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Milestone highlights the strength of mutuality and the company’s purpose: helping people secure their future and protect the ones they love

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
MassMutual today marked its 175th anniversary, honoring a legacy built around one idea that has endured since its founding: when people look out for one another, everyone is stronger.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260515578567/en/

Founded on May 15, 1851 in Springfield, Massachusetts by 31 investors who pooled together $100,000 to create a company to help their friends and neighbors protect their loved ones, MassMutual has grown into one of America’s largest mutual life insurance companies, serving more than four million customers ¹ with over $1 trillion in life insurance in force ¹, more than $34 billion in capital strength ¹, and $584 billion in assets under management. ²

“At its heart, this milestone is about the people who rely on us and the commitments we have kept to the millions of families throughout our history,” said Roger Crandall, Chairman, President, and CEO of MassMutual. “From the moment we issued our first policy, we have been a steady source of strength and support for moments of change, challenge, and celebration — and we are proud to carry that responsibility forward for generations to come.”

As MassMutual celebrates its 175^th year, the company remains as committed today as it was in 1851 to delivering on its purpose: We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. The driving force behind MassMutual’s ability to deliver on this purpose is its dedicated employees and more than 6,000 affiliated financial professionals across the U.S. who serve individuals, families, and business owners.

MassMutual: A mutual company built for long-term policyowner value

As a mutual company, MassMutual focuses on the long-term interests of its policyowners and customers. Through eras of extraordinary change, the company has honored its commitments, paying more than $10 billion in insurance and annuity benefits last year and more than $70 billion in the last decade. ³

One benefit of being a mutual company is MassMutual’s ability to share its success with eligible participating policyowners. While dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid a dividend every year to eligible participating policyowners since 1869 – and the company’s cumulative dividend payments have exceeded $50 billion through 2025. Building on this, MassMutual will distribute an estimated record $2.9 billion to eligible participating policyowners in 2026.

Celebrating its 175^th year: Honoring MassMutual’s culture of people helping people

Building on more than $230 million that MassMutual and the MassMutual Foundation have given back to the community in the last decade,³ the company’s legacy of people helping people and supporting the community will continue throughout MassMutual’s yearlong celebration, commencing with the following:

• The MassMutual Foundation gifted $1.5 million to employees and eligible financial professionals to donate to causes they care about. So far this year, more than $700,000 has been donated to over 2,500 nonprofit organizations, including children’s hospitals and pet rescues, through this special $175 per-employee gift.

• Earlier this month, 1,000 MassMutual employees contributed over 2,000 volunteer hours in support of nearly 50 nonprofit organizations as part of MassMutual’s fourth annual Live Mutual Week where employees came together to lend their time, skills, and expertise to acts of service by making improvements, repairs, and connections in the community. Over the last four years, employees have volunteered a total of 6,500 hours during MassMutual’s Live Mutual Week.

“Wherever the world takes us, one thing is certain for MassMutual: a strong, enduring foundation and bold, ambitious approach will continue to be a vital part of who we are and how we show up in the world – one person, family, and community at a time,” concluded Crandall.

To honor its legacy and inspire what’s next, MassMutual invites readers to explore a newly released timeline of historic moments and watch a short commemorative film that brings the company’s enduring purpose to life.

About MassMutual (Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company)

For 175 years, MassMutual has stood beside generations through life’s defining moments, guided by a clear, enduring purpose: We help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. What began in 1851 as a bold idea rooted in neighbors helping neighbors has grown into one of America’s largest mutual life insurance companies, serving more than four million customers¹ with over $1 trillion in life insurance in force¹ and $584 billion in assets under management, ² all built on a foundation of more than $34 billion in capital strength.¹

MassMutual offers a broad range of products and services across protection, accumulation, wealth management, and retirement income, including annuities through our leading annuity provider, MassMutual Ascend. These solutions reach people through our expansive distribution, which is anchored by our dedicated network of affiliated financial professionals. For nearly two centuries, our offerings have helped people build, protect, and pass on what means the most to them. Through eras of extraordinary change, we have honored our commitments, paying upwards of $70 billion in insurance and annuity benefits over the past decade. ³

MassMutual is strengthened by a diversified portfolio of strategic businesses and investments – including Barings, our global alternative asset management subsidiary – which enables us to deliver greater long-term value to our policyowners. MassMutual has a longstanding, successful approach to bringing together deep life insurance expertise and advanced asset management capabilities, which put us at the forefront of this trend and helped pioneer growth beyond traditional industry boundaries. Through Barings, we have robust asset origination capabilities that have helped us achieve exceptional long-term performance for our policyowners.

Through it all, our scale provides strength; our mutuality provides alignment; and our purpose ensures we do not lose sight of who we serve. To learn more, visit massmutual.com.

¹As of December 31, 2025

²Assets Under Management (AUM) include assets and certain external investment funds managed by MassMutual subsidiaries, including Barings and MassMutual Ascend as of December 31, 2025

³2016-2025

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260515578567/en/

Media:
Paula Tremblay, MassMutual: ptremblay@massmutual.com

Source: MassMutual

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New research from the Society of Actuaries has found insurance and financial services leaders across a range of sectors all named artificial intelligence as the top emerging risk for 2026 and in the years to come.

“The study suggests that AI is becoming a core strategic risk. It’s not just this IT sort of question; it’s a whole business model sort of question,” Dale Hall, managing director of research, Society of Actuaries, said.

There’s no doubt that AI continues to breed innovation in the global insurance landscape, enhancing products and services and opening a new realm of possibilities.

However, it also comes with no small share of challenges for the industry, and significant uncertainty that some companies remain uncomfortable with.

“Near-term risks were a little bit diverse across the type of insurer — life insurers on financial volatility, property and casualty insurers on extreme weather, consulting firms on AI. But when we ask all those groups about what is on the horizon three, five, seven years down the road, they all gravitated much, much more towards technology risk,” Hall noted.

Describing AI as “the current unknown on the horizon,” he pointed out that while leaders may be concerned with immediate factors impacting operations, such as income statements and balance sheets, “a lot of people are starting to put a lot of focus on the evolution of technology risks for the future.”

Top risk varies by sector

The SOA 2026 Emerging Risk Survey is the 19th edition of the study. It surveyed SOA members and risk managers in the insurance, financial services and consulting services industries across the U.S. and Canada.

It found that the top emerging short-term risk varied by sector, with C-suite leaders most concerned about economic and geopolitical risks; life insurers most concerned about financial volatility; P/C insurers most concerned about extreme weather events, and consulting firms most concerned about AI.

“The consulting firm side was especially more focused in 2026 as a near-term risk on artificial intelligence. A lot of those companies serving the insurance and financial services industry are working on digital transformation and the impact of artificial intelligence,” Hall said.

He noted that this is different from previous years, with technology steadily earning its place on the radar since Gen AI first began going mainstream.

“Longitudinally, we have the ability here with this study to look at this over time. Certainly, since 2022 is an inflection point; that’s when OpenAI brings out a more public generative pretrained transformer model. In turn, many other firms are bringing their generative AI models to bear,” Hall added.

“At that point, AI adverse outcomes and technology risks start to grow. They start to become more and more prominent among the surveys that we’ve done.”

The digital transformation’s front lines

Hall explained that AI may be the top emerging risk for consulting firms because many are “on the front lines” of digital transformation, providing software and professional services to insurance and financial services.

“They’re kind of on the front lines of that AI revolution in several shapes and forms. They’re likely to be among the first to use that technology in positive ways, but also feel some direct impacts if it becomes a risk to their organization or if companies need to or are cutting back on consulting services,” he noted.

He underscored that the results suggest consulting firms are “just paying close attention to any artificial intelligence, any adverse outcomes that might be triggered by artificial intelligence and paying close attention that way.”

However, he also pointed out that there are both risks and rewards for those leading the AI charge.

“It’s like any risk — it’s also an opportunity. They’re the ones who can help companies put new technology into place. There’s also an opportunity for them to be part of what’s growing as this risk management and governance oversight in the insurance and financial services industries as companies adopt artificial intelligence,” Hall said.

Preparation is the key

The best thing firms that see AI as an emerging risk can do is prepare themselves well, Hall suggested, whether that’s adhering to risk management practices or building skills well ahead of time.

“I think there’s a range of good risk management practices beyond even this study. At the Society of Actuaries, our research institute, we’ve been investing a lot of time in what is good AI risk management, what is good AI governance,” Hall said.

Insurance companies can also look to model oversight as a strong base to work from in building strong AI governance guidance. Hall mentioned the NAIC Model Bulletin as a point of reference.

“I think, too, that incorporating your AI risk management into your existing enterprise risk management is a really important topic. And then things like strengthening your cyber controls, building up your workforce to be able to use it constructively and make good models and interpret the outputs correctly and understand where AI should support judgment rather than replace it,” Hall said.

© Entire contents copyright 2026 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.

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This year is expected to be a strong year for insurance company merger and acquisition activity. Taking steps to prepare an agency or brokerage before putting it on the market can increase its valuation and attract more – and better – buyers.

Buyers want to acquire an agency or brokerage that’s already performing well so they can plug in their resources, tools and infrastructure to turbocharge that growth. They want to buy a well-oiled machine, not a fixer-upper.

Here are five steps agency owners can take to make their business the top performer acquirers want.

1. Maximize organic growth

Brian McNeely, chief financial officer and partner of insurance advisory firm Reagan Consulting, said that when he contacts a prospective buyer about an agency they may want to acquire, their first question is always, “What’s their organic growth?” McNeely noted that while organic growth and profitability are the top two drivers of value, buyers prize sustained organic growth the most.

Sellers must be prepared to show what’s behind their organic growth. How long has it been going on? What’s the trajectory for the future? And how is that growth distributed among clients, producers, and carriers? The Agent Support Network of America (ASNOA) recommends choosing eight to 12 core key performance indicators, setting benchmarks for them, and establishing automated reporting on them through an agency management system. With those systems in place, potential buyers will be able to see the company’s strengths and growth outlook immediately.

2. Increase diversification

Too much reliance on a few clients or a single carrier can put a firm at significant risk of revenue loss should any of those pillars go away. Buyers are especially wary of acquiring firms with large concentration risks. Healthy cash flow today could slow to a trickle if a firm’s major client chooses to go elsewhere after the sale or if the firm’s primary carrier stops offering its main product.

To reduce concentration risk, bring in new clients by increasing advertising or offering producer bonuses for successful prospecting. Diversify product offerings, both with existing carriers and with new ones, to reduce dependence on any one revenue source.

3. Develop areas of specialty

Within an environment of diversified revenue streams, developing specialty areas can make an insurance company especially attractive to buyers. There is much value in building one or more areas of specialization – e.g., healthcare, technology, construction, hospitality, real estate or manufacturing – in an insurance firm. The key is to develop niche expertise without becoming overly dependent on one vertical.

4. Broaden management and production

Agency management too heavily controlled by the owner will be a red flag to potential buyers. What will happen after the sale and after the owner leaves? Will the company culture collapse? Who will provide leadership? To avoid this issue, broaden the agency’s management team and intentionally develop leaders who can provide continuity after the sale.

Buyers also want to see a strong team of producers, not just one star at the top of the leader board. It’s good business to intentionally develop all the firm’s producers and create an atmosphere in which everyone wants to deliver their best. Remember that for buyers, talent = assets. Protect those assets by investing in their professional development and certifications. And don’t be afraid to pay for top talent.

5. Prioritize transparent reporting

Potential buyers expect a clear picture of what they’re acquiring, and that means they need access to complete and transparent financial records. A company doesn’t need to be perfect to be a good acquisition candidate – every company has some warts. What the buyer needs is a firm understanding of the company’s financials so they can put a “why” to any blips that show up in the records.

It’s not unusual for a young agency or brokerage to do all its bookkeeping in-house. As the firm matures, however, it’s wise to bring in an outside accountant to provide impartial, audited financials. Many firms also employ either a full-time or fractional CFO to establish and maintain disciplined financial record-keeping. Having a history of strong financial reporting will make it easier to provide the transparent data buyers expect.

Preparing for success

McNeely recommended that owners – even those who aren’t planning to sell immediately – operate as though their business is going to be sold tomorrow. That means recruiting top talent and focusing on core business interests to build strong organic growth.

Developing niche specializations while maintaining diverse revenue streams and supporting the business with transparent record-keeping also helps make a firm attractive to a buyer. These preparations will pay off when it comes time to market and sell the agency.

© Entire contents copyright 2026 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.

The post 5 steps to take before selling your firm appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

A Bismarck man accused of fraudulently taking out a life insurance policy on his dead wife has pleaded guilty.

John Unruh, 42, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for insurance fraud. He’s been ordered held without bond until sentencing, which was not immediately scheduled.

Authorities alleged that Unruh took out a $225,000 life insurance policy through Mutual of Omaha on his wife, Jade, in April 2025, about two months after she had died of influenza and pneumonia. An autopsy was conducted on Jade Unruh before she was buried.

John Unruh tried to collect on the policy about a week after it was written, according to an affidavit.

When the insurance company notified Unruh that his premium was being refunded because his wfie had died before the policy took effect, Unruh maintained he should receive $100,000 through a clause that guaranteed the payment since the policy had been written.

Unruh claimed that he had told the insurance agent who wrote the policy that his wife was already deceased, but the agent disputed that, according to the affidavit.

A state insurance fraud investigator said Unruh acted as his dead wife in taking out the policy and signing her names on documents, and attempted to get a payout for a policy he obtained under false information. Unruh was charged with committing a fraudulent insurance act with an attempt over $50,000, a Class B felony.

© 2026 The Bismarck Tribune (Bismarck, N.D.). Visit www.bismarcktribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The post ALIRT Insurance Research: U.S. Life Insurance Industry In Transition appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

2026 is expected to be a strong year for insurance company merger and acquisition activity. Taking steps to prepare an agency or brokerage before putting it on the market can increase its valuation and attract more – and better – buyers.

Buyers want to acquire an agency or brokerage that’s already performing well so they can plug in their resources, tools and infrastructure to turbocharge that growth. They want to buy a well-oiled machine, not a fixer-upper.

Here are five steps agency owners can take to make their business the top performer acquirers want.

1. Maximize organic growth

Brian McNeely, chief financial officer and partner of insurance advisory firm Reagan Consulting, said that when he contacts a prospective buyer about an agency they may want to acquire, their first question is always, “What’s their organic growth?” McNeely noted that while organic growth and profitability are the top two drivers of value, sustained organic growth is what buyers prize most.

And sellers must be prepared to show what’s behind their organic growth. How long has it been going on? What’s the trajectory for the future? And how is that growth distributed among clients, producers and carriers? The Agent Support Network of America (ASNOA) recommends selecting 8 to 12 core key performance indicators, setting benchmarks for them, and establishing automated reporting through an agency management system. With those systems in place, potential buyers will be able to immediately see the company’s strengths and growth outlook.

2. Increase diversification

Too much reliance on a few clients or on one carrier can put a firm at significant risk of revenue loss should any of those pillars go away. Buyers are especially wary of acquiring firms with large concentration risks. Healthy cash flow today could slow to a trickle if a firm’s major client chooses to go elsewhere after the sale or if its primary carrier stops offering the firm’s main product.

To reduce concentration risk, bring in new clients by increasing advertising or offering producer bonuses for successful prospecting. Diversify product offerings, both with existing carriers and with new ones, to reduce dependence on any one revenue source.

3. Develop areas of specialty

Within an environment of diversified revenue streams, developing specialty areas can make an insurance company especially attractive to buyers. Advisory firm MarshBerry points out the value of building one or more areas of specialization – e.g., healthcare, technology, construction, hospitality, real estate or manufacturing – in an insurance firm.

Specialty areas can focus on a particular industry, product, demographic or geographic area. The key is to develop niche expertise without becoming overly dependent on one vertical.

4. Broaden management and production

Agency management that is controlled too heavily by the owner will be a red flag to potential buyers. What will happen after the sale and the owner leaves? Will the company culture collapse? Who will provide leadership? To avoid this issue, broaden the agency’s management team and intentionally develop leaders who can provide continuity after the sale.

Buyers also want to see a strong team of producers, not just one star at the top of the leader board. It’s good business to intentionally develop all the firm’s producers and create an atmosphere in which everyone wants to deliver their best. Remember that for buyers, talent = assets. Protect those assets by investing in their professional development and certifications. And don’t be afraid to pay for top talent.

5. Prioritize transparent reporting

Potential buyers expect a clear picture of what they’re acquiring, and that means they need access to complete and transparent financial records. A company doesn’t need to be perfect to be a good candidate for acquisition – every company has some warts. What the buyer needs is a firm understanding of the company’s financials so they can put a “why” to any blips that show up in the records.

It’s not unusual for a young agency or brokerage to do all its bookkeeping in-house. As the business matures, however, it’s wise to bring in an outside accountant to provide impartial, audited financials. Many firms also employ either a full-time or fractional chief financial officer to establish and maintain disciplined financial record-keeping. Having a history of strong financial reporting will make it easier to provide the transparent data buyers expect.

Preparing for success

McNeely recommends that owners – even those who aren’t planning to sell immediately – operate as though their business will be sold tomorrow. That means recruiting top talent and focusing on core business interests to build strong organic growth.

It also helps to develop niche specializations while maintaining diverse revenue streams and to support the business with transparent record-keeping. These preparations will pay off when it comes time to market and sell the agency.

© Entire contents copyright 2026 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.

The post 5 steps to take before selling your insurance agency appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

RENO, Nev.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
U-Haul Holding Company (NYSE: UHAL, UHAL.B), the parent company of U-Haul International, Inc., Oxford Life Insurance Company, Repwest Insurance Company and Amerco Real Estate Company, plans to report its fourth quarter fiscal 2026 financial results after the close of market trading on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. The Company is scheduled to conduct its fourth quarter investor conference call and webcast at 8 a.m. Arizona Time (11 a.m. ET) on Thursday, May 28, 2026.

Listen via the internet: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/832227430

The conference call and webcast may include forward-looking statements. If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived for one year at investors.uhaul.com.

About U-Haul Holding Company

U-Haul Holding Company is the parent company of U-Haul International, Inc., Oxford Life Insurance Company, Repwest Insurance Company and Amerco Real Estate Company. U-Haul is in the shared use business and was founded on the fundamental philosophy that the division of use and specialization of ownership is good for both U-Haul customers and the environment.

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of nearly 25,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our patented Live Verify technology. Our customers’ patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 203,800 trucks, 137,400 trailers and 45,900 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America and offers 1,126,800 rentable storage units and 98.0 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading “Best for Vets” employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513645731/en/

Sebastien Reyes

Director of Investor Relations

(602) 263-6601

sebastien_reyes@uhaul.com

Source: U-Haul Holding Company

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Data shows the claims experience is a powerful — yet underused — engine of long‑term growth for the industry

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Empathy, the technology company transforming how the world plans for and navigates life’s hardest moments, and LIMRA, today announced new research examining how the life insurance claims experience shapes long-term customer relationships. The findings reveal a critical disconnect: while insurers have invested meaningfully in operational improvements, they are missing the opportunity to turn one of the most meaningful customer moments into lasting loyalty.

U.S. life insurers pay out almost $100 billion in death benefits each year, yet fewer than one in ten beneficiaries go on to become customers themselves¹. The Empathy and LIMRA research uncovered this gap is not due to a lack of beneficiary engagement, but rather a lack of relevant, human-centered support aligned with what beneficiaries are actually experiencing during one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. While the industry has optimized for operational efficiency and a smooth claims process, these efforts often fall short of addressing beneficiaries’ emotional and practical needs, resulting in a transactional experience that fails to build long-term and generational loyalty.

“What this research makes clear is that the claims moment is not just an operational milestone or well-executed transaction, it’s a relationship-defining experience,” said Ohad Gutman, Chief Business Officer at Empathy. “When the beneficiary is handled with clarity, empathy, and meaningful support, it can lead to long-term loyalty. When it’s treated as a transaction, that opportunity is lost.”

Key Findings from the Research

The study surfaces several critical insights into what drives and limits long-term engagement following a claim:

The claims experience performs well operationally, but falls short as a relationship moment

• 91% of beneficiaries report being satisfied with their claims experience
• Core elements like communication (87%), clarity (85%), and timeliness (83%) are rated highly
• Yet according to LIMRA, fewer than 1 in 10 beneficiaries go on to become customers, highlighting a disconnect between satisfaction and long-term loyalty²

Perception after the claim is the strongest predictor of future business

• Post-claim perception is the #1 driver of both recommendation and purchase intent
• Among less satisfied beneficiaries, 71% say a better experience would have increased purchase intent, while 78% say it would have increased their likelihood of recommending the carrier

A major “delivery gap” exists between the support beneficiaries want and what they receive

• 84% say dedicated support such as a specific person to guide them, grief or financial resources, or tools to help manage the process, would make the insurer more appealing
  • Financial education: 65% want it, only 25% receive it
  • Grief resources: 68% want it, only 35% receive it
  • Emotional wellness programs: 81% want it; 24% receive it
  • Assistance with probate: 81% want it; 17% receive it
  • Well-being check-ins: 76% want it; 43% receive it

Beneficiaries are highly open to ongoing engagement

• 96% are open to post-claim communication across channels
• Most prefer personalized, practical guidance and not generic outreach

A Shift From Transaction to Relationship

The research reframes the claims experience as a pivotal moment in the customer lifecycle, not the end of a transaction but the beginning of a relationship.

“This research shows that beneficiaries are not inherently disengaged – they are highly open to continued interaction,” said Lai-Sahn Hackett, Corporate Vice President at LIMRA. “It underscores an opportunity for insurers to rethink how the claims experience contributes to ongoing engagement and business outcomes.”

The findings highlight that beneficiaries are not disengaging by default, they are responding to the experience they receive. While insurers have made meaningful progress on operational efficiency, the research shows that emotional and practical support during and after the claim is what ultimately shapes long-term outcomes.

Technology and Support as the Next Frontier

As expectations evolve, the industry is beginning to shift toward more holistic, support-driven models of care. Solutions that combine digital tools with human guidance can help carriers extend support beyond the payout and better meet beneficiary needs.

To read the full report and its findings, visit empathy.com/resources/research/generational-loyalty-blueprint.

ABOUT EMPATHY

Empathy is a leading technology company transforming the way people plan for and navigate life’s toughest moments. Serving over 50 million policyholders across North America and the UK, Empathy partners with eight of the top ten U.S. life insurance carriers and handles one in five life insurance claims in the U.S. beyond the payout. With $162 million in funding from top-tier venture firms including Index Ventures, General Catalyst, and Adams Street Partners, Empathy combines technological innovation with human care to provide unparalleled support for bereavement, estate management, legacy planning, disability and more. Recognized by Apple, Google Play, Fast Company and others, Empathy is redefining the standard for modern family care. Learn more at empathy.com.

About LIMRA

Serving the industry since 1916, LIMRA offers industry knowledge, insights, connections, and solutions to help nearly 700 member organizations, in almost 60 countries, navigate change with confidence. Visit LIMRA at www.limra.com.

ABOUT THE STUDY

This research was conducted by Empathy in partnership with LIMRA’s Applied Research Solutions team using a hybrid methodology. Phase one included a quantitative survey of 272 life insurance beneficiaries, followed by in-depth interviews with 12 participants to provide deeper emotional and behavioral context.

¹ American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) data. Life Insurers Fact Book (2022–2025); Insurance Information Institute / NAIC benefits and claims data.

² LIMRA Research

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513462390/en/

Press@empathy.com

Source: Empathy

The post New Empathy and LIMRA Research: The Overlooked Opportunity to Engage the Next Generation After an Insurance Payout appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Symetra Life Insurance Company, a stop loss pioneer currently celebrating 50 years as an industry leader, today announced the appointment of Jeff Sealey as vice president, Stop Loss Captives.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512589566/en/

Jeff Sealey has joined Symetra as vice president, Stop Loss Captives.

In this new role, Mr. Sealey will lead the strategic development and growth of Symetra’s captive solutions, expanding the company’s capabilities to meet the evolving needs of clients and partners. With deep expertise in alternative risk financing, he will play a key role in advancing Symetra’s commitment to delivering flexible, client-focused risk solutions.

“We are delighted to welcome Jeff Sealey to the stop loss team,” said Jeremy Freestone, senior vice president, Stop Loss Business Strategy. “Jeff brings a diverse background spanning U.S. Navy service, commercial finance, and more than a decade in the health insurance industry. Since transitioning into healthcare in 2009, he has partnered with employers to navigate complex funding decisions, including onsite and near-site employer clinic evaluation and group stop loss captive strategies designed to help stabilize self-funded risk.”

Mr. Sealey joins Symetra from Crumdale Specialty, where as vice president of stop loss sales he led the nationwide team responsible for the distribution of self-funded products and PBM solutions.

A native of St. Louis, Mr. Sealey earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Missouri.

About Stop Loss

Medical stop loss insurance protects companies that self-fund their health insurance plans against large or catastrophic claims. Employers with stop loss insurance are reimbursed for individual employees’ medical costs above a certain pre-determined dollar amount. Stop loss insurance also protects against unexpectedly large amounts of total medical claims. In such a case, the coverage kicks in once a certain amount has been paid by a client toward all of its employee medical bills.

To learn more about Symetra’s industry leadership, visit 50 Years of Stop Loss, featuring a retrospective video with stop loss leaders and team members, a timeline of key milestones, and a revolving series of insights on stop loss and the employer-sponsored health care industry.

About Symetra

Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent financial professionals and insurance producers. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512589566/en/

Diana McSweeney

(425) 256-6167

diana.mcsweeney@symetra.com

Source: Symetra Life Insurance Company

The post Symetra Names Jeff Sealey Vice President, Stop Loss Captives appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

Besides helping speed up the claims process and generally bringing the insurance practice into the 21st Century, artificial intelligence may also help address a longstanding industry issue: the gender gap in coverage.

According to LIMRA, women consistently have had less insurance coverage than men for the last 15 years. Multiple studies conducted over the years have pointed to the same conclusion, and so has life insurance application data from iPipeline, a financial services software solutions firm.

Katie Kahl, chief product officer at iPipeline, said it means hundreds of women are potentially at risk of not having the financial support they need if an unexpected event occurs.

“That’s what’s difficult about these types of sales; you must talk about things that are difficult to talk about. You must talk about what’s going to happen if something unexpected happens in your life, and are you prepared for that?” Kahl said.

She believes technology can help provide insights into where and why coverage gaps exist, and then further guide better education and awareness. Tech also provides insights on which products to market to women and how best to close the sale.

“Especially when women are thinking about protecting their family, you must be able to apply that emotional element. So use AI to personalize the offerings and come up with the right recommendations, but don’t lose that human touch in terms of how those are delivered,” she said.

What’s driving the gap?

Before looking at solutions, Kahl explored some possible reasons why the insurance coverage gap may exist for women in the first place.

In her view, education is the first misstep. A major challenge, she said, is “getting the right information on what is needed and the benefit of coverage” conveyed to audiences in a consumable way so they know what to purchase and why it’s valuable.

“And then women tend to be more conservative in terms of their financial planning. So they may not be as willing to invest in that financial future — and some of that might go hand in hand with the first piece we mentioned around education,” Kahl said.

But she also suggested the gender gap may have to do with how insurance has been traditionally marketed.

“Just historically, that hasn’t been the target market for many of the agents or advisors, because it may not have been the head of household. So, I think being able to target those demographics and match them with the right products and services is a key need,” she said.

iPipeline’s data also found a similar trend from an age perspective, where younger audiences also struggled in terms of education and awareness of the value of insurance coverage.

However, looking at the younger generation also revealed a technological disconnect that’s driving coverage gaps. According to Kahl, many younger Americans “don’t want an agent and an advisor — they want to be able to go to one individual and get the full coverage that they need.”

“They just have different expectations on how they purchase life insurance or financial products. They want more of a one-stop shop that they’re used to in other areas of their life, and they also expect more digital experiences,” Kahl said. “So depending on the age of the women that are targeted, that may also influence some of the trends or their purchasing behavior.”

Three ways AI can help

Kahl suggested AI can help bridge the insurance coverage gap for women in three key ways.

1. Provide marketing insights
2. Simplify and expand education
3. Build tailored recommendations

“I think there are a few different ways, especially with the emergence of AI and data strategies. One is finding the individuals who need this protection. So the right data strategy can help bring together all the data points that are needed to be able to target where these gaps are, where are folks underinsured, so that we can identify where that coverage is needed,” Kahl said.

In her view, part of that is the education piece and helping people understand why a product is important to protect their family – especially if they are the primary caregiver – and how companies can personalize the right offering. Additionally, AI can play a role in helping to simplify long, complex policy documents that typically contain a lot of industry jargon and can be difficult for the average consumer to digest.

“AI is a really good way to be able to summarize those potential offerings so it’s easier for folks to understand, especially if you’ve never purchased a product like that before. And all those same things probably apply with that younger demographic we talked about as well,” Kahl said.

It can also help agents quickly personalize what may be important to each client, allowing them to produce tailored, “on-the-fly” recommendations.

“I think if we can approach these types of sales with a more personalized and consultative approach, then we can start to reduce the risk around women’s long-term financial security,” Kahl said.

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