Mike McLean October 13, 2023 5 min read

September 2023 Embroker Newsletter: What’s New at Embroker

Did you hear that? That light rustling? The latte milk frothing? It’s official: move over sandals and beach days because here comes the season of sweaters and all things pumpkin spice.

Seriously, it’s a barrage out there with the pumpkin (as this cartoon by The Oatmeal perfectly illustrates). It started with hot seasonal drinks, and now there are pumpkin spice garbage bags, dog shampoo, and even avocado oil caviar. Forget AI. Cinnamon and squash are really taking over the world.

Jokes aside, because we’ll be here all day if we really start into them, the lazy days of summer have finally given way to a return to regular routines now that students are back at school. September also signifies a return to regular routines for businesses, with folks back from holidays and work gearing back up after a summer slowdown. In short, everyone is busy.

With that in mind, we thought we’d delve into some of the recent happenings at Embroker to fill you in on what we’ve been up to. (No pumpkins were harmed in the making of this newsletter.)

Let’s get into it.

  • What’s Going On?
  • Embroker CIO at ITC
  • Demystifying Compliance We
  • What’s New from Embroker

Quick Hits

Introducing Embroker’s New Chief Technology Officer

Earlier this month, we were thrilled to announce Gene Linetsky as our new Chief Technology Officer. Gene brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to this role and will be pivotal in guiding Embroker’s technology team. We’re very excited to have Gene as part of our team! Fun fact: Gene’s favorite TV show is Seinfeld, and he loves fried potatoes.

TEDxUMDearborn: Behind Closed Doors

AI continues to weave itself into our daily lives, bringing new advantages and opportunities – from life-saving medical breakthroughs and self-driving vehicles to personalized learning and improved business efficiencies. But this ever-evolving technology also comes with significant risks, like job displacement and cyber threats. It has everyone wondering what the future of AI looks like for businesses and society at large. And do the risks outweigh the benefits? This month, Embroker’s CIO David Derigiotis delved into these topics as part of his presentation at the TEDx event at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.


InsureTech Connect: Preparing for Catastrophic Risks

Embroker CIO to Speak at World’s Largest Insurance Event

The biggest insurance event on the planet is coming back to Las Vegas, NV. Once again, the Embroker team will be on the floor to talk insuretech, risk, industry trends, and everything in between. This event boasts 9,000+ industry attendees each year, with 400+ of the insurance industry’s most influential speakers.

This year, we have a special surprise: our very own Chief Insurance Officer, David Derigitois, will be one of those speakers.

His panel, Preparing for Catastrophic Risk: Insights from Recent Events and Emerging Threats, will also include speakers from Flexport, Anthemis Group, and The Bridge International on the first day of the conference, November 1st.

In a moderated discussion, the group aims to shed light on the evolving risk management landscape. Drawing from their experience insuring recent natural disasters, global pandemics, and emerging threats such as cyberattacks and climate change, this panel will provide attendees with invaluable insights into how the insurance sector can adapt and innovate to better protect businesses and individuals against the unexpected.

We are incredibly excited for David to share his insight with this talented group, as well as the attendees at this year’s InsureTech Connect Conference. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates from the event, including pictures, videos, and quotes from the talk.

Demystifying Compliance & Regulations Webinar

Security and Compliance: How to Protect Your Organization

Every business owner knows how vital it is to stay on top of industry regulations while also protecting their organization. But navigating those choppy and complicated compliance waters can be easier said than done.

 

It can feel a lot like all you’re doing is treading water.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Dashlane for a webinar that’s all about demystifying security compliance and regulations. The webinar was recorded on October 3rd, a great way to kick off Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Embroker’s VP of Insurance Products, Mike Maletsky, and Dashlane’s General Counsel, Davison Paull, answered the most commonly asked questions about compliance and shared insights into what it takes to secure your business. Attendees also learned how a password manager helps meet security and industry requirements.

In a recent Q&A, Mike and Davison were asked why people should care more about the future of cybersecurity. Mike explained: “In Embroker’s 2022 Cyber Risk survey, we found that 68% of founders surveyed had experienced a cyber attack on one of their businesses. But, interestingly enough, 50% of those also felt that their current insurance policies would only partially cover them in the event of an attack or breach. These findings showed me how quickly technology moves, as well as the need for end-to-end cybersecurity protection. Having insurance alone won’t solve all of your problems, nor will having only cybersecurity tools and technologies. These must work together to cover every cyber risk vector for businesses of all sizes.”

Laptop monitor displaying green verification checkmark to demonstrate insurance for non-funded tech e&o startups

Are you prepared for cyber risks?

Read our 2023 Cyber Risk Index Report to find out what businesses are worried about, how they’re protecting themselves, and what the future holds.

Download the Report

If you missed the live webinar, you can watch on-demand here. Also, check out some of Dashlane’s other great webinar content while you’re there.


What’s New in the News

Events, Stories, and More

Cyber Attacks at MGM and Caesars

Our Chief Insurance Officer, David Derigiotis, recently discussed the cyber attacks at MGM and Caesars. As David pointed out, while casinos typically have excellent security as it relates to their physical assets, that doesn’t always translate to the digital realm. David also highlighted some cyber incident trends, noting that combating cybercriminals is a “constant cat and mouse game.”

University of Michigan Internet Outage

David Derigiotis has been busy! At the end of August, our CIO sat down with CBSNews Detroit to weigh in on the internet outage at the University of Michigan. Just as the fall semester got underway, the university’s three campuses were without internet due to a “significant security concern.”

A Guide to the 5 Most Common Phishing Scams Targeting the Legal Sector

Did you know research has found that 76% of organizations were targeted by a ransomware attack in 2022? Law firms are no exception when it comes to cybersecurity. If anything, they are more prone to cyber incidents than many other sectors. This article examines the five most common phishing scams that target the legal sector so that you can take steps to protect your firm against these cyber incidents.

Like What You’re Reading?

Check out the Embroker Resource Center for more

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