The Big “I" is proud to announce it will hold its inaugural Big “I" InsurTech Summit on Jan. 20, 2023, in Savannah, Georgia, as part of the Big “I" Winter Meeting, which runs Jan. 18-21. 

The 90-minute InsurTech Summit will feature two panels of groundbreaking InsurTechs, forward-thinking agents and other digital thought leaders in the independent agency space. It will be the first in a series of events held throughout the year to encourage independent agents and brokers to learn about and embrace the game-changing InsurTech technology that is increasingly available to them.  

“Our intent is to demystify InsurTech for agents and brokers and lay out what it is—and isn't—for them," says Bob Rusbuldt, Big “I" president & CEO. “InsurTech is here to stay and will continue to evolve, just as the independent agent channel will. The innovation and advantages it brings to Big 'I' members and their clients is important to understand and embrace. This will be a great chance for agents and brokers to learn about the best ways to make InsurTech work for them."

The summit will provide insights on different facets of InsurTech and their relevance and role in the future of the independent agency channel.

Schedule and Agenda

Pre-Summit Podcasts

Location: The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.

9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Podcasts on the Patio. Featuring InsurTech Summit panelists and other special guests, hosted by an all-star cast of independent agent channel podcast personalities! All Big “I" Winter Meeting attendees are invited and encouraged to stop by. 

InsurTech Summit

Location: Savannah Convention Center; Chatham Ballroom B, 2nd floor 

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Lunch

12:00 p.m. - 12:40 p.m. Panel 1: Demystifying InsurTech: Opportunities and Challenges Facing Agencies Today

Panelists: 

• Chris Cline, executive director, ACT
• Adam Kiefer, CEO and co-founder, Talage
• Jason Walker, president, Agency Revolution 
• Lou Moran, president, Inter-Agency Insurance Service; chair, Big I InsurTech Task Force

12:50 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Panel 2: We're Just Getting Started: The Future of InsurTech in the IA Channel

Panelists: 

• Bill Devine, senior vice president, business insurance capability office, Travelers
• Jason Liu, CEO, Zywave
• Reid Holzworth, CEO, Ivans
• Jay Eshelman, president, small business, personal lines and affinity, Gallagher

The summit is presented in partnership with AscendIA and the Agents Council for Technology (ACT), and Travelers is serving as the Diamond sponsor.

Panels will be moderated by Chip Bacciocco, CEO, TrustedChoice.com. “We want to challenge and encourage independent insurance agents across the U.S. to learn about and embrace the amazing InsurTech technology that is increasingly available to them," Bacciocco says. “And we want to do so in lockstep with our insurance company partners, such as Travelers. This summit will help agents and stakeholders learn more about defining a path forward, together, in this exciting digital age."

“With so many innovative solutions available in the marketplace, InsurTechs can provide great value to the independent agent channel," said Sean Ramalho, senior vice president, enterprise distribution, Travelers. “As a carrier committed to the industry's transformation and success, Travelers is proud to sponsor an event dedicated to helping agents and brokers better understand the ever-expanding InsurTech landscape."

The morning of the summit, the Big “I" and AscendIA also plan to host a series of InsurTech podcasts featuring several hosts and participants from the summit.

Agents and others who are interested in learning more about InsurTech trends should register for the summit in advance by visiting the Big “I" Winter Meeting website. Registration is free and open to all.

Sue Nester is Big “I" vice president of communications.