Featured Articles Blog

0

Uncategorized

People Moves: Starkweather & Shepley Unveils Promotions, Officer Advancements

Article 0 Comments Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc., headquartered in East Providence, Rhode Island, made several recent promotions and advancements in officer positions, including: Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc. Andrew J. Fotopulos, chairman & chief executive officer Elizabeth A. Lowe, president Florence DuPerry, senior vice president Alicia Vazquez, vice president Jonathan Cross, vice president Justin Williams, vice president Maria Barnowski, vice president Ruth Leber, vice president Beth Howard, assistant vice president Colleen White, assistant vice president Crista Larochelle, assistant vice president Cristina Squatrito, assistant vice president Holly Laflamme, assistant vice president Lissette Delgado, assistant vice president Marcela Chiappetta, assistant vice president Timothy Braun, assistant vice president RISCO Insurance Brokerage Inc. Christine Beauregard, vice president Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Corp. of MA Andrew J. Fotopulos, chairman and CEO Elizabeth A. Lowe, president Lisa Lee, assistant vice president Martha’s Vineyard Insurance Agency Inc. Andrew J. Fotopulos, CEO Elizabeth A. Lowe, president James F. Geary, senior vice president Krista Curry, assistant vice president Custom House Risk Advisors Lisa Myrberg, vice president Molly Travalini, director of lending Lee Procter, director of stabilized portfolios Geoff Miller, director of professional lines and cyber Tom Hunt, director of development Zach Diamond, director of business development...

Manulife Named #1 Life Insurance Company for AI Maturity by Evident 0

Uncategorized

Manulife Named #1 Life Insurance Company for AI Maturity by Evident

Company ranks in top five for insurance industry overall Toronto, ON (Jun. 23, 2025) – Manulife is pleased to announce that it has been ranked first in the life insurance sector for artificial intelligence (AI) maturity in the inaugural Evident AI Index for Insurance, ranking in the top five across the insurance industry overall, and is one of only three companies to rank in the top 10 in every category measured. “We are incredibly proud to be recognized by Evident for our AI leadership. We were an early adopter of AI and have spent years embedding it across our business to deliver meaningful impact,” said Phil Witherington, President and CEO, Manulife. “At a time when our industry is experiencing a true inflection point for AI adoption, today’s recognition provides confidence that Manulife is on track to derive tangible growth, increased productivity, and financial performance gains through principled and disciplined deployment of AI across our business.” The Evident AI Index for Insurance assesses AI maturity across 30 of the most prominent insurance companies in North America and Europe, measuring progress across four key categories: Talent, Innovation, Leadership, and Transparency. Developed by AI benchmarking platform Evident, this first-of-its-kind index covers leading life,...

Co-operators Transforms Claims Operations with Guidewire ClaimCenter on Guidewire Cloud Platform 0

Uncategorized

Co-operators Transforms Claims Operations with Guidewire ClaimCenter on Guidewire Cloud Platform

Subsidiary Sovereign Insurance also leveraging ClaimCenter for claims management San Mateo, CA (June 16, 2025) – Co-operators, a leading Canadian multi-line insurance and financial services organization, and Guidewire are pleased to announce that Co-operators successfully implemented Guidewire ClaimCenter on Guidewire Cloud Platform to power its claims management functions, adapt to changing market demands, and deliver more value to policyholders. A Guidewire customer since 2007, Co-operators migrated ClaimCenter to Guidewire Cloud Platform simultaneously for most of its property and casualty (P&C) lines of business in the provinces where it operates. The company also extended its ClaimCenter instance on Guidewire Cloud Platform to its subsidiary Sovereign Insurance. Co-operators previously migrated Guidewire PolicyCenter and Guidewire BillingCenter to Guidewire Cloud Platform in 2023. With the conclusion of this project, the majority of the company’s P&C Operations are now a full Guidewire InsuranceSuite customer on Guidewire Cloud Platform. “This was a multi-year transformation for Co-operators, a successful result of collaboration across our P&C Business and Technology teams and Guidewire,” said Harry Pickett, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Co-operators. “We leveraged our learnings from our previous PolicyCenter and BillingCenter migration to accomplish this modernization on time and with little disruption to our claims process. The full suite on...

0

Uncategorized

9 Social Security Bills in Congress Now

/ ThinkAdvisor provides financial advisors, registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products, services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth, health and life decisions.

0

Uncategorized

US Supreme Court Lets Fuel Producers Challenge California Emissions Standards

Article 0 Comments The U.S. Supreme Court sided on Friday with fuel producers that had opposed California’s standards for vehicle emissions and electric cars under a federal air pollution law, agreeing that their legal challenge to the mandates should not have been dismissed. The justices in a 7-2 ruling overturned a lower court’s decision to throw out the lawsuit by a Valero Energy subsidiary and fuel industry groups. The lower court had concluded that the plaintiffs lacked the required legal standing to challenge a 2022 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decision to let California set its own regulations. Related: California, 10 Other States Sue to Block Trump From Killing 2035 EV Rules “The government generally may not target a business or industry through stringent and allegedly unlawful regulation, and then evade the resulting lawsuits by claiming that the targets of its regulation should be locked out of court as unaffected bystanders,” conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority. The dispute centered on an exception granted to California during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration to national vehicle emission standards set by the agency under the landmark Clean Air Act anti-pollution law. Though states and municipalities are generally preempted from enacting...

0

Uncategorized

Foundational, Leadership-Driven Education High Priority in Insurance

Article 0 Comments Foundational learning remains a high priority for insurance and risk management professionals, according to The Institutes Knowledge Group’s annual Skills Report. Risk assessment, coverage analysis, and insurance operations education were among the top courses chosen by industry professionals. Based on data from The Institutes’ expansive community of learners who completed over 182,000 courses and 13,000 designations in 2024, the report provides a glimpse into the state of skill development within the risk management and insurance landscape. The Associate in Insurance course, covering insurance basics, was the top designation earned in 2024. Leadership courses continue to be popular, with the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriting course also among the top 10 courses in 2024. The most in-demand course subjects in 2024 included: Insurance Fundamentals Communication and Collaboration Leadership and Strategy Data and Security Claims Management Risk Management Commercial Insurance Fundamentals Business and Financial Management Personal Insurance Fundamentals Legal and Compliance “Organizations can use these insights to create clear learning pathways for their employees, from entry-level roles to executive management positions,” the report noted. “Capitalizing on employees’ early interest and leveraging that engagement throughout their career enables organizations to future-proof their business.” The most in-demand designations in 2024 were: AINS...

0

Uncategorized

Insurer Aflac Investigating Possible Data Breach

Article 0 Comments Aflac on Friday disclosed a cybersecurity incident in which personal information of its customers may have been compromised, making it the latest insurance provider to be targeted. The health and life insurance firm said the attack on its U.S. network, which was identified on June 12, was caused by a “sophisticated cybercrime group,” but did not specify a name. It said it was unable to determine the total number of affected individuals until a review, which is in its early stages, is completed. The company said it was able to stop the intrusion within hours and has reached out to third-party cybersecurity experts to investigate into the incident. The company said the potentially impacted files contain personal information of its customers, such as social security numbers and health-related details. Aflac offers accident and pet insurance plans in the U.S. and Japan. It manages personal, medical and financial data of more than 50 million policyholders. Health insurers have been facing increased cybersecurity risks recently with UnitedHealth’s breach being the most notable example impacting 100 million people last year. UnitedHealth’s Change unit was breached by a hacking group called ALPHV, also known as “BlackCat” who are estimated to have...

0

Uncategorized

Inside Cetera’s New Service Model: A Conversation with President Todd Mackay

Amidst today’s dynamic landscape, advisors need more than just support; they need a strategic partner dedicated to their growth and success. Discover how Cetera is reshaping advisor service with its innovative “Growth Journey” and proprietary “Growth 360” methodology, which focuses on quickly identifying the best growth opportunities. Join Cetera Wealth Management President, Todd Mackay, for an inside look at what it takes to provide advisors with faster service, deeper consulting, and a personalized experience supporting each advisor’s unique business goals. Mackay will share the strategy behind re-aligning advisor-facing teams and what it means for advisors’ business. We will delve into the core components of Cetera’s approach, including the Regional Growth Team (RGT) consultative approach, designed to provide a personalized journey for every financial professional. Attend this webcast and you’ll learn: How the proprietary “Growth 360” methodology works to rapidly assess your practice and pinpoint prime growth avenues. Insights into the Regional Growth Team (RGT) approach and how it delivers personalized, consultative support. The strategic thinking behind Cetera’s realignment of advisor-facing teams to enhance service speed and consulting depth. How these changes translate into tangible benefits and a competitive edge for your advisory business. Don’t miss this chance to hear from...

The Right Way to Onboard a New Employee 0

Uncategorized

The Right Way to Onboard a New Employee

By Joseph D’Souza, Founder & CEO, ProNavigator — Effective employee onboarding is crucial for setting the stage for new hires’ success. It helps them understand their role, acclimate to the company culture, and accelerates their productivity. A well-structured onboarding process can drastically improve job satisfaction and retention rates. On the flip side, a poor onboarding experience sends up red flags, creates unnecessary anxiety for your new employee, and sends a message that they are not that important and that the company doesn’t value putting employees in a position to succeed. Why Proper Onboarding Matters Proper onboarding isn’t just paperwork and office tours; it’s the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship between company and employee. Here’s why a well-structured onboarding program is crucial for both parties: Employee Benefits: Hitting the Ground Running: Onboarding equips new hires with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed. Training programs and mentorship ensure they understand their role, company culture, and expectations. This translates to faster productivity and a sense of accomplishment. Feeling Valued: A well-planned onboarding makes employees feel welcome and appreciated. It shows the company is invested in their success, fostering loyalty and engagement. Reduced Anxiety: Starting a new job is often stressful. Onboarding clarifies...

The Motor-Powered Two-Wheeler Telematics Market: Berg Insight 0

Uncategorized

The Motor-Powered Two-Wheeler Telematics Market: Berg Insight

Gothenburg, Sweden (June 20, 2025) – IoT analyst firm Berg Insight has released a market report, The Motor-Powered Two-Wheeler Telematics Market – 2nd Edition, which analyses the latest developments on the connected motorcycle, scooter and moped market worldwide. This study provides 85 pages of unique business intelligence, including 5-year industry forecasts, expert commentary and real-life case studies on which to base business decisions. The adoption of telematics in the two-wheeler industry has recently begun to pick up speed but only a few of the largest two-wheeler OEMs offer embedded telematics services today. Most major motorcycle OEMs have begun to consider including embedded telematics systems and many will likely introduce such offerings in the future. Important drivers for telematics include safety and security services such as emergency and roadside assistance services and stolen vehicle tracking solutions. The increasing interest in electric two-wheelers is also a major catalyst for telematics adoption. At the end of 2024, an estimated 16.7 million active two-wheeler OEM telematics systems were in use globally. Growing at a CAGR of 29.0 percent, this number is expected to reach 59.7 million in 2029. Annual shipments of OEM telematics systems are expected to reach 24.9 million by 2029, up from...