Business News: Arbella, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, IICF

The Arbella Insurance Group, in partnership with Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), announced the launch of Wheel Focused, a telematics-based solution proven to change driver behavior through real-time feedback, personalized data and insights, and gamification. Participants in similar CMT programs have seen driving habits improve within 30 days of implementation, reducing phone distraction by 35 percent, hard braking by 20 percent and at-risk speeding by 20 percent.

Wheel Focused utilizes CMT’s platform, DriveWell, a complete telematics and behavioral analytics product, that includes battery-efficient drive detection, an industry-leading data collection and processing engine and big data analytics. The app provides feedback to drivers on five metrics: rapid acceleration, hard braking, sharp turns, speeding and phone distraction. It logs trips while in the background of a phone, providing the driver with feedback after the trip is completed, as well as helpful tips to improve safety.

Wheel Focused is available to download for free in the Apple and Android stores. The program is open to all residents of Massachusetts and Connecticut regardless of who their insurer is and where they purchase insurance.

In a major development for the global telematics market, insurance providers building their own customer-facing websites, apps and notifications for telematics programs can now simply and cost-effectively plug into the LexisNexis Global Telematics Platform and build innovative applications with the launch of one of the first Software Development Kits (SDK) for the usage-based insurance market.

The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation’s (IICF) Midwest Division will host its 7^th Annual Blazing the Trail Benefit on Thursday, March 8 at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago. With more than 400 insurance professionals from dozens of insurance companies in attendance last year, IICF is expecting another sell-out audience of the industry community and representatives from local nonprofits and charities, joining in celebration of the insurance industry’s longstanding commitment to philanthropy.

During the benefit dinner, IICF will honor Deborah Babcock of the Katie School of Insurance at Illinois State University, for her exemplary philanthropic leadership and exceptional service to IICF. Guests will also hear from featured speaker Mary Kate Callahan, member of USA World Championship Paratriathlon Teams, and advocate for Paralympic programming and international sports envoy.

Proceeds of the evening’s events will benefit the Midwest Division’s Community Grants Program, which help support nonprofit organizations focused in the areas of health, education and safety.

For additional information on the IICF Blazing the Trail Benefit, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit the 2018 Blazing the Trail website or contact Kelly Hartweg at (773) 991-2149 or khartweg@iicf.com.

Esurance announced ShareSmart is now available in California.

Typically, a rideshare company’s insurance covers drivers while they’re picking up a passenger or driving them to their destination. What it doesn’t fully cover is the time period when the rideshare app is turned on and the driver is waiting for a ride request. That’s where rideshare insurance kicks in. Esurance’s rideshare product, ShareSmart, aids in bridging the coverage gap for the period of time when they’re waiting for a ride request and accepting a ride.

If a rideshare driver has comprehensive and collision coverage on their personal auto insurance policy, they can add ShareSmart to ensure they’re covered in case an accident occurs while they’re waiting to accept a ride. The endorsement is available to all California rideshare drivers who qualify for an existing Esurance policy and is tied to the specific vehicle used for rideshare driving. Existing Esurance customers can add the endorsement to their policies at their next renewal. Esurance is evaluating rolling out rideshare coverage to additional states in 2018.

For more information about Esurance ShareSmart, please visit www.esurance.com/sharesmart.