Articles by Mark Hollmer

Hollmer is a former Carrier Management editor and writer and veteran industry journalist based in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Nationwide Expands Small Business Insurance Direct Platform

Nationwide said it has expanded 24-hour access to more types of small business for its Commercial Digital Direct online commercial insurance platform. Now, 30 different business types can access the platform, which enables Nationwide to sell and service its commercial …

Workers’ Comp and the Gig Economy: Status Quo Remains, for Now

The rise of an on-demand economy once threatened to put workers’ compensation insurers in the hot seat, in large part because the question of how the sector could, or should, cover these individuals remained uncertain. Today, insurers aren’t exactly rushing …

Shareholder Accuses Argo Group of Illegally Appointing Two Board Members

An Argo Group shareholder accusing the company and CEO Mark Watson III of extravagant spending practices now claims that the carrier illegally appointed two board members. Argo disagreed, continuing a very public battle between Voce Capital Management LLC and itself …

The Strategy Behind Hamilton Insurance’s Move to Buy Pembroke, Ironshore Europe

Strategy plus some remarkably good timing helped lead to Hamilton Insurance Group’s first acquisition deal under the leadership of CEO Pina Albo. On March 14, Hamilton announced it would acquire Liberty Mutual’s Pembroke Managing Agency at Lloyd’s and its Ironshore …

What Main Street Wants from Insurance And Why

Patricia Ross, Raphael Strumlauf and Kate DeNeveu each have at least one thing in common: They’re generally happy with their business insurance. Each owns a business at the downtown pedestrian mall in Charlottesville, Va. They’re all in their early 30s …

Suit Questions Maiden Holdings’ Handling of AmTrust Portfolio Risks

Maiden Holdings Ltd. is named in a class action investor lawsuit alleging that it failed to adequately address and reveal portfolio risks involving AmTrust Financial Services, its largest customer. The complaint alleges that Maiden didn’t disclose material information, and the …

Affluent Market Rivals Not Making Much of a Dent in Chubb’s Business

Chubb’s high-net-worth personal lines insurance business may have some new competition, but Chairman and CEO Evan Greenberg and a key executive say those rivals haven’t made much of a dent. “From my point of view we don’t see a change …

Affluent Market Rivals Not Making Much of a Dent in Chubb’s Business

Chubb’s high-net-worth personal lines insurance business may have some new competition, but Chairman and CEO Evan Greenberg and a key executive say those rivals haven’t made much of a dent. “From my point of view we don’t see a change …

Insurance Leaders Urged to Engage the Smarter People in the Room

As insurance executives fret about helping their companies embrace new technology and change, one CEO offers this idea: Embrace that there are smarter people in the room. “Everybody in my organization is a whole lot smarter than I am,” said …

Insurtech Geared to Autonomous Vehicle Coverage Grabs $5 Million in Funding

A startup focused on rewarding drivers and fleet owners that use autonomous vehicles and semi-autonomous car safety features has raised $5 million in seed funding. California-based Avinew’s technology uses artificial intelligence and telematics to gather driving data that can tell …