Show Notes
For the first episode of Season 3, I'm talking about Enron and the company's spectacular rise and even more spectacular fall. It's a story about how creativity can sometimes mean stupidity, how culture impacts a company's survival, how hiring decisions matter, how ideas mutate, and how companies that put stock price and profits above all else can easily be the architects of their own demise. And--how blind people can be about a lot of things if what they are doing is making money. Who was responsible for Enron? What were the major causes of its bankruptcy? Who spoke up, and who listened (or didn't?) And what insurance responds when half of your executives are being criminally charged, and the shareholders and creditors are suing everyone they can think of? Join me to find out! Selected Sources and Links: 1. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) - IMDb 2. Guest Post: D&O What to Know: A Guide to the Evolution of Directors and Officers Insurance from 1933 to the Present | The D&O Diary (dandodiary.com) 3. https://nypost.com/2001/12/13/oh-boies-this-is-bad-ex-enron-cfo-hires-top-defense-lawyer/ 4. The defendants of the Enron era and their cases (chron.com) 5. Enron Executives: What Happened, and Where Are They Now? (investopedia.com) 6. SKILLING v. UNITED STATES (cornell.edu) 7. ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP V. UNITED STATES (cornell.edu) 8. Enron: Annual Reports (enroncorp.com) 9. Enron: The Good, The Bad, The Lessons, Lori Zulaf, Peter Grierson, International Business & Economics Research Journal, Volume 1, Number 11 10. Enron: A Financial Reporting Failure, Anthony H. Catanach Jr. & Shelley Rhoades-Catanach, Vol 48, Villanova Law Review, 2003 11. The Other Enron Story, Toni Mack, Forbes, October 14, 2002 12. Is Enron Overpriced? Bethany McLean, Fortune, March 5, 2001 13. Monster Mess, Bethany McLean, Fortune, February 4, 2002 14. Hidden Risks, Toni Mack, Forbes, May 24, 1993 15. Why Enron Went Bust, Bethany McLean, Fortune, December 24, 2001 Sources with Paywall: 1. Timeline: A chronology of Enron Corp. - The New York Times (nytimes.com) 2. Disgraced Ex-Enron CFO warns D&O insurers on fraud risk (insuranceinsider.com) Books: 1. The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron: McLean, Bethany, Elkind, Peter, Nocera, Joe: 9781591846604: Amazon.com: Books 2. Conspiracy of Fools: A True Story: Eichenwald, Kurt: 9780767911795: Amazon.com: Books 3. The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives: Eisinger, Jesse: 9781501121371: Amazon.com: Books 4. Power Failure: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron: Swartz, Mimi, Watkins, Sherron: 9780767913683: Amazon.com: Books 5. Ensuring Corporate Misconduct: How Liability Insurance Undermines Shareholder Litigation: Baker, Tom, Griffith, Sean J.: 9780226035154: Amazon.com: Books 6. A Financial History of Modern U.S. Corporate Scandals: From Enron to Reform: Markham, Jerry W: 9780765615831: Amazon.com: Books Music Credits: · Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library Contact Me: Website: https://insurancevshistory.libsyn.com Contact me! Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ insurancevshistory Facebook: Insurance vs History | Facebook
More from Insurance Vs History
Ever wondered how insurance intersects with slavery in America? My latest episode of Insurance vs History dives into the world of life insurance and American slavery. I'll reveal how life insurance on enslaved people helped historians and genealogists uncover stories that few textbooks ever mention. From lost documents to innovative legislation, we'll explore the surprising ways insurance records have brought new transparency to America's past.
Insurance Festivus: Real Grievances, 23 and Me Updates, and Tesla Turmoil Happy Festivus—it's time to air all our insurance grievances! Featuring real listener comments, updates on the 23andMe bankruptcy (cyber insurers, anyone?), and the wild world of Tesla Insurance, this is a great way to close out the year. Selected References: https://apnews.com/article/whistleblower-china-surveillance-tech-silicon-valley-adbd0bcfbb0892bfcb85948acb3f515f https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/tesla-insurance-unit-sued-over-alleged-auto-coverage-underpayments-2025-11-05/ Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected] Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to. Website: www.insurancevshistory.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher Music Credits: Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library
Insurance CEO Pay: What's Fair, What's History, and What's Next? I started trying to answer one question: is Insurance CEO pay fair? and ended up with a massive project. In this episode, I dig into the history of executive pay, share eye-opening stats from AIG, and ask for your help with figuring out who gets paid what and how that's changed over time. Plus, submit your insurance grievance for inclusion in my holiday Festivus episode! Selected References: 1. https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2025/06/16/827459.htm 2. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/guides/insurance-ceo-salary-how-much-do-executives-of-the-top-insurers-earn-467192.aspx 3. https://consumerfed.org/press_release/insurance-ceos-get-27-salary-and-bonus-bump-while-consumers-see-premium-hikes-and-non-renewals/ 4. https://www.businessinsurance.com/gallery/highest-paid-insurance-executives-2025/ 5. https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2025/8/neuehealths-mikan-tops-insurtech-ceo-pay-list-in-2024-92202141 6. https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2025/8/arch-capitals-papadopoulo-tops-pc-insurer-ceo-pay-list-in-2024-92167011
Is Your DNA Safe? Inside 23andMe's Bankruptcy and Insurance Challenges What happens when a company owns your DNA data—and then goes bankrupt? In this episode, I dive into the complicated story of 23andMe, exploring its insurance challenges, genetic data risks, privacy concerns, and the ongoing impact for consumers in today's health and insurance landscape. If you have data with 23andMe or any other consumer focused genetic data company, I strongly suggest you listen. Selected References: https://www.inc.com/magazine/201510/jeff-bercovici/the-dna-whisperer.html 23andMe, Antonio Regalado, MIT Technology Review, Volume 119, No. 4 https://www.fastcompany.com/3052283/how-ceo-anne-wojcicki-turned-23andme-around-after-falling-out-with-the- https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/23andMe/ (Bankruptcy Documents) Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected] Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to. Music Credits: Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher
Tesla's Insurance Gamble: Why Cheaper Isn't Always Better (& What History Teaches Us) Why would Tesla get into the insurance business, and is it really a new idea? In this episode, I explore Tesla's foray into insurance, the bumps they've hit along the way, and why history shows automakers rarely succeed with insurance. Selected References: 1. https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2025/10/06/tesla-insurance-in-trouble-for-claims-mishandling/?kw=Tesla%20insurance%20in%20trouble%20for%20claims%20mishandling&utm_source=email&utm_medium=enl&utm_campaign=newsroomupdate&utm_content=20251006&utm_term=pc360&oly_enc_id&user_id=29a99e396b51ff1e37567d2fe2ef4b2d7540d4c206a60ee86a83e02abf0199f8 2. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2025/release064-2025.cfm 3. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-insurance/ 4. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/auto-motor/why-has-tesla-insurance-fallen-short-for-some-customers-471754.aspx 5. https://www.insurancethoughtleadership.com/six-things-commentary/why-tesla-insurance-will-flop Hire me to speak at your meeting! I can talk about the topic of your choice, or I can talk about the history of insurance and why insurance matters. Reach out for booking info or just to connect at [email protected] Help keep independent podcasts going by contributing to my production costs: See my page at Buy Me a Coffee: Insurance vs History is Exploring all the ways Insurance changed History...or failed to. Music Credits: Boulangerie by Jeremy Sherman, courtesy of NeoSounds: Boulangerie, LynneMusic | NeoSounds music library Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredithbrasher