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Insurance Business Review: Specials Magazine
Not all catastrophes are inevitable; at least, not when you have planned for them. This holds especially true in agriculture, where risk is part of the business and fortunes swing with a hailstorm or a price dip. The difference between weathering the storm and being overwhelmed by it often comes down to preparation and the right partnerships. Conquest Insurance Agency is that partner. The firm works closely with growers to understand their operations, mitigate risk, and build resilience into every layer of their business. “With the divestment of our personal lines business, we’ve repositioned as a full-service commercial agency dedicated to agricultural risk management. Our goal is to transform uncertainty into strategic control for our clients,” says J.C. Percy, president. “A lot of what we do comes back to protecting clients’ cash flow and revenue streams. If we can help stabilize those, we are giving them a way to stay in control.” Conquest begins every client relationship by studying the grower’s business structure: What crops are they growing? How diversified is the operation? What kind of financial systems are in place? This upfront investment allows the company to recommend the most effective mix of coverage that’s tailored, effective, and ready to respond to the uncertainties of agriculture. Such precision matters. Agricultural markets can shift dramatically in a single season. Conquest knows this better than most, as it started out with one of the most volatile crops in the market—potatoes. Where the firm stands apart is in its understanding of how to smooth out these fluctuations. For clients who keep detailed financials and operate diversified crop portfolios, the agency can leverage sophisticated revenue protection programs that mitigate the impacts of price collapses and production shortfalls. Percy points to a recent case involving a major onion grower in Oregon who saw prices fall more than fourfold in a year. With millions tied up in infrastructure and equipment, the client was facing significant financial pressure. Conquest stepped in with crop insurance solutions and the strategic insight to help the grower restructure their approach, maximizing the value of available programs to reduce the net effect of a downturn. That difference in cash flow can determine whether a grower survives a bad season or is forced to scale back. But having the right coverage is only part of the equation. In the crop insurance business, what truly drives long-term success is service, starting with the quality of adjusters. According to Percy, the adjuster is the firm’s face to the farmer, and as such, Conquest takes great care in having reliable and proactive individuals handling that role.
Top Third Party Administrator Company 2025
As the automotive aftermarket continues to evolve, Driven Brands remains at the forefront of innovation and service excellence. A key part of this evolution is Driven Claims, a centralized claims management solution designed to streamline the repair and insurance process for both customers and partners. Driven Claims is rewriting the role of third-party administrators (TPA) in auto glass claims—not as processors of paperwork, but as true operational partners. While some TPAs sit at a distance—bound by disconnected systems, rigid protocols and surface-level support—Driven Claims takes a different approach. Its cloud-based platform is designed to embed directly into an insurer’s ecosystem, mirroring internal processes, team structures and service-level expectations from day one. For the first time in over two decades, there is now a competitive solution. But this isn’t traditional onboarding. It’s the activation of a fully embedded claims engine— with intelligent routing, real-time documentation and configurable workflows that give insurers full control while keeping policyholders informed and supported at every step. The result? A claims experience that’s faster, clearer and fundamentally more human. Not just in terms of speed or technology, but in restoring the trust, transparency and coordination that have long been missing from the process. “That has been possible because we take the time to understand what each stakeholder needs—what the carrier expects, what the repair shop has to deliver and what the policyholder is going through in that moment. That’s how trust is built. That’s how relationships last,” says Jackie Landry, VP of strategic partnerships and TPA Services. And that trust is reinforced by radical transparency. Every performance metric Driven Claims tracks is visible to the carrier in real time. Through a shared dashboard on the platform, insurers can instantly access Net Promoter Scores, customer sentiment, claim status and workflow performance—without waiting for static reports or chasing updates. “At Driven Claims, we treat every relationship as a true partnership—listening, understanding and delivering on expectations. That’s what defines a superior customer experience,” says Justin May, senior manager of network and partnership operations.
Top Car Insurance Service 2025
The car insurance industry tends to serve those who fit a perfect profile: clean driving records, continuous coverage, and high credit scores. But what happens to the millions who do not meet those criteria? Insurance Direct exists to change that experience. Founded over 15 years ago, Insurance Direct has built a reputation for speed, accessibility, and customer-first service. By partnering with multiple carriers, Insurance Direct can quickly compare options and find the best rate for each client. Its agents can offer quotes over the phone and finalize a policy within 30 minutes. Customers receive prompt, personalized attention from trained professionals who focus on matching the right policy to the right person. That same commitment to fast, reliable service extends to the company’s work in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, specializing in non-standard auto insurance. These policies are designed for individuals who often need coverage but find it hard to secure. Insurance Direct makes getting insured without barriers easier for these customers. Making Coverage Affordable Without Cutting Corners At Insurance Direct, each quote begins with understanding what the customer can reasonably afford and tailoring coverage to fit that.
CXO INSIGHTS
Supporting Employees During Covid
LaToya Lee, Vice President, Crew Safety Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
Navigating the Insurance Maze: Redefining Insurance Renewals and Claims Handling
Kimberly Clifford, Director, Claims Management, EMCOR Group, Inc
The Importance of Claim Advocacy in Workers Compensation
Alexandru Chirita, Workers’ Compensation Manager, Volvo Cars
Understanding the Value of Benefits
Laura M. Dilallo, Director of Compensation Benefits, National Express LLC
Futureproofing Claims Careers: Adapting to AI in Insurance
Cade Williams, Assistant Vice President, Risk Management-Claims, Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Empowering Broker Relationships: A Client's Perspective
Heather C. Pegram, Director, Global Insurance Risk Management, Hanesbrands Inc
The Keys To Building A Resilient Risk Management Future
Roy Hock, Director of Risk Finance and Casualty Insurance, Valero Energy Corporation
IN FOCUS
Mobility as a Service: Rethinking Car Insurance in a Shared Economy
Urban transportation is shifting from ownership to access, impacting personal auto insurance as risk assessment evolves towards usage-based, personalized, and embedded coverage models.
Independent Agencies as Pillars of Community Prosperity
Independent insurance agencies in underserved areas enhance social value, financial literacy, crisis response, and economic resilience by educating individuals and businesses, aiding recovery, and fostering self-sustaining communities.
EDITORIAL
Building a Client-Centered Insurance Future
The insurance industry thrives on trust, clarity, and service that truly support people when they need it most. Independent insurance agencies play a vital role in this landscape by offering clients choice and flexibility. Instead of being tied to a single carrier, they draw from a range of options, tailoring coverage to meet unique needs and building lasting relationships grounded in transparency. This same commitment to personalization is reflected in car insurance services, which remain among the most essential forms of coverage. A well-designed car insurance experience does more than issue policies or settle claims. It guides drivers through their options, ensures that protection fits lifestyle and budget, and provides steady support when unexpected events occur on the road. Behind the scenes, third-party administrators strengthen this chain of service. By handling claims management, benefits administration, and other complex tasks, they make it possible for agencies and insurers to focus on people rather than paperwork. Their role ensures that promises made at the point of policy are kept with consistency and care. Together, independent agencies, car insurance providers, and administrators create an ecosystem that makes insurance more responsive, reliable, and human-centered. In this edition, we explore how independent agencies, car insurance services, and third-party administrators are reshaping insurance. They bring choice, protection, and efficiency, creating an industry that is more adaptable, reliable, and client-focused. We also present insights from expert CXOs Michele Adams, VP, Corporate Functions Finance & EDLC Walmart[NYSE: WMT] and Ruben Pinto, Executive Director of Large Loss, Allstate, who offer their opinions on the currently used business practices. We hope that the valuable insights from industry leaders and the solutions and services featured in this edition will help you make informed decisions for your business.
