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Majority of Consumers Distrust AI-Powered Search Results: Gartner Survey 0

Majority of Consumers Distrust AI-Powered Search Results: Gartner Survey

Marketers must build topical authority by consistently publishing in-depth, accurate, well-researched content San Diego, CA (Sept. 3, 2025) – A slight majority (53%) of consumers distrust or have a lack of confidence in the reliability and impartiality of AI search and summaries, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company. This concern is reflected in user frustration, with 41% of consumers reporting that generative AI overviews make the search process more frustrating than traditional search methods. A Gartner Consumer Community survey of 377 U.S. consumers, conducted in June and July 2025, revealed a strong demand for user autonomy: a majority (61%) of consumers wish for an option to toggle AI summaries on or off, underscoring the importance of user control in shaping the search journey. “The impact of AI extends beyond improving the search experience, altering how consumers seek and interact with search platforms, and how marketers approach visibility,” said Noam Dorros, Director Analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice. “Digital marketing strategies must evolve to not only optimize for these AI-powered results, but also to reinforce brand trust through comprehensive and reliable information, recognizing that not all consumers embrace AI summaries equally.” While AI-powered results...

Mutual Fire Insurance Launches Digitally on Quotey for Hobby Farms 0

Mutual Fire Insurance Launches Digitally on Quotey for Hobby Farms

Whitby, ON (Sept. 22, 2025) – Quotey is excited to announce the addition of Mutual Fire Insurance of British Columbia (MFI) to its growing insurer marketplace. Effective today, MFI-appointed brokers will be able to quote and bind Hobby Farm insurance policies digitally, and with ease—through the Quotey platform. From British Columbia to Ontario, licensed MFI broker partners can now access real-time pricing and bind policies for hobby farms in a matter of minutes. This partnership marks a significant step forward in MFI’s digital transformation and strengthens Quotey’s commitment to providing streamlined quoting experiences for niche and rural risks. “We’re thrilled to welcome MFI to the Quotey ecosystem,” said Nick Kidd, CEO and Co-Founder of Quotey. “Hobby farms are a classic example of a risk that’s underserved by conventional quoting tools. With MFI’s expertise and commitment to rural communities, and Quotey’s ability to digitize specialty products, brokers now have a powerful tool at their fingertips to serve these clients better than ever.” The launch expands access to MFI’s trusted Hobby Farm product, which offers tailored coverage for part-time farming operations, mixed residential and agricultural risks, and rural properties with unique characteristics. The full sales lifecycle—from quote to bind—is handled within Quotey’s...

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Ardonagh Europe Agrees to Acquire French Broker, Groupe Leader Insurance

Article 0 Comments Ardonagh Europe, part of The Ardonagh Group and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, has agreed to acquire Groupe Leader Insurance (GLI), one of the top 10 wholesale and multi-specialist brokers in France. Founded in 2003 by entrepreneur Yoann Chery, GLI has built a strong reputation as a French leader in specialist insurance, initially focused on construction risk, Ardonagh said. Over the past 20 years, the company has significantly diversified its offering, becoming a significant player in specialist property and motor insurance. Headquartered in Paris, GLI employs more than 350 people in France and internationally, providing insurance solutions to individuals and SME clients through direct channels as well as a network of over 4,000 broker partners. In 2024, GLI managed €190 million in gross written premium. Ardonagh Europe said this acquisition represents a significant milestone in its growth strategy, complementing its existing presence in Ireland, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. GLI will continue to operate under its current brands and leadership team following completion of the transaction. Yoann Chery will become a shareholder in Ardonagh and lead the Group’s French operations, while remaining President of GLI’s holding vehicle (Generation Insurance). Cyrille de Montgolfier will continue as chairman...

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California’s Insurance Commissioner Is Seeking Changes to The Intervenor Process

Article 0 Comments California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Friday announced he wants to make certain reforms to the state’s insurance law, Proposition 103, including changing the controversial intervenor process. Prop. 103, passed by voters in 1988, is the state’s bedrock insurance law that outlines what can and can’t be included in rate filings. The intervenor practice is part of the filing process, in which outside groups can participate in rate hearings on behalf of consumers and charge a fee for their services. Related: California Commissioner Pushes for Wildfire Recovery Bill, Other Legislation According to Lara, some stakeholders have expressed concerns that the process lacks transparency, is dominated by a small number of recurring participants and can lead to delays and more costs for consumers and taxpayers. One of the most prolific intervenors is Consumer Watchdog, whose founder authored Prop. 103. The group has been reached out to for comment. Related: California Commissioner Takes Action Against FAIR Plan for Smoke Damage Claims Lara said the proposed changes will clarify how intervenor participation is evaluated and compensated, ensuring that consumers, policyholders, and taxpayers only fund the contributions to the public interest. They will also make the process more open and accessible,...

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7 Problems Facing Families With Long-Term Care Benefits

/ 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.

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4 Things Successful Advisors Do: LPL

/ 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.

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The Next Era in Financial Planning: Key Insights on AI, Talent, and the Future of Advice

As financial planning enters a new era, advisors face both unprecedented opportunity and growing complexity. Challenges like fee compression and talent shortages are colliding with rising client demands for more personalized, empathetic, and tech-enabled experiences. How can you stay ahead of the curve and build a practice that thrives in the future? Join this webcast to explore key findings from eMoney’s 25th Anniversary Summit research, revealing how the industry has evolved, and where it’s headed next. We will dive into the rise of holistic planning and behavioral finance, to the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. You’ll learn how to leverage technology to scale your impact, deepen client relationships, and deliver planning that’s both data-driven and deeply human. In this session, you’ll discover: How AI is enhancing advisor productivity and enabling personalization at scale Why behavioral finance is becoming central to client engagement and retention Actionable strategies to attract and retain diverse advisor talent in a competitive market The evolving expectations of modern clients and how your firm can meet them Whether you’re a seasoned advisor or a firm leader, this session will provide the actionable insights you need to navigate the future with confidence. Speakers:  Emily Koochel, Ph.D., AFC®, CFT™,...

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People Moves: IMA Financial Group Names Leadership Appointments in Houston Office

Article 0 Comments IMA Financial Group, a North American insurance brokerage firm specializing in risk management, wholesale brokerage, and wealth management, has announced two key leadership appointments in its Houston office to support the company’s commitment to the region and its growing client base. IMA has named Joey Dryden as Houston Market President, recognizing his pivotal role in establishing and growing the firm’s presence in the city since joining in 2021. In his new position, he will continue his production responsibilities while partnering with both the Property & Casualty and Employee Benefits teams to strengthen IMA’s offerings in Houston. To further enhance its employee benefits capabilities in Houston, IMA has hired its first local Employee Benefits Leader. Will Ogilvie brings more than 16 years of experience consulting with private and public sector employers, school districts, municipalities, and non-profit organizations. He specializes in designing strategies that align company goals while meeting workforce needs, helping clients navigate the complexities of total rewards and risk management programs. Prior to joining IMA, Ogilvie served as senior vice president, Life and Health at Stephens Insurance, LLC. In his new role, he will focus on expanding IMA’s employee benefits practice in Houston and providing clients with...

Incident response planning emerges as a key cybersecurity control in reducing cyber risk: Marsh 0

Incident response planning emerges as a key cybersecurity control in reducing cyber risk: Marsh

Marsh McLennan Cyber Risk Intelligence Center report New York, NY (Sept. 1, 2025) – Despite being focused on post-breach activities, cyber incident response planning has emerged as a key cybersecurity control in reducing an organization’s likelihood of experiencing a breach-related claim, according to a new report from the Cyber Risk Intelligence Center (CRIC) of Marsh McLennan, the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy, and people. The report Cybersecurity signals: Connecting controls and incident outcomes found that organizations that regularly engage in tabletop exercises and scenario-based breach response drills are 13% less likely to experience a material cyber event than those that do not. Since launching its 2023 research into the correlation between the 12 cybersecurity controls tracked by the cyber insurance industry and the likelihood of a cyber claim, the CRIC has continued to analyze organizations’ cyber control implementation information from Marsh’s Cyber Self-Assessment against claims. This year, cyber incident response planning ranked as the fifth most effective control in decreasing an organization’s probability of experiencing a breach-based claim, behind network hardening techniques, endpoint detection and response (EDR), logging and monitoring, and cybersecurity awareness training and phishing testing. “Marsh has long advocated proactive cyber incident response...

Accenture to Acquire NeuraFlash to Further Enhance its Salesforce and AI Capabilities 0

Accenture to Acquire NeuraFlash to Further Enhance its Salesforce and AI Capabilities

Acquisition to help expand Accenture’s agentic capabilities and reach into the mid-market segment New York, NY (Sept. 1, 2025) – Accenture is pleased to announce it has agreed to acquire NeuraFlash, a leading Salesforce and gen AI consulting company that specializes in agentic solutions for sales, service, and field service operations. The acquisition will further strengthen Accenture’s Salesforce gen AI and managed services capabilities and also extend its footprint to mid-market industries globally. NeuraFlash has delivered more than 1,000 successful implementations for over 400 customers globally. The acquisition will add approximately 510 experienced professionals with over 2,000 certifications to Accenture’s Salesforce Business Group, predominately in North America, as well as in Colombia and India. The combination of Accenture’s technology and industry knowledge with NeuraFlash’s gen AI and agentic capabilities will help clients deploy and scale intelligent solutions faster. In addition to its deep Salesforce and Agentforce implementation experience, NeuraFlash also has substantial Amazon Web Services (AWS) capabilities, delivering personalized experiences for customers with machine learning and gen AI in the contact center space. Based in Burlington, Massachusetts, NeuraFlash is focused on leveraging gen AI to automate complex business processes, optimize agentic programs, enhance analytics, manage change, and provide ongoing managed...