USI in the News
The American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2024 Workforce Well-being Scorecard results were recently announced, and USI once again achieved Gold level recognition for the seventh year in a row! Working in partnership with leading science and workforce well-being volunteers, the AHA has defined best practices for employers to use to build a culture of health equity and comprehensive organizational well-being programs for their workforces. This annual scorecard measures the extent to which a company has implemented those best practices. Read more.
USI is honored to be named to the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces for Parents list. USI ranked 18th and is the only insurance brokerage and consulting firm in the top 70 recognized organizations across industries in the large company category. This recognition is based on survey responses from over 635,000 employees with parenting responsibilities who work for Great Place To Work Certified™ companies that were eligible for the list. Learn more.
USI’s Joni Mason, senior vice president of national executive and professional risk solutions claims, was recently interviewed by Business Insurance on how companies can handle and respond to Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) accommodation requests. Mason shared, “Continued enforcement momentum by the EEOC could prompt underwriters to ask more targeted questions to companies about how they handle PWFA accommodation requests and whether management has received training on how to recognize and address such requests.” Read the full article.
USI is proud to be recognized as one of Insurance Journal’s 2024 Best Agencies to Work For. This industry recognition is based entirely on employee nominations and reflects the dedication of our exceptional team members. USI’s SVP and Chief People Officer, Kim Van Orman, shared: “We are extremely grateful to our team members for nominating USI for this exciting workplace recognition, and for the strong sense of passion and commitment they bring to our firm each day.” Read more.
USI’s Paul King, senior vice president in the executive and professional risk solutions practice, was recently interviewed by Business Insurance on how companies can protect themselves as class action lawsuits continue to rise. King shared, “Companies should consider purchasing dedicated D&O and cyber policies to protect against investigatory claims or lawsuits involving cyber incidents or alleged privacy violations.” Read the full article.
USI was honored to be recognized at the recent 2024 Webex Customer Awards in Miami, FL. Nominated in the AI Innovator Hybrid Work category – which celebrates companies that have demonstrated vision, foresight, and innovation through their use of Cisco AI Assistant for Webex Suite – USI was proud to be recognized as the overall category winner. Learn more about this exciting recognition.
USI’s Joni Mason, senior vice president of national executive and professional risk solutions claims, was recently interviewed by Business Insurance on how companies can handle and respond to Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) accommodation requests. Mason shared, “To address the risk, companies should ensure that individuals responsible for handling accommodation requests are sufficiently trained to recognize such requests and engage in the interactive process.” Read the full article.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”) was recently named to the prestigious 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women list by Great Place To Work® and Fortune. USI ranked 10th and is the only insurance brokerage and consulting firm in the top 50 out of 100 recognized organizations across industries in the large company category. The Best Workplaces for Women list is based on an analysis of survey responses from nearly 600,000 women who work for Great Place To Work Certified™ companies that were eligible for the list.
Commenting on the announcement, Kim Van Orman, senior vice president and chief people officer for USI, stated: “I am extremely proud of our firm’s commitment to redefining what different and better looks like in a traditionally male-dominated industry. With women making up 60% of USI’s workforce, our culture of growth and innovation not only drives superior business results but also supports the advancement of women through tailored benefit offerings, professional development opportunities and unparalleled support programs.”
Michael Sicard, chairman and chief executive officer for USI, added: “USI at its core is a problem solver. And if you want to solve the most difficult and complex problems, focusing a diverse team of minds will produce the most robust solutions. Diversity, in all its forms, makes us better able to serve our clients and solve their most complex problems. We are honored to see USI represented on this year’s Fortune Best Workplaces for Women list, as we continue to foster and innovate an inclusive and empowering environment for women’s career growth and advancement at USI.”
The Best Workplaces for Women list is highly competitive. Great Place To Work, the global authority on workplace culture, determines its lists using its proprietary For All™ Methodology to evaluate and certify thousands of organizations in America’s largest ongoing annual workforce study, based on over 1.3 million survey responses and data from companies representing more than 8.2 million employees this year alone.
Survey responses reflect a comprehensive picture of the workplace experience. Honorees were selected based on their ability to offer positive outcomes for women regardless of job role, race, sexual orientation, work status or other demographic identifier. Great Place To Work analyzed the gender balance of each workplace compared with Bureau of Labor Statistics industry data. Companies were also assessed on how representation changes as women rise from front-line positions to the board of directors. View the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women list.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals in approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI’s award-winning culture attracts best-in-class industry talent with a focus on innovation, technology, and industry expertise, along with a history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About the Fortune Best Workplaces for Women List
Great Place To Work selected the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women List by analyzing the survey responses of nearly 600,000 employees who work for Great Place To Work Certified™ companies that also meet the criteria for this list. To be eligible, a company must employ at least 50 women, have least 20% of non-executive managers who are women, and have at least one female C-suite executive. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place To Work Trust Index™ Survey. Read the full methodology.
USI is proud to be recognized for the second year in a row as one of the nation’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. The national Best and Brightest program identifies and honors organizations displaying a strong commitment to excellence in their HR practices and employee enrichment programs. Companies are assessed based on communications, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, and more. This honor reflects the outstanding work done each day by our more than 10,000 incredible team members across the country. Learn more.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”) was recently named to the prestigious 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance List by Great Place To Work® and Fortune. USI ranked No. 24 out of 50 organizations selected for this year’s list and was the top-ranked insurance brokerage and consulting firm in the large company category. The Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance list is based on an analysis of survey responses from over 194,000 employees at Great Place To Work Certified™ companies in the financial services and insurance industry. Earning a spot on this list means that USI is one of the best insurance companies to work for in the country.
Commenting on the announcement, Michael Sicard, chairman and chief executive officer for USI, stated: “We are extremely proud to see USI recognized on this year’s Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance List. This recognition demonstrates our firm-wide commitment to creating a different and better employee experience here at USI. Congratulations to our more than 10,000 team members who contribute to our industry-leading culture each day, and thank you for the invaluable contributions you bring to our organization, clients and communities.”
Kim Van Orman, senior vice president and chief people officer for USI, added: “I am incredibly grateful to our exceptional team of professionals throughout the country for their dedication to USI, which led to this incredible honor. At USI, our people are at the heart of our organization, and we will always strive to provide them with an enriching employee experience that encourages innovation, collaboration and continuous learning, all while delivering superior business results.”
The Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance list is highly competitive. Great Place To Work, the global authority on workplace culture, determines its lists using its proprietary For All™ Methodology to evaluate and certify thousands of organizations in America’s largest ongoing annual workforce study, based on over 1.3 million survey responses and data from companies representing more than 8.2 million employees this year alone.
Survey responses reflect a comprehensive picture of the workplace experience. Honorees were selected based on their ability to offer positive outcomes for employees regardless of job role, race, gender, sexual orientation, work status or other demographic identifier. View the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance List.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals in approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI’s award-winning culture attracts best-in-class industry talent with a focus on innovation, technology, and industry expertise, along with a history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About the Fortune Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance List
Great Place To Work selected the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces for Financial Services & Insurance by analyzing confidential survey responses from more than 1.3 million employees, representing the experiences of 8.2 million employees in the U.S. in 2023 and 2024. Of those responses, more than 194,000 responses were received from employees at Great Place To Work Certified companies in the financial services and insurance industry, and these rankings are based on that feedback. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place To Work Trust Index™ Survey. Companies with 10 to 999 employees competed in the small and medium category. Companies with 1,000 or more employees were considered for the large category. Read the full methodology.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”), a world leader in risk management, employee benefit and retirement consulting, today announced the results of its 11th annual USI Gives Back campaign, an award-winning social responsibility program focused on supporting positive change in local communities across the country. Throughout June, July and August, in honor of the company’s 30th anniversary, USI team members supported 1,100 community volunteer events. Collectively, team members volunteered more than 24,000 hours, representing a 66% increase over last year’s volunteer campaign. Additionally, 78% of this year's events supported one or more diverse or underrepresented groups. Since its inception in 2014, the USI Gives Back program has positively impacted over three million lives.
“We are thrilled to share the positive impact our teams made through this year’s 11th annual USI Gives Back volunteer campaign,” stated Kim Van Orman, senior vice president and chief people officer for USI. “It is incredibly rewarding to see our team members across the country embrace the spirit of this program, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to supporting the diverse needs and charitable causes within the communities we serve.”
Michael Sicard, USI’s chairman and CEO, stated: “The spirit of our annual Gives Back community investment program is woven deep into our organization’s values and culture, representing a special time each year when our teams come together to refresh, rebuild, uplift and support the local communities we serve. I want to thank all of our team members for their invaluable volunteer contributions and for making this year’s extended volunteer campaign a tremendous success in honor of our 30th anniversary.”
For additional information on USI Gives Back, visit www.usi.com/community.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals in approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI’s award-winning culture attracts best-in-class industry talent with a focus on innovation, technology, and industry expertise, along with a history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”) today announced an expansion of its ongoing support of nonprofit organization One Tree Planted to assist in the planting of over 30,000 trees in the U.S. as part of USI’s yearlong 30th anniversary celebration in 2024. This contribution will be made ahead of Plant a Tree Day on Saturday, Sept. 28, a global day of action that encourages tree planting, to promote urban reforestation, support the planting of additional trees in U.S. national parks, and help restore areas impacted by forest fires. Since 2019, USI has contributed to One Tree Planted’s mission by helping to plant more than 60,000 trees throughout the U.S.
Kim Van Orman, USI’s chief human resources officer, shared, “We are thrilled to commemorate USI’s 30th anniversary by strengthening our commitment to creating a more sustainable environment and making a meaningful impact in the local communities we are privileged to serve. With more than 10,000 dedicated professionals across the country, this special contribution represents three trees planted for each of our team members in honor of USI’s 30 years of service, innovation and growth.”
USI’s Chairman and CEO, Michael Sicard, added, “We are honored to serve the thousands of local communities where USI team members are passionate and committed community members. Helping preserve and improve the environment in our communities, including those devastated by wildfires, benefits today's families and future generations and helps ensure a healthy future."
To learn more about USI’s commitment to the environment and award-winning culture of sustainability, visit usi.com/environmental-sustainability. To learn more about One Tree Planted and Plant a Tree Day, visit onetreeplanted.org.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, New York, USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals from approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI’s award-winning culture attracts best-in-class industry talent with a focus on innovation, technology, and industry expertise, along with a history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
USI is proud to be recognized as one of Insurance Business America’s (IBA) Top Insurance Employers for the seventh consecutive year. IBA’s annual Top Insurance Employers program ranks leading U.S. insurance organizations based on a series of employee satisfaction metrics, including benefits, compensation, culture, employee development, and diversity. Learn more.
USI is proud to be recognized by Business Insurance as a Best Place to Work in Insurance for the fifth year in a row. This annual survey and workplace recognition program is conducted in partnership with Best Companies Group and consists of a two-phased employer and anonymous employee survey focused on workplace policies, practices, demographics, and overall employee experience. This industry recognition is a direct reflection of the outstanding work done each day by our incredible employees. Learn more.
Business Insurance’s U.S. Insurance Awards program celebrates exceptional work by insurance professionals working at companies across the commercial insurance industry. USI was honored to win the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year award for our 2023-2024 Career Track Early Career Recruiting Initiative, designed to attract and retain the next generation of diverse industry talent at USI. The 2024 awards event was held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City on Thursday, July 18. Learn more.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”), a world leader in risk management, employee benefit and retirement plan consulting, today announced the launch of Ask V, a proprietary platform, powered by USI's OMNI AI technology, that delivers next generation insight for USI clients and prospective clients navigating their industry vertical challenges and opportunities for growth.
USI’s Ask V delivers substantially more than the industry has historically delivered to clients:
- More verticals – 20+ industries covering the economic landscape.
- More experience – derived from serving a vast portfolio of USI clients.
- More solutions – cutting edge, customized USI OMNI AI vertical solutions.
- More markets – analytics of the entire carrier marketplace for new and custom market fit.
- More expertise – 10,000+ connected USI experts serving our clients.
- More leadership – coordinating USI’s platform tools and talent.
“Historically, our industry has not delivered the full breadth and depth of industry vertical knowledge and expertise to each client, nor has it embraced cutting edge technology platforms or AI analytics," stated Michael Sicard, USI's Chairman and CEO. "Ask V delivers a better and different experience, insight and impact for USI and our clients.”
USI’s National Technical Resource and Specialty Practice Leader, Renee Dube, added, "Building off our recent PATH™ (patent pending) platform release, USI is excited to provide our teams with Ask V. This 24/7, real-time industry vertical platform will enhance our innovative resource suite, bringing state-of-the-art tools to deliver unparalleled customized solutions to our clients."
For additional information on Ask V, contact your local USI representative.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals in approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI attracts best-in-class industry talent with a long history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Director and officers (D&O) liability premiums continue to fall, with mid-single-digit to low double-digit decreases on average. Additionally, greater decreases may be available depending on the buyer’s premium and risk profile history. In a recent interview with Business Insurance, USI’s National Executive and Professional Risk Solutions Practice Leader, Andy Doherty, discussed recent D&O renewals, sharing: “Companies that had not experienced a loss saw rate decreases between 7% and 10%. Because D&O claims are relatively infrequent, many policyholders are benefiting from the competitive environment.” Read the full article.
The Insurance Marketing & Communications Association (IMCA) recently held its 66th annual IMCA Ignite Conference and Showcase Awards ceremony in Orlando, FL, and USI was proud to place in two categories. Our 2023-2024 Career Track Recruiting Campaign won gold in the Employee Recruiting Campaign category, and our 2023-2024 I’m With U Monthly Diversity & Inclusion Discovery Theme Campaign won silver in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging (DEIB) Communications Campaign category. These campaigns highlight the important, innovative work being done at USI. The IMCA Showcase Awards recognize the highest quality marketing and communications in the insurance industry. Read more.
Following the recent release of USI’s 2024 Commercial P&C Market Outlook Mid-Year Addendum, National Property Practice Leader, Jeff Buyze, and, National Practice Division Manager, Casualty and Alternative Risk, Doug O’Brien, caught up with Business Insurance to discuss current property/casualty market conditions and the outlook for the commercial insurance sector. View the recorded interview.
Total Retirement Outsourcing has emerged as a solution for employers looking to leverage their human resources staff, keep up with new regulations and compliance duties and simply gain more value from the dollars they spend on their retirement programs. USICG’s National Sales Leader, Brian Robb, recently shared his insights on the value of this growing trend with PLANSPONSOR. Read the article.
Insurance Journal recently reported on the key findings from USI’s newly-released 2024 Commercial P&C Market Outlook Mid-Year Addendum, which provides updates on insurance market changes over the past several months and summarizes the major commercial property and casualty trends organizations should watch in the second half of 2024. Read the full article.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”), a world leader in risk management, employee benefit and retirement plan consulting, today announced the launch of PATH™ (patent pending), a proprietary technology-enabled risk control platform for clients. The new platform leverages industry-specific benchmark data to generate tailored risk control solutions to address organizations’ top claim drivers based on their industry, sub-vertical, size and geography, providing access to expert insights, innovative and customized solutions, quantified return on investment, and market-leading vendors at USI-preferred pricing.
Developing an effective risk control strategy amid an ever-changing risk landscape can be daunting for organizations balancing cost and complexity. With PATH, businesses can access a leading-edge technology platform designed to address gaps in their risk management programs through a guided, analytics-driven experience that pairs risk management solutions with individual loss drivers to enable a streamlined, cost-effective decision-making process.
“Unlike Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote about the certainty of death and taxes – injuries, accidents and disasters are avoidable,” stated Michael Sicard, USI’s Chairman & CEO. “Using cutting-edge, technology-enabled solutions, PATH empowers businesses to prevent and abate risks before they emerge, protecting your treasure and health, providing a clear understanding of where your risks exist, what causes them, how to minimize and stop them from happening, with clear financial impact all the way through to tactical execution.”
USI’s National Technical Resource and Specialty Practice Leader, Renee Dube, added, “In an environment where risk management is more critical than ever, PATH sets a new standard by helping organizations transform their existing risk management strategies through targeted risk control guidance, access to exclusive vendor pricing, and dynamic financial modeling to assess the immediate and long-term economic impacts of different risk control solutions.”
For additional information on PATH, contact your local USI representative or click here to learn more and request a custom demo.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals in approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI attracts best-in-class industry talent with a long history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
We are pleased to announce that USI has been certified as a Great Place To Work® in 2024! The Great Place To Work survey, a globally respected authority on workplace culture, explored various facets of our employees’ experience here at USI, from job satisfaction to their thoughts on our employee programs and benefit offerings. Participants shared insights on collaboration, communication, innovation, corporate image, and more. This recognition directly reflects our ongoing commitment to the inclusive, people-focused culture we are continuously innovating here at USI. Read more.
Business Insurance’s U.S. Insurance Awards program celebrates exceptional work by insurance professionals working at companies across the commercial insurance industry, honoring teams of professionals across various award categories. This year, USI was honored to be selected as a finalist in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year category for our 2023-2024 Career Track Early Career Recruiting Initiative. This initiative was designed to attract and retain the next generation of diverse industry talent at USI. The 2024 awards event will be held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City on Thursday, July 18. Learn more.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”), a world leader in risk management, employee benefit and retirement plan consulting, has been named a winner of Glassdoor’s inaugural award for Best-Led Companies 2024 in the nation, ranking as No. 11 among companies across all industries in the U.S. with 1,000+ employees. USI is the only insurance brokerage firm among the recognized top 50. This award honors companies with leadership teams that go above and beyond to redefine the employee experience. Notably, unlike some workplace awards, Glassdoor’s awards importantly include and rely upon input over the past year from employees who anonymously submit a company review on Glassdoor.
“The honor of being recognized among the top companies across all industries, and the only insurance brokerage firm to be recognized, is a direct reflection of and credit to USI’s more than 10,000 team members who create, innovate and demonstrate USI’s ONE Advantage in our work with clients each and every day,” stated Michael Sicard, USI chairman and CEO.
Kim Van Orman, chief human resources officer for USI, added, “Our people are the driving force behind our firm’s success, and we have worked tirelessly to create a people-focused culture that delivers a differentiated employee experience. There are nearly 25,000 companies across the U.S. with 1,000 or more employees, so to appear on this list is truly an honor.”
Glassdoor award winners for the Best-Led Companies 2024 are determined using Glassdoor’s proprietary awards algorithm, and each leadership approval rating was determined based on the quantity, quality and consistency of Glassdoor-approved company reviews submitted by U.S.-based employees between March 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024. During the year-long eligibility period, companies considered for the list must have more than 1,000 employees and receive at least 100 ratings across two leadership attributes: CEO job performance and senior management. Glassdoor’s complete awards methodology can be found here.
View Glassdoor’s list of the 50 Best-Led Companies 2024. To explore available career opportunities with USI, visit jobs.usi.com for a complete listing of our open roles.
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals from approximately 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI attracts best-in-class industry talent with a long history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
USI’s Northeast Regional Property and Casualty Practice Leader, Bill Scott, recently caught up with Insurance Journal to discuss the value of proactive construction safety practices. In the interview, Scott highlighted the preventative value of smart helmets that measure fatigue and activity, sharing, “If a laborer is consistently working in a…higher hazard area for injuries from beams, the helmet’s technology will track them and provide feedback to the laborer’s supervisors. The supervisors can then coach the laborer to avoid higher hazard areas on the jobsite.” Read the full article.
USI Insurance Services (“USI”), a world leader in risk management, employee benefit and retirement plan consulting, today announced the acquisition of Odessa, Texas-based Hignojos Insurance Agency. Founded in 2009, Hignojos Insurance Agency is an independent brokerage firm specializing in commercial and personal risk insurance programs. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“We are thrilled to be joining forces with USI, an established industry leader in the insurance brokerage and consulting market,” stated Hignojos Insurance Agency Principal, Louis Hignojos Sr. “Our valued clients throughout western Texas and beyond will continue to benefit from the local, personalized services they have come to expect from our team of experts, and we look forward to introducing them to USI’s expanded suite of innovative solutions and expertise with a continued focus on helping them grow and protect their businesses and personal interests.”
USI’s Regional CEO, John Collado added: “We are excited to expand our Texas-based presence and expertise by welcoming the entire team of professionals from Hignojos Insurance Agency to the USI family. By partnering together, we look forward to leveraging the USI ONE Advantage® to provide clients access to our proprietary and innovative solutions and network of local and national resources and expertise.”
About USI
USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. USI connects over 10,000 industry-leading professionals across more than 200 offices to serve clients’ local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage®, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom-line impact. USI attracts best-in-class industry talent with a long history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
USI’s National Environmental Practice Leader, Glynis Priester, was recently interviewed by Business Insurance on the litigation risk stemming from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest regulation on forever chemicals. Priester shared, “Our greatest concern for many of our clients is the litigation risk, and, while they may have limited or little exposure…The defense risk is a real financial consequence of this EPA regulation for many firms.” Read the full article.
USI is proud to be recognized as one of the nation’s Best and Brightest in Wellness for the second year in a row. This annual program identifies and honors organizations with the most innovative wellness, wellbeing, and human resource practices. Companies are assessed based on outcomes, analysis, tracking, participation, incentives, benefit programs, leadership, employee input, culture, and environment. Read more.
The Commercial Insurance market has seen price hikes in most major coverage lines for six years, and that trend does not appear to be ending soon. Recently, USI’s Jeff Buyze, national property practice leader, and Douglas O’Brien, national practice division manager – casualty and alternative risk, contributed to an in-depth Business Insurance article examining the many challenges facing buyers and how they can best navigate the shifting commercial insurance market. Read the article.
USI is proud to be named a finalist in two separate award categories as part of Zywave’s 11th annual Cyber Risk Awards. USI’s cyber team has been nominated as a finalist for the the Cyber Retail Broking Team of the Year award, and Nadia Hoyte, USI’s National Cyber Practice Leader, was named a finalist for Cyber Risk Industry Person of the Year. Please support USI Insurance Services for these outstanding industry recognitions by casting your vote before Friday, May 17. Vote now!
USI’s Senior Partner & Strategic Advisor, Justin Austin, will speak at this year’s Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) 2024 Capital Ideas Conference taking place April 10-13 in Phoenix, AZ. During the session, Austin will discuss the rise in insolvencies across big and small companies, detailing how trade credit insurance can manage a company’s credit risk in real-time. Learn more.
USI’s National Cyber Practice Leader, Nadia Hoyte, was recently interviewed by Business Insurance on the importance of managing vendors and third-party contractors as a critical component of cyber security. Hoyte shared, “Organizations should conduct an inventory of critical vendors and understand their incident response plans,” with third-party risk management (TPRM) being “front and center.” Read the full article.
USI’s National Executive and Professional Risk Solutions Claims Practice Leader, Joni Mason, will speak at the Seventh Annual Women in Insurance Leadership ExecuSummit on March 13-14 in Uncasville, CT. During her session on March 13, Mason will discuss the power of networking and how to talk to anyone. Learn more.
USI’s Senior Healthcare Consultant, Michelle Samadany, will speak at this year’s Crittenden Medical Liability Conference taking place April 8-10 in Charleston, SC. During her session on April 9, Samadany will discuss how healthcare providers and organizations are using clinical technology, such as wearables and mobile aps, to deliver and monitor medical care. Learn more.
USI’s Vice President of Construction, Brian Hunt, will speak at this year’s Excavation Safety Alliance Global Excavation Safety Conference taking place March 19-21 in New Orleans, LA. During the session, Hunt will discuss how construction technology and insurance can collaborate to reduce risk and drive industry safety. Learn more.
In a new interview with Business Insurance, USI's National Property Practice Leader, Jeff Buyze, discusses the risks associated with record-high office vacancy rates in the U.S. due to a continued shift to hybrid work, along with how insurance companies are responding. During the interview, Buyze shared, “Individual insurers define and treat vacancy differently, and the time periods for how long locations can be vacant before restrictions kick in may vary from 30 to 60 days. After 60 days, restrictions typically start coming into play for certain perils. For theft, water damage, malicious mischief, vandalism, exclusions may then apply.” Read the full article.
USI’s National Construction Practice Leader and Head of Industry Verticals, Danette Beck, recently participated in a broker-led industry panel discussion hosted by Insurance Business TV examining the 2024 construction insurance market. During the event panelists discussed supply chain delays, labor shortages, and a lack of education in the sector and how these challenges will affect the overall market in the coming year. View the panel discussion.
Each year, Insurance Business America’s (IBA) “5-Star DE&I Awards” recognize leading U.S.-based insurance companies for their work to foster impactful, forward-looking diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) programs. For the second year in a row, USI was among only a select number of insurance organizations to receive this honor for 2024 in recognition of our ongoing efforts to build an increasingly diverse, equitable and inclusive culture at USI through our I’m With U DE&I program. Learn more.
USI Consulting Group (“USICG”), a national industry-leading, full-service retirement plan consulting and benefits administration firm, today announced the acquisition of Rochester, New York-based Burke Group (“Burke”). Founded in 1989, Burke is a regional advisory services firm specializing in retirement plan consulting and administration, actuarial services and compensation consulting. As part of the deal, USICG will not acquire Burke's compensation consulting business, and Burke will exit this business upon joining USICG. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“For more than 30 years, our team has maintained a strong identity as independent, thoughtful, transparent and objective advisors,” stated Burke Group’s Managing Principal, Patrick Burke. “I am confident this new partnership with USI Consulting Group, one of the largest national specialized retirement businesses in the U.S. and a premier provider of defined contribution and defined benefit plan consulting and administration services, will further enhance the value and expertise we deliver to our clients each day.”
USI Consulting Group President and CEO, Bill Tremko added: “We are thrilled to welcome the talented professionals from Burke Group to the USICG family and look forward to expanding our retirement consulting expertise throughout the upstate New York region.”
About USI Consulting Group
USI Consulting Group is a national industry-leading, full-service retirement plan consulting and benefits administration firm that has been helping employers enable their workforce to successfully plan and invest for retirement for over 45 years. USICG’s integrated team of highly skilled professionals provides specialized expertise in delivering independent, comprehensive guidance and innovative, flexible retirement plan solutions to meet the changing needs of employers and their employees. USICG is an affiliate of both USI Securities, Inc. (a broker-dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC) and USI Advisors, Inc. (a federally registered investment adviser) and a wholly-owned subsidiary of USI Insurance Services (“USI”). To learn more, visit usicg.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
USI’s Regional Personal Risk Practice Leader, James Saunders, was recently interviewed by Insurance Business TV on the importance of personal cyber coverage. In the interview, Saunders explains how the personal risk of cyber-attacks has increased due to the lack of protections in place, making individuals and families easy targets for ID theft and phishing attacks. Saunders also touched on how artificial intelligence (AI) drives exposure, sharing, “…it is only going to allow the nefarious actors of criminal organizations to scale up further.” Listen to the full interview.
Catastrophe-exposed properties, especially wildfire accounts or coastal accounts in Florida, are still seeing some disruption, making this “a bifurcated market,” said USI’s National Property Practice Leader, Jeff Buyze, in a recent interview with Business Insurance. During the interview, Buyze shared that USI predicts catastrophe-exposed or non-catastrophe-exposed property with losses or poor risk quality will see rate increases of 15% to 30% in the first half of 2024, down from 25% to 150% increases in the second half of 2023. Read the full article.
USI’s National Practice Division Manager for Casualty and Alternative Risk Solutions, Douglas O’Brien, was recently interviewed by Business Insurance on current general liability and auto liability market conditions. On general liability, O’Brien shared, “I don’t think we’re going be in an environment of wholesale rate reductions for a while, but at least it’s promising that we’re seeing a leveling off of rate increases.” O’Brien also touched on the tough auto liability market, sharing, “For companies with 200 or more vehicles…clients are seeing rates increase at least 10% and sometimes 20% or 30%.” Read the full article.
USI’s National Aviation Practice Leader, James Van Meter, will moderate an expert panel of leading aviation insurance underwriting executives and airport claims executives at this year’s Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) Risk Management Conference taking place January 17-19 in Austin, TX. During the session, panelists will explore current airport claims trends, the state of the airport liability insurance market in 2024, challenges with war coverages, and how airport risk managers can be prepared to navigate these challenges. Learn more.
USI is proud to be recognized by Newsweek as One of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity in 2024. Newsweek partnered with Plant-A Insights Group, a market data research firm, to score companies based on their commitment to recruiting and advancing employees of various ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. The evaluation process includes an examination of publicly available data, interviews with HR professionals, and an anonymous online survey conducted among a diverse group of employees at companies across the United States. Participants shared insights on working environment, corporate culture, training and career progression, proactive management of a diverse workforce, and more. This recognition directly reflects USI’s ongoing commitment to the inclusive culture we are continuously innovating. Read more.