Cover expands auto insurance brokerage operations in Texas

Insurance Business America | April 26, 2019

Insurtech brokerage Cover has announced that it has officially started selling its own policies in Texas. In a recent survey, Cover found that about five million drivers in Texas have not shopped around for a better auto insurance rate in over two years. Although many Texans do not shop around too much, the state pays the 13th highest premiums in America. Cover offers a mobile-based process for buying policies (utilizing smartphone technology such as camera and location services), and the company also boasts the ability to set fairer rates with its app platform. It believes these features address the common insurance shopping pain points for Texans. According to a survey by Cover, 62% of Texans are frustrated by auto insurance shopping. Of those frustrated drivers, 29% said it is the time it takes to shop that is their main pain point when purchasing insurance, while 40% said they have doubts about their chances to find lower premiums. “By using smartphone technology to make insurance more intuitive, Cover is on a mission to take the frustration out of buying a policy, making it simple for drivers to find great coverage and better rates,” said Cover co-founder and CEO Karn Saroya.

Spotlight

While it might sometimes feel like a very settled market, motor insurance is changing as consumers’ needs change. A combination of the social and economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, inflationary forces and increased public concern about the environment are altering the way many U.K. consumers use their cars. One consequence of these changes is growing interest in non-annualised policies (NAPs) for motor insurance.

Spotlight

While it might sometimes feel like a very settled market, motor insurance is changing as consumers’ needs change. A combination of the social and economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, inflationary forces and increased public concern about the environment are altering the way many U.K. consumers use their cars. One consequence of these changes is growing interest in non-annualised policies (NAPs) for motor insurance.

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RISK MANAGEMENT, COMPLIANCE

Fortegra to Offer Underwriting Capacity to Adlaur LLC

Fortegra | March 03, 2023

On March 2, 2023, The Fortegra Group, Inc., a worldwide specialty insurer and Tiptree Inc., announced a partnership with Adlaur LLC, a newly-formed firm helmed by former Spinnaker Insurance Company executives - Adam Tyburski and Laurence Bunin. The partnership will let Fortegra use its A- (Excellent) AM Best Financial Strength Rating to offer innovative capacity solutions to leading MGAs and PAs in niche and under-contracted areas across the United States. Mark Rattner, Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer at Fortegra, expressed, "We are excited to support Adlaur and its trailblazing approach to program business." He added, "With this independent underwriter bringing company programs that have already been vetted, our strategic relationship will enable Fortegra to continue its growth by efficiently meeting the capacity needs of our MGA partners." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) Adlaur's distinctive methodology combines proactive sourcing, rigorous production partner oversight, and reporting, along with complicated reinsurance structuring and economic modeling expertise. The company was established so that property, liability, and specialty lines, all for small businesses, could be evaluated. Primarily through reinsurance broker markets, the industry will be sought out and written on an admitted, excess, and surplus line basis, with an initial emphasis on excess and surplus line programs. Adlaur can consider per-risk gross limits of up to $2.5 million or net limits of $1 million after reinsurance. Its initial focus will be on lower-limits commercial, specialized personal and specialty lines, and strategic reinsurance for the program business. About Fortegra Fortegra and its subsidiaries have provided risk management solutions for over 40 years, helping people and businesses prosper in unpredictable times. Being a global specialty insurer, the company offers a variety of accepted and surplus insurance and warranty products. The company writes admitted as well as non-admitted insurance and insurance-related products worldwide.

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RISK MANAGEMENT,INSURANCE TECHNOLOGY

AF Group Successfully Acquires AmeriTrust Group

AF Group and AmeriTrust Group | January 10, 2023

AF Group, a widely-acclaimed holding company, recently acquired AmeriTrust Group. The acquisition, which was first announced in April 2022 and now received regulatory approval, brings together two world-class, Michigan-based insurance organizations operating in the property and casualty market. Daniel J. Loepp, President and CEO of AF Group's parent company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, commented, "Adding a trusted and respected company like AmeriTrust to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan enterprise is exceptional news for our organization." He further states, "We look forward to the expanded capabilities and talented team AmeriTrust will add to AF Group's industry-leading expertise in the property and casualty space, enabling greater service offerings to agents and customers." (Source: PR Newswire) The acquisition empowers AF Group to provide its customers with a broader range of products and services while solidifying its increasingly powerful position and standing in the market, which has grown tremendously over the last decade. Acknowledged for its financial strength as Ward's 50 company and A.M. Best's ‘A’ (excellent) rating, AF Group is also known for its award-winning people-first culture. "We could not be more pleased to welcome the AmeriTrust team to our organization," expressed Lisa Corless, President and CEO of AF Group. "The work and commitment of AmeriTrust associates has led to a very strong reputation in the industry, and we're excited to add their expertise and capabilities as we broaden our product offerings to the benefit of our partner agents and shared policyholders nationwide," she concluded. (Source: PR Newswire) About AF Group AF Group is a globally-known holding firm headquartered in Lansing (Michigan), whose affiliated insurance brands are premier suppliers of creative, specialist insurance solutions. Owing to the strength of AF Group and its brands, its customers have access to qualified insurance specialists as well as the support needed to keep prices low and workers safe. The dedicated and committed team at AF Group uses industry-leading best practices, analytics, and resources to manage risk and limit loss for its policyholders while growing relationships with its valued independent agent partners. About AmeriTrust Group, Inc. Based in Southfield (Michigan), the company is a highly acclaimed specialty, niche-focused commercial insurance underwriter and provider of insurance administration services in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry. AmeriTrust provides insurance solutions to a variety of trade, industry, professional associations, governmental entities, affinity groups, and independent agents. Carrier activities include six insurance firms that are licensed in all 50 states, both admitted and non-admitted.

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Insurify to Acquire Compare.com, Bolstering Consumer Insurance Options

Insurify | March 13, 2023

Insurify, Inc., a leading online insurance agency in the United States that specializes in facilitating insurance comparisons, purchases, and management, has recently announced its plans to acquire Inspop USA, LLC as well as Compare.com Insurance Agency, LLC (Compare.com), a reputed player in the US online auto insurance comparison market. The acquisition is anticipated to be finalized within the first half of 2023. This collaboration will enable Insurify to leverage the strengths of both brands, platforms, and operations to provide cutting-edge solutions to customers and insurance carriers. It is worth noting that Insurify plans to preserve the Compare.com brand. Compare.com was established by Admiral Group plc (Admiral), a prominent UK-based auto insurance provider and a member of FTSE 100. In connection with the transaction, Admiral will maintain a minority ownership in Insurify and remain a key strategic investor. Moreover, Allie Feakins, CEO of Compare.com, will join Insurify as Senior Vice President of Insurance, where she will spearhead insurance operations for the newly-consolidated company. Costantino Moretti, Head of International Insurance, Admiral Group said, "This is a positive outcome for Compare.com customers and employees who will continue to empower more motorists in the U.S. to shop and save on their insurance needs. This transaction will enable Admiral to continue to focus on what we have consistently done well, creating, underwriting and delivering leading financial service products, while also benefiting from the continued momentum being seen in the US price comparison market." (Source – Business Wire) Besides, this deal has no bearing on Admiral's US-based insurance venture, Elephant, which operates independently as a separate entity. About Insurify Insurify is a prominent virtual insurance agent in the United States, headquartered in Cambridge (Massachusetts). The company provides customers with access to the most accurate estimates for auto and house insurance safely and reliably, along with expert guidance. As a result, Insurify has helped facilitate over $200 billion in insurance coverage and provided over 70 million quotes. Due to its outstanding achievements and contributions, it has been the recipient of several highly regarded awards and recognitions within the insurance industry.

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