Midway through a recent interview, the leader of a key business at The Hartford paused to ask a question relevant to executives at carriers that don’t have 11-digit premium volumes or capital levels like the Connecticut-based giant.
Executive Summary
The Hartford and other large carriers are competing in a technology arms race that may leave small, regional companies behind, Mo Tooker, the head of The Hartford's Middle Market and Large Commercial business, told Carrier Management during a recent interview. At The Hartford, investments in technology and talent are moving process efficiencies and data firepower up market from the small commercial segment, he said, describing capabilities that include leveraging the Internet of Things to create customized products that respond to the real-time exposures of middle-market customers.“How does a small or regional company keep up with the scale of investments that a handful of the larger carriers can make?” asked Mo Tooker, head of Middle Market and Large Commercial business.
Tooker turned to the question about small carrier disadvantages after describing the investments The Hartford has made to transform its underwriting and claims processes in recent years in order to eliminate inefficiencies, react to customers’ needs and improve the jobs of Hartford professionals. “It’s an interesting topic because I do think you get to a place of scale that really allows you to outperform—to take advantage of data and data science and help your underwriters and claims adjusters in a way that changes the game altogether in the future.”
