Insurers show support for federal government’s reforms to drug pricing regulations

Insurers are backing the federal government’s changes to drug pricing regulation, welcoming the government’s efforts to make medicines more affordable and accessible. The federal government recently announced the final amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations, which aims to give the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) the right tools to ensure that medicine prices in Canada are properly priced. Broadly speaking, the amendments do the following to help control drug prices: Change the “basket” of countries Canada is compared to when setting drug prices. This means Canada’s drug prices will be judged against countries that actually resemble Canada’s population, economy and approach to healthcare.

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Insurance Technology

Acturis Partners with FullCircl to Deliver Next Generation Data Enrichment to the Insurance Market

PR Newswire | October 19, 2023

Acturis, the leading technology provider to the general insurance industry, has partnered with Customer Lifecycle Intelligence platform FullCircl to integrate its SmartBroker solution into the platform in order to deliver a rich, contextualised, and connected data solution for brokers, insurers, and MGAs. The SmartBroker API integration will provide next generation data enrichment to Acturis users proven to drive growth, improve decisioning, and enhance compliance. Recent research has highlighted a persistent level of doubt when it comes to broker and insurer trust in data. This has significant knock-on impacts when tackling many of the biggest challenges facing the industry - onboarding speeds, underwriting accuracy, underinsurance, personalised customer journeys, risk and fraud reduction, and meeting compliance duties. By integrating FullCircl SmartBroker into the Acturis platform brokers and insurers can: Efficiently identify and win new customers Save time and pre-populate forms in Acturis with validated data Run screening and onboarding checks Enrich customer data to save time and improve underwriting submissions Improve in-life monitoring for personalised experiences, elevated renewal rates, and expanded upsell opportunities Improve customer outcomes and comply with the Consumer Duty Speaking about the partnership Tony Goddard, CEO of Acturis commented: We're always looking for new ways to enhance how our customers write more business and ensure the trading experience is accurate, efficient, and effective. Integrating with FullCircl is another opportunity for us to elevate our platform and connect the insights brokers need, when it matters most. Andrew Yates, CEO and Co-Founder at FullCircl said: "This integration has been driven by demand from our shared customer base. We've worked together to provide users with a connected solution that will provide meaningful opportunities to drive growth. We believe brokers, insurers and MGAs are better with data, and this integration makes data enrichment more accessible. We're delighted to announce this partnership so quickly after the launch of our SmartBroker solution and exclusive facility for BIBA members. It's an exciting time for us, and for our customers in the insurance sector." Phil Barton CEO at Partners&, collaborators in the integration, expressed his excitement at the launch commenting: "I am delighted to see the integration of Acturis and FullCircl being announced. As a partner of both firms, and a business committed to intelligent use of technology, we could see the natural synergy in this integration, and the potential added value for our business. I am pleased to have played a role in influencing the development of this valuable proposition for the broking community." About FullCircl FullCircl is a Customer Lifecycle Intelligence (CLI) platform that connects the insight you need, when it matters most. Its software, delivered through a platform, API, and suite of applications, is used to identify and acquire customers, verify entities and assess risk to accelerate onboarding, and retain and grow customers by delivering proactive account management. FullCircl identifies millions of actionable insights daily on entities from 160 countries, providing a near real-time record of companies, their officers and shareholders, and the relationships between them. FullCircl improves commercial effectiveness while empowering businesses to satisfy regulatory requirements and make informed decisions about their customers. FullCircl was formed following the merger of Artesian Solutions and DueDil and is backed by top tier investors including Octopus Investments, Notion Capital and Augmentum Fintech. In 2023, FullCircl acquired W2 Global Data Solutions, strengthening its KYC, AML and identity verification capabilities. Today, it serves 700+ customers, 15,000+ users, processes over 300 million onboarding and monitoring transactions per month and facilitates the onboarding of 200,000+ customers annually. About Acturis Acturis is the leading, award winning Software-as-a-Service provider to the insurance industry. Founded in 2000, we have grown exponentially over the past 20 years. To date, more than 100,000 individuals, in over 40 countries, use Acturis solutions to power their business. We drive innovation in both personal and commercial lines by working closely with brokers, insurers, and MGAs. Our work has helped create and shape the insurance market of today. The Acturis Group includes Acturis SaaS, Nordic Insurance Software (NIS), ICE InsureTech, Broker Buddha, Acturis Deutschland, Acturis France and Acturis Canada.

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Insurance Technology

Hourly.io Selects Origami Risk Core Solution to Automate Workers’ Comp Policy Rating and Issuance

Business Wire | October 17, 2023

Hourly.io, a fast-growing workers’ compensation and payroll startup, has selected Origami Risk’s multi-tenant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) P/C core solution to bring critical automation to its breakthrough insurance platform for small and mid-sized businesses with hourly and mobile workers. Hourly will use Origami’s API to instantly quote policies. The platform integrates rates and rules from NCCI and other bureaus with Hourly’s underwriting models. Hourly combines payroll with time and attendance data to determine workers’ compensation premiums with to-the-penny accuracy in real time. The rating information will be instantly applied to applications submitted by insurance agents and brokers through Hourly’s instant quote portal. As we continue our rapid growth across the United States, choosing and deploying the best available technology has enabled us to drive down costs and streamline the rate-to-bind process for small and mid-sized employers, said Tom Sagi, Co-Founder and CEO, Hourly. Origami’s solution seamlessly integrates with our platform so we can scale while maintaining our speed, efficiency and accuracy. “Our automated solution aligns perfectly with Hourly’s objectives and the needs of its distribution network and clients,” said Christopher Bennett, Chief Strategy Officer, Core Solutions division at Origami Risk. “This proprietary capability is among several innovative solution sets we’ve developed to help carriers, pools, program administrators and other insurance providers drive efficiencies across critical functions, meet customer needs and improve overall performance.” Origami Risk offers a full suite of end-to-end, integrated SaaS solutions for policy, rating, billing, loss control and claims administration, reporting and analytics, along with a comprehensive digital engagement experience for all internal and external stakeholders. Established in 2018, Hourly offers workers’ comp insurance and an integrated platform that connects workers’ comp, time tracking, and payroll in real time—an innovation that ensures premiums are calculated with unprecedented precision. Hourly is first of its kind in the industry to bridge this gap seamlessly with a mobile-first platform. About Hourly Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Hourly.io is an insurtech startup offering full-service payroll and workers' comp insurance for small and medium businesses with hourly workers. Powered by real-time data, Hourly's platform ensures running payroll is as quick as pressing a button and that you get accurate workers' comp premiums down to the penny. For more information, visit www.hourly.io. About Origami Risk – Core Solutions Division Origami Risk provides integrated SaaS solutions that simplify insurance, risk, and safety for insurers, managing general agents (MGAs), program administrators, third party claims administrators (TPAs), risk pools, brokers and more. Origami Risk delivers its highly configurable and completely scalable integrated insurance core system, risk management and safety solutions from a secure, multi-tenant platform accessible via web browser and mobile app. Visit origamirisk.com or contact Origami at info@origamirisk.com.

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Risk Management

Augment Risk Continues Drive to Revolutionize Reinsurance, Announcing Andrew Matson as CEO

Augment Risk | December 04, 2023

Augment Risk, the pioneering new reinsurance brokerage firm, today announced the arrival of Andrew Matson as Chief Executive Officer. Matson will build on Augment Risk’s significant traction, having already bound $1 billion of premium in its first year of business. Augment Risk’s initial success is a testament to the firm’s transformative ‘Client, not class of business’ approach that protects and grows client equity value. “Augment Risk was founded to address a fundamental structural problem in the insurance and reinsurance markets. We champion the need for a shift from outdated practices of ‘products sold at prices’ to better cater to our clients’ needs,” Matson said. “I am thrilled to work with some of the most exceptional talent in the industry. We believe we can transform reinsurance broking for the better by focusing on our client’s entire business, creating partnerships with reinsurers, and enhancing equity value by better managing capital, reducing earnings volatility, and expanding the margins of our clients. Our approach has never been done at this scale.” The reinsurance industry has remained unchanged for generations. But with the advent of an increased interest rate environment, the rise in loss cost through inflation, and challenges mounting from natural catastrophes, the need to manage capital more efficiently has never been more important. Augment Risk has implemented a numerical approach to help clients better utilize their capital to maintain or improve their financial strength while achieving their business goals. At the heart of Augment Risk’s approach is a relentless focus on the client’s balance sheet, where capital has been blocked from being put to its best use due to operational complexity, vertical barriers, and mismanagement of risks. Augment Risk unlocks this opportunity by managing volatility through tailored solutions that are meticulously crafted to optimize enterprise value and are agnostic toward all forms of capital—a key differentiation from the conventional one-size-fits-all approach. Matson’s deep experience and understanding of the challenges facing reinsurers’ businesses are key to executing the vision of Augment Risk’s groundbreaking broker model. His accomplishments in the industry have spanned the globe and brought billions of dollars of premium to the global reinsurance market. “Andrew has the experience and conviction to lead Augment Risk’s next chapter of growth, and we are pleased to welcome him as CEO,” said Sam Gaynor, Managing Director, Altamont Capital Partners, which announced $100 million in funding for Augment Risk earlier this year. “Augment Risk addresses a clear market need to help global customers manage complex risk capital challenges based on efficiency, with a model poised to transform the reinsurance industry.” “Augment Risk provides the depth and breadth of expertise to ensure leaders of global companies have the capital, tools, and strategic insights necessary to thrive in a complex, often volatile environment; a one-size-fits-all approach to reinsurance doesn’t work and isn’t always in the best interest of their businesses,” said Keoni Schwartz, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Altamont Capital Partners. “This puts Augment Risk in a completely different category of reinsurance, building a new market in the industry to deliver better outcomes for these businesses.” About Augment Risk Augment Risk is a risk capital and reinsurance solutions broker, focused on designing and placing bespoke protections for a variety of clients. With a wide range of solutions, Augment creates growth and equity value through tailored transactions to deliver long-term capital and partnerships. Augment Risk’s expertise extends beyond (re)insurance, allowing the company to disrupt the value chain and build creative, value-accretive solutions for individual client needs.

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