Liberty Mutual announces new coal policy, appoints sustainability head

Liberty Mutual | December 16, 2019

Liberty Mutual Insurance has announced the appointment of Francis Hyatt to the newly created role of chief sustainability officer. Hyatt will lead the company’s Office of Sustainability and focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. The company has also announced a new policy on coal underwriting and investing. Under the new policy, Liberty Mutual will no longer accept underwriting risk for companies where more than 25% of their exposure arises from the extraction or production of energy from thermal coal. Liberty Mutual will also no longer make new investments in debt or equity securities of companies that generate more than 25% of revenues from thermal coal mining or utility companies that generate more than 25% of their electricity production from thermal coal. The company will phase out coverage and investments for existing risks that exceed that threshold by 2023.

Spotlight

It’s no secret that the global pandemic has upended everyone’s life. We know this anecdotally from our own experiences—more online shopping with curbside pickup orders, ordering takeout and delivery versus in-person dining, and changing media consumption. And let’s not forget remote working and learning. These experiences are more than simply anecdotal; McKinsey has written about the more specific effects of the pandemic on consumer behavior and needs. In short, they write: “behavior changes will reshape consumer decision journeys and companies will need to adapt fast.”

Spotlight

It’s no secret that the global pandemic has upended everyone’s life. We know this anecdotally from our own experiences—more online shopping with curbside pickup orders, ordering takeout and delivery versus in-person dining, and changing media consumption. And let’s not forget remote working and learning. These experiences are more than simply anecdotal; McKinsey has written about the more specific effects of the pandemic on consumer behavior and needs. In short, they write: “behavior changes will reshape consumer decision journeys and companies will need to adapt fast.”

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Intellectual Property, Insurance Technology

ISU Insurance Agency Network Launches Exclusive Digital Quote&Bind Platform Powered by CoverForce

PR Newswire | September 01, 2023

ISU Insurance Agency Network (ISU IAN) announces the launch of the proprietary ISU Quote&Bind Platform. The platform is the result of a collaboration between ISU Digital Partnerships, ISU preferred carriers, and CoverForce, an InsurTech API platform facilitating the insurance distribution process, to maximize the ease of doing business. The ISU Quote&Bind Platform works directly with ISU preferred carriers' APIs to simplify and streamline the production workflow, allowing ISU Members to access multiple quotes at once and bind policies in one click. The exclusive member benefit aims to reduce the cost of doing business for ISU preferred carriers, ISU members, and the members' prospects and clients through increased efficiency, speed, and transparency. "The partnership between ISU and CoverForce is opening the door to the future of the insurance industry," says CEO TJ Ryan III. "Providing this cutting-edge technology to our members to increase the ease of doing business shows our investment and commitment to the independent insurance agent. ISU Quote&Bind eliminates the headaches of regional insurance coverage capacity, new market development, and at least half of the cost associated with producer management when used as business-to-consumer direct sales platform, which facilitates a national reach in the chosen vertical market." ISU preferred carriers presently binding commercial policies from all 420 ISU IAN Members locations include AmTrust, Chubb, CNA, Employers, Great American, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide and Travelers. ISU plans to add more preferred carriers and expand lines of business on the platform throughout 2023 and 2024. ISU is the first organization in the country to quote and bind Great American's business owner's policy digitally. Members will also be the first group to access the latest digital products from the leading commercial carriers in America. "We are excited to partner with ISU IAN to enable ISU members to digitally connect with their preferred carriers to maximize placement profitability and expand their books of business," says CoverForce CEO Cyrus Karai. "This partnership embodies our mission to strengthen the independent agent with digital capabilities." Every ISU Member Coast to Coast™ is now taking advantage of the ISU Quote&Bind platform's convenience and speed to access preferred carriers and products, assure data security, usage control, and preferred compensation and coverage terms. In addition to quick and accurate access to bindable products, the ISU Quote&Bind platform incorporates the ISU Commercial Lines Placement Advisor©, a proprietary system delivering the most up to date carrier appetite guide on the market driven by industry classification, state, and line of business. About ISU Insurance Agency Network Founded in 1978, the mission of the ISU Insurance Agency Network (ISU IAN) is to help the independent insurance agent thrive. ISU is the largest independently owned and operated independent insurance agency network representing approximately $8 billion in written P&C premiums across 240+ members in 41 states. All ISU Members receive the best-in-class insurance solutions while leveraging the business benefits that come with being part of a large national organization to complement their local presence and independence. Visit www.joinisu.com for more information. About CoverForce CoverForce is the first core insurtech API platform working to bridge the gap between insurance distributors and their preferred P&C carrier partners. CoverForce was founded in 2020 at the University of Pennsylvania's Innovation Lab, in conjunction with insurance industry veterans from Travelers and The Hartford, and experienced software engineers from Amazon and Google. Investors include NYCA Partners (www.nyca.com), and QED Investors (www.qedinvestors.com). For more information, visit www.coverforce.com.

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Core Insurance, Risk Management

ESET Partners with Patriot Growth Insurance Services to Offer Best-in-Class Cyber Insurance to Companies Across the US

PR Newswire | July 31, 2023

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Claims, Compliance

New InsurTech Partnership Simplifies the Claims Process for Millions of Policyholders

Globenewswire | July 13, 2023

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