Core Insurance, Risk Management
Businesswire | July 28, 2023
Socotra, the leading provider of modern, cloud-based solutions for technology-driven insurers, today announced that high-risk homeowners provider Annex Risk is processing business with Socotra. Annex Risk has successfully implemented the true cloud-native insurance policy core platform, Socotra Connected Core, and is now live, offering a digitally-forward approach to close critical coverage gaps in coastal Texas, Florida, and the Eastern Seaboard. Annex Risk’s innovative platform combines algorithmic underwriting and capacity, empowering retail agents to quote and bind high-risk homeowners insurance in less than 2 minutes.
“Technology is core to our business, not an enabler - we needed the most modern, continuously improving policy administration system we could find. No-code/low-code platforms were less compelling to us than Socotra’s flexible, API-centric solution,” said Annex Risk Co-Founder Charlie Sido. "Socotra's API-driven platform allows us to configure the entire policy lifecycle natively, while also seamlessly integrating with external solutions for payments, e-signatures and inspections. This flexibility ensures our ability to adapt and scale as the business evolves, while also providing a foundation for future innovation.”
Socotra's cloud-based architecture allows Annex Risk to eliminate significant operational overhead and leverage Socotra's ongoing investments in the platform. This partnership has expedited Annex Risk’s market entry, enabling them to sell their complex product in four states within six months. As a technology startup, Annex appreciates the capital-efficient and self-sufficient nature of Socotra's implementation, allowing them to maintain control and agility while minimizing reliance on third-party consultants.
"We are thrilled to have Annex Risk join our ecosystem of innovative insurance providers," said Dan Woods, CEO of Socotra. "By leveraging Socotra Connected Core, Annex Risk can offer their retail partners a streamlined and digitized experience that sets them apart in the market. Additionally, Socotra's modern underpinnings will future-proof Annex Risk's investment as they continue to grow and evolve their business."
Socotra offers a game-changing alternative to legacy underwriting systems that rely on emails, PDFs and proprietary tools, resulting in quote times that could stretch into days. With Socotra's powerful capabilities, Annex Risk can deliver an instant quote and bind experience, aligning with retail insurance agents’ expectations and setting a new standard in the industry.
About Annex
Annex is a leading provider of homeowners insurance for properties with significant natural catastrophe exposure. Through its partnership with over two thousand retail agents, Annex focuses on closing critical coverage gaps in coastal areas from Texas up the Eastern Seaboard. Annex's sophisticated algorithmic underwriting and capacity enable retail agents to quote and bind high-risk homeowners insurance in less than 2 minutes. With a technology-driven approach, Annex leverages innovative solutions to deliver an exceptional customer experience.
About Socotra
Socotra provides insurance companies with the flexible modern core platform and ecosystem they need to adapt, innovate, and grow their business. By leveraging solutions such as Socotra CorePlus and Socotra Connected Core, insurers can streamline policy administration, enhance digital experiences, and deliver products to market faster. Socotra provides open APIs, a product-agnostic data model, and out-of-the-box capabilities to manage the entire policy lifecycle, making insurance innovation faster, easier, and more affordable.
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Risk Management, Life Insurance
Businesswire | July 04, 2023
Nassau Financial Group, L.P. (“Nassau”) today announced that its subsidiary, Nassau Life Insurance Company (“NNY”), has completed the acquisition of Delaware Life Insurance Company of New York (“DLNY”) from Delaware Life Insurance Company (“Delaware Life”), a Group 1001 company.
NNY and DLNY are New York-domiciled life insurance companies, and Nassau plans to merge DLNY into NNY.
“It has been our pleasure to work with the team at Group 1001 and Delaware Life, enabling the sale of their non-strategic business line," said Phil Gass, Chief Executive Officer of Nassau. “As Nassau’s fourth insurance acquisition, the closing of this transaction marks yet another milestone as we continue to expand our New York presence. We look forward to welcoming the DLNY policyholders to Nassau.”
"We have worked closely with Nassau Financial Group to ensure a smooth transition for our policyholders,'' said Dan Towriss, CEO and President of Group 1001, the parent company of Delaware Life. "Our highest priority has been to ensure that this change is as seamless as possible."
DLNY is a provider of fixed annuities, variable annuities, and life insurance products with approximately 16,000 policies in force and $1.6 billion in assets as of March 31, 2023. The company does not have employees, and its business was managed as part of Delaware Life.
Sidley Austin LLP served as legal advisor to Nassau, and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as legal advisor to Delaware Life.
About Nassau Financial Group
Based in Hartford, Connecticut, Nassau Financial Group is a growth focused and digitally enabled financial services company with three distinct and closely connected businesses: insurance, reinsurance, and asset management. Nassau was founded in 2015 and, adjusted for the DLNY acquisition, has approximately $24 billion in assets, $1.3 billion in total adjusted capital, and 400,000 policyholders as of March 31, 2023. For more information, visit nfg.com.
About Group 1001
Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC (“Group 1001”) is a technology-driven financial services company with a mission to empower customers, employees, and communities by making innovative products accessible to everyone. Group 1001 strives to demystify how insurance and annuity products are purchased today by leveraging technology to provide intuitive financial solutions for all Americans. As part of its mission, Group 1001 invests in strategic partnerships to connect with and transform communities through education and sports. As of March 31, 2023, Group 1001 had combined assets under management of approximately $60.1 billion and comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge®, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group, and Clear Spring Life. For more information about Group 1001, visit group1001.com. For more information about Delaware Life, visit delawarelife.com.
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Core Insurance, Life Insurance
Business Wire | August 14, 2023
McGill and Partners, the global boutique specialist (re)insurance broker, has announced several important leadership appointments within its US operations.
Karl Hennessy, who currently leads the Global Specialty Insurance teams in London, will be appointed CEO of McGill Global Risk Solutions LLC, the US insurance and reinsurance business, and will move to New York from London, subject to visa approvals. He will be supported by John Judice, who is appointed President of the US business with immediate effect and will be responsible for driving sales and business development activity across McGill and Partners’ specialty insurance platform. Warren Mula will remain Chairman of the US business.
Nirali Shah has been appointed Head of US D&O and to further support Business Development activity in the US, Daisy Jackson has been appointed Partner, Business Development, and will move to New York from London, subject to visa approvals. Alyssa Gerardi is appointed as Steve McGill’s Chief of Staff and has moved from New York to London.
As Karl transitions to the US, his previous responsibilities will be taken over by our Chairman, John Lloyd.
McGill and Partners works closely with many leading high-quality retail and/or wholesale brokerage firms and/or (re)insurers as well as global clients and their captives to deliver superior solutions and services to this segment. Specifically, the focus of the firm is on the design structuring and placement of world class (re)insurance solutions, particularly for larger or more complex clients.
Steve McGill, CEO of McGill and Partners, said: “Since we launched four years ago, we have developed a value proposition and business model that is highly differentiated, enabling us to deliver industry leading organic revenue growth. The US is the most important (re)insurance market in the world and these leadership changes are designed to reinforce our commitment to the US market, for the benefit of all our trading partners and clients.”
About McGill and Partners
McGill and Partners is the fastest growing specialty (re)insurance broker in the world with a boutique approach to help clients manage their most complex and challenging needs. It was launched in 2019 and the firm has significant backing from funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm. McGill and Partners is a global business with centres of excellence in London and New York.
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