Business News: AIG, Willis Towers Watson, Betterview

American International Group, Inc. introduced Blackboard, the new brand name and logo for its technology-focused subsidiary, formerly operating under the Hamilton USA brand.

AIG completed the acquisition of Hamilton USA on October 2, 2017.

Blackboard’s vision is to reimagine and transform commercial insurance through digital technology, data analytics and automation. The name represents a clean slate and alternative solution for those in the industry who want to work together to leave behind the burden of inefficient, manual processes and outdated systems. The company will help clients and brokers move faster and with more insight so that they can focus on what’s important: relationships, building business, and reinvesting for growth.

Blackboard will operate as a start-up in the effort to modernize the industry, while backed by the resources of AIG. The platform is expected to launch by the second half of 2018, providing an integrated, digital, end-to-end commercial insurance experience.

Additional information about Blackboard, including job opportunities, is available on www.blackboardinsurance.com.

Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory, broking and solutions company, announced a strategic alliance with e2Value, a provider of web-based property valuations and data. The two companies are providing the U.S. property insurance market with a new offering: Structure Insurance Score. The score measures risk inherent to a property insurer based on several unique characteristics of a home or building — ones typically outside traditional rating characteristics. The first generation of the solution can be applied to residential risks. Scores for farm and commercial property risks will be added in the future.

e2Value will capture the building characteristics that insurers use in the rating of homeowners and dwelling fire policies, ones typically outside traditional rating characteristics, then use these collective characteristics to calculate replacement cost. Willis Towers Watson’s primary function will be to apply its advanced analytics capabilities above and beyond current carrier pricing, to develop the score.

Betterview announced it has released a commercial drone inspection package for insurers.

This pre-assembled package includes a DJI drone, software, and training to provide an out of the box solution to capture, organize and analyze imagery of buildings and properties. Betterview’s goal with its inspection package is to make it easier for insurers, inspection and claims adjusting companies to adopt drone technology.

The insurance inspection kit provides a choice of drones from drone manufacturer DJI, as well as:

● FAA Part 107 Certification Training
● Tablet and Drone Service Kit
● Software for Workflow & Data Management
● Artificial Intelligence Image Analysis & Professional Reporting Tools
● 3D Maps, Measurements & Digital Surface Models

Betterview will also quickly ship replacement equipment if there is ever a problem.