Articles by Andrew G. Simpson

Simpson is a freelance writer and editor. He retired as Chief Content Officer for Wells Media Group in July, 2022 after 18 years with the company.

Verisk Product Scores Properties on Flood Risk; Could Replace Outdated Flood Maps

Data analytics firm Verisk is touting the launch of WaterLine, an underwriting tool that scores flood risk for all properties in the contiguous United States, helping identify homes and businesses vulnerable to flood. The product scores properties on a 0-to-100 …

Insurtech Profile: Kordinator Adds Empathy to Automated Customer Service

Automated customer service is a fact of life. In fact, many people are more comfortable sharing personal details with a machine than with a human. But automation must appreciate that not every customer is a 40 year-old college graduate, with …

To Insure Cyber or Not to Insure Cyber: Cautions and Caveats for Carriers

While there are some issues with the data, virtually every report shows the cyber insurance market growing. Aon Benfield had it growing 37 percent last year to $1.8 billion. It’s profitable and the loss ratio is in the 30s or …

15 Emerging Risks from Policies to Playgrounds, Sandboxes to Scooters

When insurance experts are asked what they see as the most important emerging risk for the property/casualty insurance industry, their consensus is cyber in some form. While cyber obviously poses tremendous risks, some experts are also eyeing a variety of …

Treasury Erases ‘Too-Big-to-Fail’ Label on Prudential

The Trump Administration has rescinded the systemically risky – or “too big to fail” – designation for Prudential Financial that placed the financial services giant under extra regulatory scrutiny. The designation of Prudential as a systemically important financial institution (SIFI) …

Relax, Uber’s Not Interested in Entering Insurance Business

While it is weighing providing benefits and insurance to its independent contractor drivers, ridesharing giant Uber is not interested in getting into the insurance business itself. Rather, the global transportation firm is content to focus on being an “intelligent purchaser” …

Insurtech Partnerships: What Insurers Want and Get

Remember the scene in the 1989 movie When Harry Met Sally? During lunch with Harry at a deli, Sally very publicly fakes a wild orgasm. A nearby patron, when asked what she’d like to order, signals in Sally’s direction and …

Insurtech Pilots and Pivots: Learning by Doing and Undoing

“If you can’t admit a failure, you’re not an entrepreneur. You are not a good business person. There’s nothing brilliant about what you are doing.” –Mark Cuban Insurtechs are great for the industry because it needs to change to be …

Cincinnati Financial to Acquire London Specialty Underwriter from Munich Re

In a bid to diversify its earnings and expand its markets beyond the U.S., Cincinnati Financial Corp. has agreed to acquire MSP Underwriting Limited, a London-based global specialty underwriter and subsidiary of Munich Re. The proposed all-cash transaction is for …

Tesla Touts Its Safety Statistics

When it’s machine versus human, it’s more likely humans will be exchanging insurance information with other humans, according to data released by the electric car maker Tesla. In the first quarterly report on the safety of its autonomous vehicles, Tesla …