captive insurance, and highlights the importance of earning professional designations and continuous learning in this specialised field, seeing only continued opportunity for the niche sector
Professional Background
Describe your professional journey and how you became interested in the broader financial or insurance industries.
My career in insurance began in 2015 as a licensed insurance agent in Kansas. I was drawn to the industry as insurance is one of the most essential and resilient products—demand remains constant regardless of market conditions, offering stability and security.
However, I quickly recognised a major drawback of the traditional market: purchasing a commercial policy often feels punitive, serving more as an obligatory expense over a desired transaction. This realisation sparked my interest in the captive insurance industry, where the alignment of interests allows businesses to retain meaningful risk, capture potential underwriting profits, and gain greater control over their insurance programmes.
Provide a brief overview of your current role. What are your core responsibilities within the captive insurance industry?
As an independent captive Consultant with Captives.Insure, I specialise in delivering turn-key captive solutions with a focus on single-parent captive structures.
I work closely with all necessary service providers and conduct in-depth evaluations to determine whether a captive is the right fit for each client.
How did you get into the captive insurance sector? Was there a specific project or experience that led you here?
I first learned about captive insurance nearly a decade ago when I met Nate Reznicek.
Drawing on my background in the commercial market and nearly a decade of management experience, I was able to secure an opportunity with Captives.Insure.
Industry and Role Insights
Looking back, what has been a particularly rewarding project or achievement in your career?
While no single project stands above the rest, I find each opportunity to solve challenges and deliver win-win solutions for both our broker partners and insureds to be highly rewarding.
Having transitioned from the commercial market—where insureds often viewed policies as mere requirements—to now providing sophisticated solutions they can own, manage, and use to retain significant premium, has been an especially rewarding shift.
Earning my Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) designation through the International Center for Captive Insurance Education (ICCIE), along with additional designations from The Institutes, has further enriched this journey and been invaluable to my professional growth.
Who or what has significantly influenced your understanding of captive insurance?
I have been incredibly fortunate to have exceptional mentorship at Captives.Insure with venerable captive professionals such as Nate Reznicek and Joe McDonald. I have also obtained my ACI through ICCIE and designations through The Institutes. Attending nearly all major captive conferences and sitting on the Education and NEXTGen committees for the Captive Insurance Companies Association (CICA) has also expedited the learning process significantly.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work, and what is your advice for new professionals?
The captive industry is a small niche industry with passionate professionals, many of whom have been instrumental in growing the industry to what it is today. Everyone knows everyone and reputation is paramount for success. This keeps those involved accountable and eliminates bad actors expeditiously.
I see nothing but continued opportunity as increasingly educated professionals are drawn to the industry and larger commercial markets become aware of the opportunity captives provide. The continued growth will force previously hesitant markets to reconsider and arm themselves with the information needed to provide additional capacity to captive professionals across the industry.
What do you find most rewarding, and what are the main challenges/opportunities for
new professionals?
With every challenge comes opportunity. The hardening markets of Commercial Auto and Commercial General Liability have become significant pain points, particularly for well-managed businesses that face rising rates despite strong loss performance.
This pressure has fuelled conversations around alternative solutions tailored to these lines of business.
At the same time, technological advances and expanded service provider options are pushing speed to market, transparency, and ease of use to the forefront of the industry. While these developments are largely positive, it remains critical that new market entrants bring the expertise necessary to deliver solutions aligned with industry best practices.
What do you enjoy most about this field, and what opportunities or challenges face new professionals?
The most rewarding aspect of the captive industry is the constant emergence of new and unique opportunities each week. Every situation we evaluate brings its own distinct set of facts and circumstances, offering us the chance to learn and to ensure we deliver the best possible solution.
How do you continue to develop your knowledge in this specialised industry?
I enjoy the underwriting side of captive insurance and the unique structures it offers. The ability to evaluate risk, analyze operations, and assess total exposure is both fascinating and essential in determining whether an account is suitable for a captive arrangement. To stay at the forefront of the industry, I place a strong emphasis on earning professional designations, staying current with captive publications, attending conferences, and engaging with other industry professionals.
What are your aspirations for your career within the captive insurance industry?
I am excited to continue to advance within Captives.Insure while supporting the next generation of captive professionals. In addition to pursuing our internal goals, I look forward to expanding my involvement through conference presentations, industry publications, and ongoing continuing education.
For those exploring a career path in captive insurance, what advice would you share based on your experience?
Develop a mindset of continuous learning. The insurance and reinsurance industry is complex on its own, and adding captives creates an almost limitless opportunity to expand your knowledge. Leverage available resources, do not be afraid to ask questions, and consistently show up prepared.
Have any mentors or colleagues played a particularly helpful role in your professional development since you began working in the captive space?
Nate Reznicek, President of Captives.Insure, has been instrumental in my education and introduction to the captive industry. Having a well-established mentor in this field is invaluable to success, as it accelerates both the learning process and the ability to build meaningful networks.
