Branch, a full-stack insurance company that uses data, technology and automation to simplify home and auto insurance, is expanding into six new states including Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah and West Virginia.

These states join the 19 states where consumers can purchase Branch’s home and auto insurance. With the new states, Branch is now available to more than 140 million eligible Americans, with plans to be nationally available in 2022.

Branch was launched in 2019 by insurance veteran Steve Lekas and tech entrepreneur Joe Emison and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It is underwritten by the Branch Insurance Exchange and General Security National Insurance Company (GSNIC) and backed by SCOR SE.

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Cowbell Cyber, an artificial intelligence-powered cyber insurance provider for small to medium enterprises (SMEs), launched its cyber insurance captive, Cowbell Re.

The company says Cowbell Re gives it more flexibility in addressing expanding demand from its distribution network of 2,000 agencies and 12,000 producers nationwide. The resources, bundled at no charge in Cowbell’s cyber policies, aim to help businesses eliminate risk exposures.

Cowbell Cyber offers standalone cyber insurance for small and midsize enterprises. Cowbell Insurance Agency is currently licensed in 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Cowbell Reinsurance Company is a licensed insurance captive in the State of Vermont.

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Chicago-based investor Agman announced the latest addition to its insurance platform with the launch of Aurenity, a tech-enabled managing general agent (MGA) targeting the excess and surplus (E&S) market.

Aurenity will deploy underwriting analytics to determine technical pricing for E&S exposures. The new venture has received $10 million in seed investment from Agman.

The company plans to announce its first product during Q1 2022. Aurenity will target casualty and professional liability lines where dislocation exists between market and technical price and demand outstrips supply given exposure and experience inflation, it said in a press release.

Nick Davies will lead the new company as CEO in addition to his existing role as operating partner at Agman, having joined the business in May 2021. Davies has experience as an entrepreneur, having built Brit Americas as its first employee to offer a range of E&S and reinsurance business in the U.S. and Bermuda.

Aurenity also appointed Patrick Safino as chief operating officer. Safino was previously vice president for strategy and execution for Travelers Personal Insurance, and prior to that, he worked at Accenture’s insurance practice.

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Great American Insurance Group’s environmental division announced its newest national program, TankAssure.

TankAssure provides third-party bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, as well as corrective action costs resulting from a release of the contents from the insured’s aboveground and underground storage tanks. The program is designed for many sectors, including but not limited to service stations, municipalities, warehousing and logistics, aviation and agriculture.

Through its quoting platform, the TankAssure program provides storage tank owners comprehensive coverage and may also be used to satisfy financial assurance requirements put in place by local, state and federal government agencies.

The policy covers the insured for third-party bodily injury and property damages, as well as first-party corrective action costs. Coverage also includes emergency response costs, civil fines and penalties and 100 percent additional defense up to $2,500,000.

With no requirements to submit any documents prior to completing the online application, the environmental division aims to provide swift and seamless binding, the company said in a press release. It added that additional program benefits include access to an experienced environmental claims handling unit and a nationwide network of emergency response firms, remediation contractors and environmental attorneys.

Policies are underwritten by Great American Insurance Company, an authorized insurer in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.