Business News: Kemper, The Hartford, Aon/Claim Central

Kemper Announces Resignation of Director Thomas Goldstein

Kemper Corporation announced that Thomas M. Goldstein has resigned from the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately, to focus on his health and family.

Goldstein joined the Kemper Board of Directors in August 2016 after a distinguished career in the financial services industry that included senior leadership roles at Allstate Corporation, The GRG Group LLC, Madison Dearborn Partners, and LaSalle Bank. He is also a director of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

The Hartford Announces New Operating Model for Specialty Commercial, Middle Market Businesses Following Navigators Acquisition

The Hartford announced the new operating model and organizational structure that will be effective upon the closing of its pending acquisition of The Navigators Group, Inc. Navigators operations, along with The Hartford’s current Specialty Commercial and Middle Market businesses, will be aligned around two new market-facing businesses – Global Specialty and Middle & Large Commercial. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and expected to close in late March or April.

A. Morris “Mo” Tooker, currently head of Middle Market at The Hartford, will lead Middle & Large Commercial, which will include national accounts, and continue to report to Elliot. This business will focus on delivering workers’ compensation, general liability, auto liability and property insurance to mid-size and large businesses through retail agents and brokers. Included in this organization are: industry verticals; program and captive businesses; and umbrella, excess and high-hazard general liability offerings. Middle & Large Commercial will comprise approximately $2.7 billion of net written premiums on a pro forma basis.

Vincent C. Tizzio, currently president of Navigators’ U.S. Insurance operation, will lead Global Specialty and report to Elliot. This business will focus on delivering a broad array of specialty products through retail and wholesale channels, and will include U.S. specialty insurance and international teams. The surety and financial products businesses of The Hartford will become a part of Global Specialty. Global Specialty will represent approximately $1.9 billion in net written premiums on a pro forma basis.

M. Ross Fisher, currently head of Specialty Commercial at The Hartford, will take on the new role of property and casualty global chief underwriting officer and continue to report to Elliot. H. Clay Bassett, Jr., will continue to lead Navigators Reinsurance in the new organization and report to Fisher.

Stanley A. Galanski, who has served as Navigators’ CEO since 2003, will continue to serve as president and CEO through the completion of the acquisition. Upon closing of the transaction, he will assume an executive advisory role during a transition period. Under Galanski’s leadership, Navigators grew to become a global specialty insurer with strong positions in the global marine, specialty casualty, and management and professional liability markets.

The Hartford announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of The Navigators Group, Inc. on Aug. 22, 2018. Approximately 800 Navigators employees globally will join The Hartford upon closing.

Aon, Claim Central Establish Strategic Alliance

Aon plc, a global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions and global InsurTech firm Claim Central have established a strategic alliance focused on digitizing and streamlining claim management capabilities and enhancing the customer experience using transformative technology and services developed specifically for property and casualty (P&C) insurance organizations.

Critical to this alliance is Claim Central’s successful track record implementing digital ecosystems for property claims adjusting and repairs for insurance organizations around the world – notably following Hurricanes Harvey and Irma when loss adjuster resources were scarce in Florida. Claim Central’s technology digitizes the property claims process with modern features and functionality, including live video streaming, aerial imagery, real-time chat, customer sentiment measures, and digital payments. This means assessors do not need to be physically on the ground, making the process more efficient and ultimately improving the policyholder experience.

Claim Central is also opening an Innovation Center in Jacksonville, Fla., to further support the alliance by taking the heavy lifting of technology implementations out of the equation to enhance Aon’s re/insurer clients’ claims processes. The Innovation Center will run Claim Central’s single platform claims solution, and will include modernized workflows with desk examiners, field adjusters, and a connection to a credentialed contractor repair network to support loss mitigation and faster property repairs.

The alliance offers opportunities for insurers to swiftly streamline the claims process, while the Innovation Center provides a live insurance environment in which new-to-market features and functionality can be tested, and special projects for insurer clients can be conducted without any regular business interruption.