In this episode of Uncontested Investing, we sit down with Alex Glickman, the Global Real Estate & Hospitality Practice Leader at Gallagher and one of the most trusted experts in real estate insurance and risk management. With more than 40 years in the industry, Alex has navigated every market cycle, natural disaster, and underwriting shift, giving her unmatched insight into how investors can protect their portfolios in today’s environment.
We dive deep into how climate events, rising insurance premiums, and increased claim activity are transforming the way lenders and carriers evaluate real estate deals. Alex explains the key insurance policies every real estate investor must understand, how risk is priced, and the major blind spots investors often overlook like pollution liability, tenant-related losses, builder’s risk coverage, and professional liability.
If you want to learn how insurance truly impacts your deal analysis, cash flow, lender requirements, and long-term portfolio strategy, this episode delivers a masterclass in real estate risk mitigation and asset protection from one of the brightest minds in the industry.
Key Talking Points of the Episode
00:00 Introduction
01:15 How Alex accidentally entered insurance after not getting into Harvard Law
02:01 Building a career in a “stodgy” industry and redefining real estate risk
03:00 What drives Gallagher’s innovative insurance products
03:52 How storms, wildfires, and extreme weather affect investor insurance strategies
05:37 Why floods are now being reported on every real estate deal
06:38 How insurance actually protects people during their worst moments
07:31 Lender requirements vs. investor needs—why these often clash
08:04 Why real estate insurance is not one-size-fits-all
09:18 Leading a global practice and the importance of learning international norms
11:53 Taking a stand: the career-defining moment that changed Alex’s life
13:52 The must-have insurance policies every real estate investor should understand
15:05 Pollution liability: the most overlooked risk in multifamily & SFR
16:25 Insurance needs for fix-and-flips, new construction, and ground-up projects
17:06 Landlord policies vs. tenant policies—who covers what?
18:20 Can landlords create revenue streams from tenant insurance?
19:45 Liability risks investors must understand (injuries, explosions, pet issues, more)
22:26 One-word motto for investors: “One more step.”
23:12 How AI and tech are transforming real estate insurance
24:40 Predictive modeling, storm path forecasting, and real-time risk analytics
25:18 Why cheap insurance can destroy your investment
26:55 What’s next for Gallagher and Alex’s mission to reshape the industry
Quotables
“Insurance is not monolithic. Real estate is not monolithic. You need someone who understands your asset type.”
“One more step. If you take one more step than everybody else every day, you will be successful.”
“I don’t fear bullies. That moment changed my life—and I’ve never looked back.”
Links
RCN Capital
https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast
https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital
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