Financial Conduct Authority outlines priorities for the year

Insurance Business America | April 18, 2019

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is busier than ever, taking on a handful of cross-sector priorities to ensure regulation keeps pace with rapidly changing financial services and consumer needs. In its newly published Business Plan for 2019/20, the FCA outlined its main areas of focus and planned activities. These encompass the areas of investment management, retail lending, pensions and retirement income, retail investments, retail banking, wholesale financial markets, and of course general insurance (GI) and protection. In terms of GI, among the key priorities are fairness in pricing and product value as well as access and exclusion in insurance. Aside from releasing the findings of its distribution chains review, the regulator’s activities in this sector also include monitoring claims inflation and evaluating the outcomes from GI renewals transparency.

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, INSURANCE TECHNOLOGY

Embroker Releases New Law Bundle based on ONE by Embroker Platform

Embroker | February 24, 2023

Embroker, a digital insurance platform that makes it easy to insure a business, just released a new malpractice and cyber bundle that is specifically made for legal practices. This package, the company's first vertical offering built on its new ONE by Embroker platform, makes it easy for law firms to obtain customized malpractice and cyber coverage. Ben Jennings, Chief Revenue Officer at Embroker, stated, "Regardless of size, law firms don't just want to 'tick' the insurance box; they need a strategic partner to create products where risk is dynamically modeled and tailored to their biggest exposure areas." He further added, "This law liabilities and cyber bundle does exactly that, and represents the first of multiple vertical-specific bundles we'll be launching on ONE by Embroker in the coming months." (Source – Business Wire) Law companies' databases include massive volumes of personal and sensitive customer data, making cybersecurity breaches severe. After answering a few questions, law firms can identify their coverage needs and receive customized liability and cyber policy quotations. Custom product packaging, level pricing transparency, and one application for various coverages let them receive the proper coverage faster and easier. ONE by Embroker uses AI and machine learning to synthesize and mix business insurance solutions depending on industry demands, simplifying the insurance buying process. Embroker's ONE by Embroker universal application and strong vertical expertise create a unique, streamlined shopping experience for legal professionals in this law package. It's suitable for companies of all sizes, but those with 25 attorneys or fewer are the most underserved by conventional brokers and carriers. Due to these expanding concerns, many organizations are now carefully assessing their cyber exposure and adding cyber insurance to their cyber hygiene activities. About Embroker Embroker simplifies smart business insurance. It saves time and money by integrating technology and broker knowledge. Embroker, the largest internet insurance broker, wants to improve the $800 billion P&C insurance market. The company services customers in all 50 states from its San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston headquarters. According to Goldman Sachs and CB Insights, it is one of the innovators shaping the future of finance.

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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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Citizens Inc. Reveals Plans to Increase Its White-label Offering

Citizens Inc. | February 27, 2023

Citizens, Inc., a diversified financial services company that offers life, final expense, and limited liability property insurance, recently announced that it entered into a new distribution agreement with Amerus Financial Group to expand its white-label program. As part of the agreement, Amerus will distribute Citizens' life and ultimate expense insurance policies under the Amerus Silver Shield brand. Meanwhile, CICA Life Insurance Company of America, also owned by Citizens, will be responsible for marketing and selling these policies. The company's goal is to be the market leader in custom-made white-label products and also, Amerus' first-choice partner. Citizens' product experience, service, and capacity to quickly develop new products in several languages make it an excellent white-label partner. Citizens' white-label product, Amerus Silver Shield, will service the life and ultimate expense market with Amerus' experience and dedication to seniors. "Our partnership with Amerus represents a tremendous opportunity to leverage our unique strengths and shared drive to deliver on the life insurance promise," said Gerald W. Shields, Vice Chairman and CEO of Citizens Inc. He continued, "Both companies are passionate about preparing people for the uncertainty of tomorrow with solutions for today. It is very exciting to work with the top IMOs and agencies to meet the needs of this underserved population. We look forward to working with Tim and his team to develop tailor-made product solutions that address the unique needs of clients." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) Tim Baggott, Amerus CEO, expressed, "Citizens, Inc. is the perfect partner with whom to white label our own suite of life and final expense products which fill an ever-widening gap in the market. Beginning with our Silver Shield final expense product offering, Amerus will now be able to offer outstanding coverage for seniors who would otherwise not be able to afford to leave a financial endowment for their loved ones. We are looking forward to expanding our offerings even more going forward as our partnership with Citizens develops." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Citizens Inc. Through its insurance company subsidiaries, Citizens, Inc. provides life, ultimate expense, limited liability property insurance, and other financial products to people as well as small businesses in the United States, Latin America, and Asia. The company’s unique goods are available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin as part of the company's customer-centric expansion strategy. Its Life Insurance division is a prominent name in Latin America for whole life cash value insurance policies denominated in U.S. dollars, while the company's Home Services division is a pioneer in the Gulf Coast region of the United States.

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