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OneAmerica

Broker World
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OneAmerica

As part of a new offering from the OneAmerica FinancialSM Female Retirement Professionals Program, OneAmerica Financial and Broadridge Retirement and Workplace are collaborating to provide 30 female financial advisors the opportunity to train for and earn the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) designation, free of charge.

Created and chaired by Sandy McCarthy, president of Retirement Services at OneAmerica Financial, the Female Retirement Professionals Program aims to engage, empower and elevate women in the financial services industry. Many of the program’s cohesive and multi-faceted offerings—with everything from proprietary research to webinars, best practice guides, thought leadership and more—are centered on findings from the team’s survey of more than 200 female financial advisors, and a corresponding whitepaper that details what McCarthy calls “the 4 Cs”—confidence, community, connection and culture—factors found to fuel success for women advisors.

“Our program goes beyond simply recognizing the importance of recruiting and retaining more women to financial services—which of course is a critical first step,” said McCarthy. “We’re looking to go deeper, though—translating our findings into action and tangibly supporting the growth of women’s careers to maximize opportunities in financial services. We’re taking the 4 Cs to heart.”

The program’s mission struck a chord with Broadridge Retirement and Workplace as it closely aligns with the overall firm’s commitment to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the market and communities they serve.

“Broadridge is proud to continue its work to minimize the gender gap in the financial advisor community by investing in training that will aid in the development and careers of women and people of color. The AIF designation will provide the advisors with valuable training that supports the 4 Cs, differentiates them and helps them deliver superior value to their clients” said Cindy Dash, senior vice president and general manager, Broadridge Retirement and Workplace.

The AIF designation, ranked as one of the top ten financial certifications by U.S. News & World Report1, prepares investment professionals and those managing investments on behalf of others to carry out their fiduciary responsibilities. AIF training teaches advisors how to properly conduct due diligence and formalize an investment strategy so they can demonstrate to clients and prospects that their best interests always come first. The AIF Designation is part of Broadridge Retirement and Workplace’s learning and development suite of solutions.

McCarthy said she is thrilled to be able to extend this offer to women advisors—and to implement access to professional certification as an element of the Female Retirement Professionals Program.

“What Broadridge Retirement and Workplace is offering here is incredibly generous,” said McCarthy. “Together, we have the potential to have a significant impact on this group of advisors—and the clients they currently serve and will serve in the future. The impact will be exponential. It’s inspiring to see our industry colleagues joining forces to make a difference.”

Broadridge Retirement and Workplace are not affiliates of any OneAmerica Financial companies and are not OneAmerica Financial companies. Upon clicking certain links, the content you are going to is not controlled, reviewed or approved by, and is not the responsibility of OneAmerica Financial.

  1. 10 Best Financial Certification, U.S. News & World Report. https://money.usnews.com/financial-advisors/articles/best-financial-certifications

About the OneAmerica FinancialSM Female Retirement Professionals Program

Launched in April 2021, the Female Retirement Professionals Program is built on our belief in the power of relationships. By delivering focused education and facilitating networking and relationship-building opportunities, the program aims to elevate the way female professionals show up in the retirement industry and brings to life a key OneAmerica Financial philosophy—that we can best help our industry partners grow and thrive by getting to know who they are, recognizing their strengths and understanding their challenges.

The program was envisioned and is chaired by Sandy McCarthy, president of Retirement Services at OneAmerica Financial. With over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, Sandy is passionate about continuing to advance the discussion around topics such as the importance of attracting females to the profession, and the unique value they bring to the industry and to clients. To learn more, visit our program website.

OneAmerica FinancialSM is a national financial services organization helping people build greater certainty for better moments, every day. The companies of OneAmerica Financial have been advancing financial security for more than 145 years, supporting millions of customers with solutions across life insurance, retirement, employee benefits and long-term care. As a people-first mutual organization, OneAmerica Financial prioritizes customers’ interests and maintains a long-term focus on both value and financial stability. For more information visit OneAmerica.com.

OneAmerica FinancialSM is the marketing name for the companies of OneAmerica Financial.​

Hexure

Broker World
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Hexure

Hexure, a provider of sales and regulatory automation solutions for the life and annuity industry, in tandem with Legal & General America (LGA), one of the nation’s leading term life insurance providers and part of Legal & General Group plc, introduced a new solution to help simplify the term life insurance purchase journey for distributors, advisors and clients.

“Legal & General America is committed to helping close the individual life insurance gap in the U.S. through easy, quick and affordable term life insurance options,” said Mark Holweger, chief executive officer for LGA. “We’re pleased to partner with Hexure on a solution that makes term life insurance much more accessible to advisors and their clients, through a fast, seamless experience.”

By implementing e-tickets within the Hexure solution, advisors can now quote a term life insurance product and then submit an e-ticket within the same platform. This streamlined process makes it easier for advisors to submit e-tickets promptly after quoting without having to navigate between different platforms. The e-ticket is then sent directly to LGA’s digital platform, kicking off the application process without additional steps.

“We’re thrilled to work with LGA in revolutionizing life sales by providing digital and connected sales solutions that enable advisors to secure their clients’ term life insurance coverage efficiently,” said Jaci Miller, chief sales officer at Hexure. “At Hexure, we are dedicated to developing solutions that make the life insurance sales journey as streamlined and efficient as possible. By adding e-tickets to the Hexure platform, LGA will empower advisors with a better client experience that includes a seamless journey from quoting to policy issuance–getting more products in the hands of clients that need them.”

LGA sees consistent quoting activity for its products on the Hexure platform. By seamlessly integrating e-tickets into the process, they are taking a significant step towards enhancing connectivity and influencing more sales opportunities.

To start quoting products and submitting e-tickets to Legal & General America through the Hexure platform, contact your firm’s home office or contact Hexure at info@hexure.com.

LGA, (part of Legal & General Group, one of the world’s leading financial services companies) is one of the nation’s leading term life insurers, and number three in term life insurance sales in the United States (LIMRA Q3 2023 report). LGA’s insurance products are sold nationwide through its companies Banner Life Insurance Company in 49 states and D.C. and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York in New York. LGA has an A.M. Best rating of A+ (Superior) – 2nd highest out of 15 categories and AA- from Standard & Poor’s (Very Strong capacity to meet financial commitments). Ratings are as of November 3, 2022, and apply to Legal & General America Group and its subsidiaries Banner Life Insurance Company and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York. All ratings are subject to change. For more information about Legal & General America, visit www.lgamerica.com.

Founded in 1995, Hexure provides digital sales solutions to the insurance and financial services industry across various lines of life insurance, annuities, retirement, and wealth management products. Carriers and distributors use its solutions to build customer-centric sales experiences, accelerate submissions, reduce paper processes, meet regulatory requirements, and improve in-good-order sales.

Swiss Re

Broker World
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Swiss Re

Swiss Re launches an augmented version of its Life & Health underwriting manual Life Guide. The new version comes equipped with Swiss Re Life Guide Scout, a Generative AI-powered underwriting assistant, developed by Swiss Re, that integrates Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. Swiss Re Life Guide Scout aims to help increase the efficiency and quality of underwriting by generating swift answers compiled from curated expert knowledge in response to questions asked by the underwriter in natural language.

Life and health insurance underwriting is a complex process that requires accurate and up-to-date information to assess an insurance applicant’s risk. To make the right decisions, underwriters invest a significant amount of time to search and review information using standard search tools to identify relevant sources and facts.

Life Guide, the world’s number one life and health underwriting manual, helps clients understand current and future risks, so they can make informed decisions, and build strong, sustainable portfolios.

The augmented version of Life Guide is now equipped with Swiss Re Life Guide Scout, a new functionality powered by Generative AI, that supports underwriters in speeding up risk assessment. Swiss Re Life Guide Scout allows underwriters to make professional queries, receiving an AI-generated answer and the source of information, within seconds. This facilitates them to make faster, more precise decisions and improves knowledge transfer. With a solid data foundation and advanced analytics capabilities, the integration of Azure OpenAI Service unlocks deeper insights for improved human decision making.

Swiss Re Life Guide Scout is launched as a pilot programme in English. A wider roll-out is planned for later this year.

Julien Descombes, Swiss Re’s chief underwriting officer L&H Re, said: “We are excited to bring Generative AI to our clients who can now leverage this new feature to improve their underwriting process. Our ambition is to provide insurers access to the risk perspective we have built into Life Guide in an even more efficient and user-friendly way to help them continue to write sustainable business and deliver on their promises.”

Catrin Hinkel, CEO Microsoft Switzerland, said: “By integrating Microsoft Azure OpenAI, Swiss Re can unlock the power of advanced analytics and Generative AI to provide new capabilities to the insurance market through a secure, compliant, and reliable cloud environment. This powerful combination empowers Swiss Re to share their risk insights with clients, transforming the way they manage risk.”

About Life Guide
Life Guide has continuously ranked as the industry’s number one global underwriting manual based on the NMG Consulting study. Its underwriting philosophy and embedded trainings are backed by Swiss Re experts who monitor the latest medical, regulatory and technological developments. Packed with up-to-date information, Life Guide combines medical and underwriting expertise with analytics and actuarial know-how to deliver confidence to the decisions clients make. Life Guide helps users understand risks and how they interact with each other through functionalities like the cardiovascular risk calculator, which is used, on average, every five seconds by an underwriter seeking to assess heart disease risk. Every day, thousands of underwriters in over 100 countries access Life Guide adding up to more than 23 million hits per year.

The Swiss Re Group is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk–from natural catastrophes to climate change, from aging populations to cyber crime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 80 offices globally.

Cautionary note on forward-looking statements
The information provided and forward-looking statements made are for informational purposes only. In no event shall Swiss Re be liable for any loss or damage arising in connection with the use of this information and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements (the cautionary note on forward-looking statements are available under https://www.swissre.com/terms-of-use.html). Swiss Re undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This communication is not intended to be a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and does not constitute an offer for the sale of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in any jurisdiction, including the United States. Any such offer will only be made by means of a prospectus or offering memorandum, and in compliance with applicable securities laws. This document does not constitute an invitation to effect any transaction in securities or make investments.

BenefitMall

Broker World
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BenefitMall

BenefitMall, the largest employee benefits general agency, announced the addition of Jenny Long as the new sales manager for retention responsible for overseeing Georgia and Florida markets. The appointment marks a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to serving Southeastern brokers and enhancing its presence in the region. Long brings 15 years of industry experience to her new role. Prior to joining BenefitMall, Long served as a retention manager and a sales executive with a large health insurer, experience that positions her to understand and address the needs of brokers and small business employers.

“Jenny’s dedication to client satisfaction and her deep understanding of the ever-evolving benefits marketplace makes her an invaluable asset. Jenny’s appointment highlights BenefitMall’s commitment to delivering top-tier support and solutions to our brokers and clients,” said Brock Purslow, regional vice president of the Benefits South Division at BenefitMall. “We are confident that Jenny will play a key role in our continued growth and success across Georgia and Florida.”

BenefitMall also announced that Kaleb Bledsoe is assuming an expanded role with the company as national practice leader of ancillary products. The appointment marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to serving its brokers and enhancing products and services for large group clients with more than 100 eligible employees.

Before joining BenefitMall in 2022, Bledsoe enjoyed a successful run as a senior sales consultant at other employee benefits and life insurance companies. As national practice leader, Bledsoe will focus on working with the markets to create strategies that drive non-medical revenue growth while also supporting the large group sales team with his expertise in life and disability insurance, vision and dental care, and more.

John Wiesler, BenefitMall’s senior vice president of sales, comments, “Success in ancillary sales isn’t just about offering additional products; it’s about enhancing the customer experience with tailored solutions that address their unique needs and preferences. We are thrilled to have Kaleb’s expertise and leadership on board.”

Also announced was the addition of Maggie Beckley as a new benefits sales executive for Houston, Texas. The appointment marks a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to serving brokers in Texas. Beckley brings eight years of insurance industry experience to the role. Prior to joining BenefitMall, she worked as a producer with an independent insurance brokerage, gaining extensive knowledge in employer group health coverage, including self-funded and level-funded health plans.

“Maggie’s proactive approach and optimism make her a valuable asset, both professionally and personally,” says Brock Purslow, regional vice president. “She is determined to expand the use of BenefitMall’s online tools and further demonstrate the company’s mission to provide the fastest, easiest, and most trusted benefits selling experience.”

In addition, the company announced the addition of Sam Patton to its team as the new benefits sales executive for Colorado. The appointment marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to serving its Colorado brokers and enhancing its presence in the region. Patton boasts five years of industry experience exclusively at a life and disability carrier prior to joining BenefitMall. He specializes in ancillary benefits such as life, disability insurance (DI), and executive supplemental disability.

Hadley Weiler, BenefitMall’s West Division regional vice president states, “With his background in ancillary benefits, I am confident that Sam will continue to make a significant impact in employee benefits sales, serving brokers with integrity and expertise at BenefitMall.”

Headquartered in Dallas, BenefitMall is the largest employee benefits general agency, working with a network of 20,000 brokers to deliver employee benefits to more than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses. Founded in 1979, BenefitMall leverages innovative technology backed by human expertise to provide a seamless selling experience for its carriers, brokers, and their clients. BenefitMall is part of CRC Group’s Life, Retirement and Benefits Solutions division, a leading national wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products.

Hexure

Broker World
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Hexure

Hexure, a provider of sales and regulatory automation solutions for the life and annuity industry, announced today a partnership with SuranceBay, an insurance technology provider of contracting and compliance software that automates various aspects of the producer-distributor-carrier relationship. This collaboration streamlines the can-sell verification process while also enhancing in-good-order (IGO) life and annuity business transactions through the integration of Hexure’s FireLight platform and SuranceBay’s SureLC™ solution.

“Missing licensing, appointment, and product training are primary contributors to NIGOs and present significant challenges within our industry,” said Kevin Pohmer, chief product officer for Hexure. “Partnering with SuranceBay enables us to provide tools within FireLight that not only verify eligibility to sell but also provide just-in-time functionality to address requirements. This empowers advisors to confidently proceed with sales, assured that they will be in good order.”

The FireLight and SureLC integration significantly reduces not-in-good-order (NIGO) submissions due to missing advisor requirements, such as licensing, carrier appointments or product training. This integration eliminates the need for navigating between systems to verify eligibility or to complete missing requirements before moving forward with the application submission, thus driving sales efficiency and better experiences for the client.

“Everyone involved in the purchase and sale of financial products benefits when surprise roadblocks are prevented. SuranceBay has been providing online contracting and licensing solutions for many years, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Hexure to extend the reach of our compliance monitoring to the point of sale so producers and distributors can avoid delays and place business more quickly and confidently,” said Mike Abrahamson, director of Client Relations and senior business analyst for SuranceBay.

Hexure clients who use SuranceBay can easily activate the SureLC integration by implementing a SuranceBay authentication token within the FireLight admin tool, quickly enabling can-sell checks for their advisors directly within FireLight.

Paranoid Ramblings

Ronald R. Hagelman
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Paranoid Ramblings

When it comes to some of the important stuff, we just don’t seem to pay sufficient attention to the critical details. It’s not that we are intentionally allowing some issues or concerns to be swept under the carpet. There are a few however that continue to haunt the back streets of my slowly fading mind. If you haven’t noticed, this column is a form of therapy for an aging curmudgeon that has tried to loudly applaud any and every forward motion to protect more Americans. There has also been an enthusiastic attempt to expose and question market directions that may not have proven to be helpful.

During a recent social dinner conversation I was given my favorite opportunity to answer questions about the necessity of doing something, frankly anything, to blunt the effects of a long term care event. As would be expected, the interested consumer began with his knowledge that there had been an overall industry retreat from thIs genre of insurance options. It became immediately apparent that explaining the overused and abused infamous seven percent market penetration statistic would have to be where we began. The truth is our history has become a burden, not a blessing. This is perhaps our most misunderstood statistic as it refers to the total population. Again I had to begin with a standard defense explaining that those with very limited assets and income would need to look to government support and those with more than sufficient assets and income would be able to pay their own way. We have clearly done a much better job over the last 25 years of identifying and helping those in between these financial extremes, therefore exposing the most exposed financial weakness with the most to lose.

Perhaps it would be best to begin with a much wider lens. First I would ask you to google “LTC Market Size” both U.S. and global:

  • According to the Congressional Budget Office the cost of long term care in America was 30 billion in 2000 and 215 billion in 2015, compounding at 15 percent per year.
  • The size of the market for long term care services was 490.6 billion in 2022 and 517 billion in 2023.
  • CAGR is projected to boom forward at a compounding of over six percent through 2030.

Covid deaths dramatically shifted the service market away from facility solutions with an all out assault on better answers for quality care at home. According to recent consumer research from Grand View, the home care market was valued at 142.9 billion in 2022 with an expected CAGR of 7.46 percent between 2023 and 2030. Technology is playing a major role in this market expansion. The stampede to HHC may be driven by the continuing increase in mortality. Successful management of a care claim is best defined by the number of contacts between the caregiver and the care recipient. Artificial Intelligence soon to be arriving on the wings of the next Zoom call. We are learning that more chronic care situations have become “manageable.” Care may begin in a hospital but it then fans out everywhere. This market (our market) will continue to grow rapidly. The current care service industry is having serious staffing problems. Assisted Living by definition is the perfect laboratory for experimentation with expanding technology support.

The bottom line is that patterns in our thinking need to be revised. We have done a much better job than our public persona might suggest. Clearly there is widespread growth of the care support industry and finding creative ways to finance that growth remains our game on our field.

Claims adjudication needs to become our new poster child for action and investment of time and resources. Out of sight and out of mind has become an inevitable result of an industry that automatically profits from time delay. To put a fine point on it, every day of delay is one day closer to when the claim ends. Acceptance of the validity of days of counted and approved elimination days should not look like a concertina fence. This can easily turn into an adversarial relationship. In my humble opinion there are simply too many minor opportunities to delay or deny a claim from bad documentation, vague policy definitions, facility or caregiver credentials, ADL approval and intentional excess paperwork. All I can say here is that the personal injury attorneys appear to be feeding happily on winning punitive damages for acts of “bad faith.”

The background financial rationalization market opportunity is bigger than ever. Unfortunately those sometimes five-fold past rate increases have also been gifted to our field force to wear like the Scarlet Letter “A.” The temptation of current claim management to delay payment may continue to lurk in the shadows and a sales history not well served by any of the above is simply not helpful.

Other than that I have no opinion on the subject.

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