Category Archives: Business

Press Releases from the Business World. Announcements, Product releases, Appointments.

Drivers Should Consider Getting Online Car Insurance Quotes Before Dropping Coverage


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“Driving without insurance should be avoided. The legal and financial penalties uninsured drivers can face are tremendous”, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com has launched a new blog post that explains why drivers should obtain online car insurance quotes before dropping coverage.

For more info and free quotes, visit https://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com/why-getting-quotes-is-the-smart-thing-to-do-before-dropping-coverage/

Persons driving without insurance or without sufficient coverage are being exposed to various legal and financial penalties. Also, drivers caught driving without insurance will have to handle bigger problems in the long term. For example, uninsured drivers will likely have their insurance applications rejected by the standard, cheaper insurance carriers. Before dropping coverage, the best thing to do is to get online quotes and check if there are any better insurance deals from other providers.

Uninsured drivers can face the following penalties:


  • License suspension. Drivers caught driving without insurance will have their driver’s license suspended in 44 states. The duration of this penalty depends on the number of subsequent traffic violations and the state’s law.
  • Drivers risk having their vehicles impounders and their registrations revoked. Usually, this happens when an uninsured driver is causing an accident. A court will likely order for the vehicle to be impounded and the registration to be revoked. Also, the court will order the uninsured driver to carry an SR-22 form for a period that is no longer than 3 years, as a condition to drive again.
  • Fines. Depending on each state’s traffic laws, the fines for driving without insurance can be as low as $25 to as high as $5,000. Fortunately, drivers can get their tickets canceled if they can show proof of insurance in a reasonable time. However, this is only available for drivers that can prove they were actually insured at the time they were stopped and they just simply didn’t carry proof of insurance with them.
  • Drivers will need to pay the costs to get back their driving privileges. Drivers will need to pay all the fees associated with the suspension. To get their registration back, drivers will have to show proof of at least 6 months of liability coverage and pay for the registration reinstatement fees.
  • Expensive insurance premiums. Drivers who got caught driving without insurance are considered high-risk. For this reason, insurance companies will charge extra on their premiums.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com/

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.

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Armed Forces Insurance Postpones 2021 Military Spouse of the Year® Week


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Our task ahead is to work with AFI MSOY Week partners and constituencies to determine the best options for safe gathering

Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI), along with sponsors and key community stakeholders, has decided to postpone the 2021 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year® (AFI MSOY) week, initially scheduled for May 3-7, 2021, in Washington, D.C. and will now be held September 7-9, 2021.

The company had hoped to hold events this summer, but with uncertainty as to when mass participation events might be allowed, this was no longer possible.

The health and welfare of all AFI MSOY participants, as well as local, national and international communities at large, are our highest priority. For the past several months, the AFI team has closely monitored the COVID-19 situation with city and state officials. It is evident that postponement was the correct and safest decision, and all those involved with the May event have new information with which to plan accordingly for the fall of 2021.

“Our task ahead is to work with AFI MSOY Week partners and constituencies to determine the best options for safe gathering. We will communicate updated plans as confirmed information is available. We thank you for your support and patience as we all work through this together. Our thoughts go out to those directly affected,” says Lori Simmons, VP & Chief Marketing Officer at Armed Forces Insurance.

AFI MSOY Week is an invitation-only leadership experience that includes an annual Town Hall event. Engaging speakers provide encouragement, strategies for thriving, and even tactical knowledge about how to better everything from your resume to your marriage. The event is attended by hundreds of military spouses from across the world who are working to make a difference in their communities.

For more information on the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year® program and event updates, please visit msoy.afi.org.

About Armed Forces Insurance:

Armed Forces Insurance was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Armed Forces Insurance understands that its members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that’s unequaled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at http://www.afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Kin Now Offering Homeowners Policies In Louisiana


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Everyone deserves access to affordable, easy homeowners insurance.

Kin Insurance, the insurance technology company transforming home insurance through intuitive tech and affordable pricing, today announced that its agency, the Kin Insurance Network Distributor (KIND), a licensed surplus lines producer, will be offering homeowners insurance in Louisiana. Currently, Kin is the only insurtech company to offer homeowners insurance in both Florida and California and has earned national recognition for delivering affordable options to homeowners in these underserved states.

Louisiana homeowners pay more for home insurance than any other state in the country because of its hurricane and flood exposure. In fact, 843,349 Louisiana single-family homes are vulnerable to a Category 5 hurricane like Hurricane Katrina. Many insurance companies have responded to this risk by leaving the state or increasing rates to unaffordable levels. Kin takes a different approach, relying on data models that provide over 10,000 property data points to find coverage accurately priced for each home.

KIND can offer Louisiana HO3 coverage through the Kin Interinsurance Network, rated A, Exceptional, by Demotech, a testament to the underwriter’s ability to pay out claims even after widespread disasters.

“Everyone deserves access to affordable, easy homeowners insurance,” Kin Co-Founder and CEO Sean Harper said. “The insurance industry has ignored the realities of our changing risk landscape for far too long. We’re entering the Louisiana marketplace to offer a seamless way for homeowners to protect their most valuable asset.”

The Louisiana homeowners policy can cover the following:

– The dwelling, including walls, foundation, roof, floors, electric, and plumbing.

– Belongings, such as clothing, furniture, electronics, appliances, and more.

– Other structures that aren’t attached to the home, like garages, fences, and greenhouses.

– Loss of use coverage for additional living expenses during a covered claim.

– Personal liability coverage for third-party property damage or bodily harm.

– Medical expense payments for small visitor injuries.

Kin’s data-centric approach to home insurance has earned national recognition and propelled the company to a total insured value of more than $10 billion.

The company consistently outpaces traditional insurance companies on customer satisfaction. Kin’s Net Promoter Score (which indicates the likelihood that a customer would recommend a company to a friend) is 85, more than double the industry average of 35.

About Kin:

Kin is an insurance technology company that’s changing home insurance from what it is to what it should be. By leveraging thousands of property data points, Kin customizes coverage and prices through a super simple user experience. Kin offers homeowners, landlord, condo, and mobile home insurance through the Kin Interinsurance Network (KIN), a reciprocal exchange owned by its customers who share in the underwriting profit. Because of its efficient technology and direct-to-consumer model, Kin provides exceptionally low prices without compromising coverage. To learn more, visit http://www.kin.com.

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InsurTech Company Ensurem Accepts Strategic Acquisition by Private Investment Firm 777 Partners


Florida-based insurance technology and product distribution company, Ensurem, announces that it has been acquired by 777 Partners, a Miami-based private investment firm.

Our vision is to provide Medicare shoppers with a more simplified shopping experience, allowing them to enroll their way whether that be online or by phone.

Florida-based insurance technology and product distribution company, Ensurem, announced today that it has been acquired by 777 Partners, a Miami-based private investment firm. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

This acquisition follows several years of significant growth at Ensurem. In 2020, Ensurem was named the fastest growing company in the Tampa Bay, FL, region by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Ensurem, who provides transparent and trusted Medicare solutions, has recently released its beta “cyber agent” technology, providing customer needs analyses, product selection, and plan enrollment services online to the senior market. In addition to the company’s growing digital services, it also runs two contact centers staffed with fully licensed insurance agents specializing in senior insurance products.

“Our vision is to provide Medicare shoppers with a more simplified shopping experience, allowing them to enroll their way whether that be online or by phone,” said Dave Rich, CEO and founder of Ensurem. “777 Partners’ acquisition provides us with the capital needed to carry forward this vision, while also giving us access to additional resources to aid in future product development and technology advancements.”

“We’re excited to add Ensurem to 777’s diversified portfolio of insurance technology companies. We’ve worked with Ensurem before and have followed their growth closely,” said Jorge Beruff, Principal at 777 Partners. “Ensurem has quickly gained a reputation for being a change agent in the senior insurance market, and this acquisition underscores 777’s continued commitment to the creation of innovative insurance products.”

About Ensurem

Ensurem, headquartered in Clearwater, FL, is a leading technology and product distribution company serving carriers and consumers within the massive U.S. senior market. The company offers Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, vision, dental, hospital indemnity and final expense insurance. It also provides end-to-end solutions for carriers, including product development, digital marketing, and consumer-centric insurance technologies. For more information, please visit http://www.Ensurem.com.

About 777 Partners

777 Partners is a Miami-based investment firm focused on a broad spectrum of financial services businesses across insurance, lending, specialty finance, and financial technology. Operating in attractive markets and often times esoteric asset classes, 777 seeks to make control investments across the business life cycle in companies with scalable profiles and ambitious management teams. 777 Partners senior management team is composed of industry veterans with backgrounds in private equity, venture capital, investment banking, insurance, financial technology, actuarial science, asset management, structured-credit, ABS, risk, analytics, complex commercial litigation and computer science. For more information on 777 Partners, please visit http://www.777part.com.

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Venture Construction Group Supports Property Owner Advocacy


Venture Construction Group (VCG) was a Platinum Sponsor at the first virtual Windstorm Insurance (WIND) Conference, held on Feb. 1 – 4. The annual event provides professional development, training, certifications, and networking opportunities to bring together defense and policyholder representatives to better connect, learn, and engage for the betterment of the industry and consumers.

“We are grateful to have Venture Construction Group as a premier Platinum Sponsor at our annual Windstorm Insurance Conference. The virtual event was a great success! We appreciate their continued support at our upcoming conference in May in Orlando,” said Marty Streeper, executive director, Windstorm Insurance Network.

Founded in 1999, the conference provides a platform to collaborate with leading industry professionals and influencers to engage and discuss current trends, hot topics, and recent developments in windstorm and property insurance claims.

“The annual WIND conference is a great place for continuing education. The networking and top-tier level of collaboration is essential in our industry to continually provide the best level of service and advocacy to our clients,” said Stephen Shanton, CEO and president of Venture Construction Group (VCG), Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL), VCG International (VCGI).

VCG a is a full-service general contractor that provides construction, remodels, renovations, property management services, storm damage repairs, consulting, independent 3rd party property damage assessments, and 24/7 emergency services to residential and commercial property owners.

VCG will also be a Platinum Sponsor at the upcoming WIND Symposium, which will be held May 24 – 26 at the Renaissance SeaWorld located at 6677 Sea Harbor Dr., Orlando, Fla. To view a full roster of the events held during WIND 2021, visit https://windnetwork.com/.

About Venture Construction Group

Founded in 1998, Venture Construction Group (VCG) is a licensed general contractor and an award-winning leader in construction, restoration, renovations, roofing, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services. VCG services commercial and residential properties throughout the East Coast, Greater Mid-Atlantic Region, Gulf Coast, and Midwest. Operational excellence is our mission in every project we undertake, and we pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service. Specializing in commercial projects, VCG assists property management companies, condo associations, multi-family structures, hi-rises, retail/business plazas, government facilities, hotels, and resorts with comprehensive general contractor services, restoration, mitigation, specialty construction, historical restoration, remodels, property repairs, and rebuilds due to fire, flood, water, wind, hail, and hurricane damage. VCG has earned prestigious awards including the Construction Business Owner Award, Pro Remodeler Forty Under 40 Award. VCG is committed to operational excellence and exceptional customer service. CEO Stephen Shanton is a proud member of the prestigious Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). Entrepreneur Magazine hails “YEC Consists of Some of the Most Well-Respected Minds in Entrepreneurship.” Shanton is a proud member of the WindStorm Insurance Network™ and is a WIND Certified Umpire®, WIND Certified Appraiser®, and WIND Certified Fellow®. VCG is an exclusive certified National Storm Damage Center Preferred Contractor, Certified Member of the United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors, Certified Member of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) Industry Members Association (EIMA), Certified Member of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, Mule-Hide Legacy Contractor, Certified CertainTeed Contractor, and Duro-Last Certified Contractor. VCG credentials have been vetted and screened through independent third party Global Risk Management Solutions. With offices nationwide and a solid reputation throughout the country, we are able to respond to your needs with quality, ease, and top-notch service. For more information, call 866-459-8348 or visit us online at http://www.VentureConstructionGroup.com.

About Windstorm Insurance Network

The Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing education and training, and to promoting a cooperative dialogue among professionals concerned with property and windstorm insurance claims issues. The Windstorm Insurance Network is dedicated to promoting awareness of property and windstorm insurance claims issues through the application of educational initiatives, shared member resources, and technology designed to support and improve the professional delivery of property and windstorm-related insurance claims services. To learn more, visit http://www.WindNetwork.com.

Media Inquiries:

Alexis Bott

Elev8 Consulting Group

Ph: 386-243-5388

Web: http://www.elev8cg.com

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Title Alliance Appoints Lori Reilly as Area Operations Manager


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We have seen tremendous growth and success under her leadership at Devon Abstract and we are confident she will continue to play an important role in our commitment to ensuring an exceptional closing experience for agents and their clients.

Title Alliance, Ltd., an employee-owned family of full-service title insurance and escrow agencies, is proud to announce Lori Reilly as Area Operations Manager overseeing three of their Pennsylvania companies: Devon Abstract, First Land Transfer, and Chesco Settlement Services. As Area Operations Manager, she will manage the day-to-day operations of the offices while developing and training the teams. Lori will ensure that processes and practices are being implemented to meet key operating metrics identified and provided through reports and analytics to assure quality service is provided to all clients.

“We are excited to expand Lori’s role and have her lead our teams,” said Jim Campbell, Chief Executive Officer of Title Alliance. “We have seen tremendous growth and success under her leadership at Devon Abstract and we are confident she will continue to play an important role in our commitment to ensuring an exceptional closing experience for agents and their clients.”

Lori has more than 35 years of experience in the title industry beginning as an Admin and Conveyancer for a large title company in Chester County, PA. Since joining Title Alliance more than 11 years ago, Lori has served as Manager at Devon Abstract where she was responsible for streamlining processes while growing the business using the T.A. Way to ensure a smooth settlement from beginning to end.

“I’m very excited for the new role and responsibilities and to be able to lead our teams and watch the companies grow,” said Reilly. “I look forward to making an impact on our team members and our customers.”

Prospect candidates looking for a new opportunity in the Pennsylvania area (and beyond) can visit Title Alliance Careers for current job openings. One of the pillars of the Title Alliance philosophy is creating opportunities for personal and professional growth-one ALLIANCE at a time. As a result, while qualifications are important in the hiring process, personality and values are a higher priority.

About Title Alliance:

Title Alliance’s roots date back to 1948 when their first agency, which is still in existence today, was formed in Media, Pennsylvania. Since 1983, the company has been forming successful single and multi-state title joint ventures with lenders, realtors, and builders. Title Alliance works with partners to establish in-house title and settlement operations, dramatically enhancing their customer service and increasing their profit. Title Alliance’s family of companies is currently in 11 states with 60 total offices. More information at http://www.titlealliance.com.

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How To Negotiate with an Auto Insurance Claims Adjuster


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“Dealing with a claim adjuster is not easy. Policyholders will have to prepare all the relevant documents if they want to obtain a fair settlement,” said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Policyholders that got involved in a car accident and filed a claim to their insurers should expect to be contacted by a claim adjuster. These persons are sent by the insurance companies to investigate the claims and to negotiate settlements with the policyholders.

When negotiating with a claim adjuster, drivers should remember the next tips:

  • Keep all the relevant documents nearby. Policyholders should have all the documents and papers prepared and organized. It is important to gather all the medical records and bills, and repair receipts. Also, get a copy of the police report. Pre-accident maintenance receipts can help policyholders prove the condition and the value of the vehicle before the accident. All of these documents will be carefully analyzed by the adjusters.
  • Think about an initial settlement. Before the negotiations start, policyholders should decide upon a minimum settlement. They should take into account the cost of medical expenses, the cost to repair the vehicle and the lost wages.
  • Begin the negotiations. Drivers should start negotiating first and offer their settlements to the adjusters. To support their demands, policyholders must offer arguments. They can provide receipts, police reports, pictures, medical reports, and any other documents that can support their claims.
  • Never take the first offer. Drivers should acknowledge that a claim adjuster is an employee of the insurance companies. Their job is to minimize the financial losses of their employers. It is absolutely normal that the first offer provided by a claim adjuster to be very low. Policyholders should never take the first offer and they should demand some explanations for the low offer.
  • Cooperate with the adjuster. Policyholders should remain calm and professional during the whole negotiation process. Even though the initial offer was very low, policyholders can bring arguments, documents, and pieces of evidence in order to gradually increase the settlement offer.


For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.

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Venture Construction Group of Florida Sponsors Virtual Windstorm Conference


www.VCGFL.com

www.VCGFL.com

“We are grateful for the continued support and involvement of Venture Construction Group of Florida at our annual Windstorm Insurance Conference,” said Marty Streeper, executive director, Windstorm Insurance Network.

Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) was a Platinum Sponsor at the first virtual Windstorm Insurance (WIND) Conference. VCGFL exhibited virtually, held Q&A sessions, live demos, and connected with industry leaders to share tips and insights on current trends. The online event took place Feb. 1 – 4.

“We had a fantastic online exhibit and we’re excited to be involved as a sponsor at the upcoming WIND 2021 May Symposium. This conference provides an excellent platform to network and collaborate with industry professionals. I encourage anyone that is involved with property damage and insurance claims to attend the conference,” said Stephen Shanton, CEO and president of Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL), Venture Construction Group (VCG), VCG International (VCGI).

The annual WIND Conference provides the property and insurance claims industry opportunities for professional development, training, certifications, and networking. WIND’s mission is to bring together defense and policyholder representatives to better connect, learn, and engage for the betterment of the industry and consumers.

“We are grateful for the continued support and involvement of Venture Construction Group of Florida at our annual Windstorm Insurance Conference,” said Marty Streeper, executive director, Windstorm Insurance Network.

Representatives from various segments of the windstorm insurance industry attend to address the impact of past storm and hurricane seasons and discuss important property and windstorm insurance claims issues. It is the only conference of its kind solely focusing on property and windstorm insurance claim issues and is geared to numerous levels and professions in the industry.

VCGFL is an award-winning leader in commercial construction, restoration, renovations, roofing, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas, and the Caribbean.

Dedicated to advancing the industry, VCGFL will be a Platinum and Keynote Speaker Sponsor at the WIND Symposium at the Renaissance Orlando Sea World in Orlando, Fla. To view a full roster of the events held during WIND 2021, visit https://windnetwork.com/.

About Venture Construction Group of Florida

Founded in 1998, Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) is an award-winning leader in construction, restoration, renovations, roofing, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas and the Caribbean. Specializing in industrial/ commercial projects, VCGFL assists property managers, condominium boards, homeowner associations, association boards, hotels, and business complexes with general contractor services, roofing, specialty construction, historical restoration, water and flood mitigation, and property repairs due to fire, flood, water, wind and hurricanes. With offices in Boca Raton, Ft. Myers, Naples, Panama City Beach, Orlando, Stuart, Tampa, San Juan, and Nassau, VCGFL is committed to operational excellence and exceptional customer service. VCGFL takes care of the details every step of the way including roofing, siding, windows, drywall, flooring, paint, gutters to rebuilding properties after major storm events from hurricanes, tornadoes, and hailstorms. VCGFL has earned leading industry awards including the Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA) Silver PRISM Award for Safety Team of the Year, GCBA Gold PRISM Award for Craftsmanship- Commercial Exterior, GCBA Silver PRISM Award for Craftsmanship- Commercial Exterior, Owens Corning Pinnacle Award for Safety, Construction Business Owner Award, Roofing Alliance MVP Award, Coatings Pro Contractor Award, Pro Remodeler Forty Under 40 Award, Qualified Remodeler Top 500 Remodelers Award, Qualified Remodeler Master Design Award, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association S.T.A.R. Spotlight Trophy for the Advancement of Roofing Awards in Sustainability and Community Service. Shanton is a certified member of the WindStorm Insurance Network™ and is a WIND Certified Umpire®, WIND Certified Appraiser®, and WIND Certified Fellow®. VCGFL carries advanced accreditations and is an exclusive certified National Storm Damage Center Preferred Contractor and Certified Member of the United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors. VCGFL is a proud member of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) Industry Members Association (EIMA); Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA); Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA); Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association (IAUA); National Association of Environmentally Responsible Mold Contractors (NAERMC); National Association of Home Builders (NAHB); National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA); NRCA Qualified Trainer; Property Liability and Resource Bureau (PLRB); Restoration Industry Association (RIA). VCGFL is a registered U.S. Federal Government Contractor and holds leading manufacturer certifications including Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, Mule-Hide Legacy Contractor, Certified CertainTeed Contractor, and Duro-Last Certified Contractor status. VCGFL credentials have been vetted and screened through independent third-party Global Risk Management Solutions. For more information, call 866-459-8351 or visit us online at http://www.VCGFL.com.

About Windstorm Insurance Network

The Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing education and training, and to promoting a cooperative dialogue among professionals concerned with property and windstorm insurance claims issues. The Windstorm Insurance Network is dedicated to promoting awareness of property and windstorm insurance claims issues through the application of educational initiatives, shared member resources, and technology designed to support and improve the professional delivery of property and windstorm-related insurance claims services. To learn more, visit http://www.WindNetwork.com.

Media Inquiries:

Alexis Bott

Elev8 Consulting Group

Ph: 386-243-5388

Web: http://www.elev8cg.com

Building trust in the Insurance and Financial Planning professions


Acora demonstrated agility and flexibility to our requirements and the specific intricacies of our environment.

Acora is delighted to announce our latest client engagement with the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). The CII is well renowned across the insurance and personal finance profession internationally. It has around 125,000 members and offers an array of services from qualifications, training, assessments, events and content publishing dedicated to the insurance and personal finance professions.

The institute is driving a business-wide digital transformation programme to support its strategy to build public trust in a united profession. To focus on this, the institute’s leadership needed to outsource the management and running of its applications, including the e-commerce platform.

This portfolio has many complexities to consider. It has several hundred data entry points and application interfaces with third parties, from training and testing bodies, qualification verification parties, payment solution providers and its own membership databases. With the pandemic only accelerating their digital journey, the CII was looking for a provider who could support its existing technology stack and its digital platforms of the future.

Acora Consortium (Acora) successfully tendered and won the contract. Utilising services from Redbourn Business Systems, a best in class IBMi consultancy, Acora will provide via its services platform, continued support of the CII’s existing estate and also the transition to the CII’s future platform, which will be a combination of e-commerce software, Magento, with ERP Nav system, and Microsoft Dynamics.

IT Director, Richard Trebble, explains why the CII chose Acora. “There is a strong culture fit. Firstly, Acora demonstrated agility and flexibility to our requirements and the specific intricacies of our environment. We also felt they had the necessary economies of scale to grow with us and add value. In addition, the team explain technical concepts in a refreshingly easy-to-understand, outcome-based language.”

Karen Washburn, Senior Service Delivery Manager at CII, said: “We had a sense from Acora that they were real people who cared as much about the working relationship as the technology service. They weren’t pre-occupied with what they could get from us and bureaucracy, but on how they could help us achieve what we needed. They mitigated our risks for the legacy systems by working with existing partners to ensure continuity of service and no loss of intellectual capital.”

Richard concludes: “We don’t see this as supplier-customer relationship but as a long-term strategic partnership. We will be looking to Acora for input on strategic decisions as our digital transformation journey evolves.”

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Grinnell Mutual named 2021 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award winner


“Grinnell Mutual is a company that actually lives its core values and treats its employees as what they truly are: the most important factor in all of our business successes,” Vogts said.

Grinnell Mutual has received the 2021 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA). The award recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures globally.

By connecting employee engagement to every aspect of their culture, these organizations fuel the motivation and innovation that drive business results far beyond their competition around the world, and give people what they really want from their careers and lives: belonging, learning and growth, recognition, a great manager, and the opportunity to do what they do best every day.

In a year filled with unprecedented challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest to one of Midwest insurers’ most destructive and costly weather events, the Aug. 10, 2020 derecho, Gallup found that Grinnell Mutual demonstrated extraordinary commitment to its employees and its corporate culture.

“In 2020, organizational cultures saw historic threats. It took an exceptional amount of resilience for organizations, and their employees, to make it through,” said Jim Harter, Gallup’s chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing. “The abundance of well-managed and highly inspired teams inside Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award-winning organizations puts them in a particularly strong position to adapt quickly to meet the needs of their customers.”

Jeff Vogts, Grinnell Mutual’s vice president of Talent Development, said the company’s culture of trust and respect has always been a draw for potential talent.

“Grinnell Mutual is a company that actually lives its core values and treats its employees as what they truly are: the most important factor in all of our business successes,” Vogts said.

“The deep commitment we have to our employees and keeping the promises we make to customers is fundamental to the way we do business. How we rose to the challenges of 2020 and emerged not only whole, but even stronger as both an employer and an insurer, confirmed what we have always known,” he said. “If you build a business around doing what’s right — for the company, the customers, and each other — not only does employee engagement reflect that, the bottom line does, too.”

For GEWA winners, the ratio of engaged employees to actively disengaged employees is 14 times higher than the international average, at 73 percent. Worldwide, only 22 percent of employees are engaged and committed to their work and connected to their workplace. Just 39 percent of employees in the U.S. workforce are engaged.

“It’s amazing what can be accomplished when you have a collective vision and purpose. Throughout the pandemic, and in the face of the devastating Midwest derecho, our staff remained focused on protecting each other and providing outstanding customer service,” said Grinnell Mutual President and CEO Jeff Menary. “They truly care about their company, their customers, their communities, and their co-workers. I believe the work and successes of our employees during 2020 is the model of how businesses should operate for decades to come.”

Gallup’s meta-analysis on team engagement and performance is the most comprehensive workplace study ever conducted, with data on more than 2 million employees in 276 organizations across 54 industries and 96 countries.

Organizations with highly engaged employees significantly outperform their peers in important business outcomes, including customer ratings, profitability, productivity, turnover, safety incidents, shrinkage, absenteeism, quality, wellbeing, and organizational citizenship.

See all the 2021 winners here.

About Grinnell Mutual

Grinnell Mutual, in business since 1909, is the 108th-largest property-casualty insurance company in the United States and the largest primary reinsurer of farm mutual companies in North America. Its products are available in 17 states.

For more information please contact:

Jennifer Miller

Integrated Marketing Manager

marketing@grinnellmutual.com or jennifer.miller@grinnellmutual.com

641-269-8322

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