Introduction Data is the lifeblood of risk assessment and analytics. Every data scientist dreams of having access to clean, reliable, unbiased, and labeled data in large volumes. Data is ubiquitous, yet elusive – it is scattered across various sources, often fragmented and incomplete. It’s no surprise that over 90% of the time spent on any AI project is dedicated to data preparation.  To do a thorough risk assessment, we must analyze risk signals embedded in various data sources, including both micro and macro data. In this blog, I explore the significance of both micro and macro data in ..read more

With 2024 well underway, I’m excited to share two executive promotions: Sahar Sabouni, Head of Employee Success, is now Cowbell’s Chief People Officer, and Dan Palardy, Lead Actuary, has been promoted to Chief Actuary. Cowbell is proud to have Sahar and Dan continue their leadership journey and grateful for their continued contributions to the company’s success. These promotions recognize their outstanding work and dedication to the organization. Sahar joined Cowbell in May 2021 and built the company’s People Operations, Talent Acquisition and Learning & Development infrastructure from the ..read more

Today, backup strategies are more important than ever. With ransomware and other cyberattacks increasing it is imperative to have a robust strategy in place. One of the most foundational ones has been the 3-2-1 backup rule. It has provided a great starting place for an organization to implement a backup strategy of its own.  So what is the 3-2-1 backup rule then? It recommends having three copies of your data (the original and at least two copies), stored on two different types of media (eg. disk, tape, etc), with one copy kept off-site. This rule provides a good guideline for data protec ..read more

Cyber threats evolve at an unprecedented pace, with bad actors employing more sophisticated methods to exploit, and monetize, the vulnerabilities of victim organizations. From ransomware attacks to phishing scams, small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”) are desirable targets because they typically lack the robust cybersecurity defenses that large corporations have. Worse, the assumption that “it won’t happen to us” leads many business owners to overlook necessary investments in cybersecurity and cyber insurance, which can lead to significant risk and exposure. Cowbell recently conducted a ..read more

The explosive growth of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years has been viewed by some as transformative. From autonomous vehicles, to personalized recommendation systems enhancing user experiences, to identifying abnormalities in data sets and mitigating cyber threats, AI technologies appear to be reshaping the way we live, work, and interact. Moreover, AI’s potential to optimize processes, predict outcomes, and solve complex problems continues to potentially drive investment and research, fueling its exponential growth trajectory.  The public launch of ChatGPT in Novemb ..read more

Cowbell’s workforce is over 40% female. We understand the tremendous value that diversity brings to a company. The expertise and leadership that the women working at Cowbell contribute continue to be essential to the company’s overall success, including its award-winning technology and holistic underwriting and claims processes.  For this International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on March 8th every year, we want to shout out two women who continue to impress their peers, Cowbell’s founders, and insurance professionals around the country with their hard and soft skills, their deep kno ..read more

Safer Internet Day is observed every February and aims to raise awareness about online safety issues to promote safe digital habits, especially for children and young people. The internet plays a pivotal role in our daily lives, from work to education to entertainment, and ensuring a safe online experience is crucial. The slogan, “Together for a better Internet,” encourages everyone to join the movement and play a role in building a safer Internet in order to bring people together from around the world.   In doing our part, we laid out best practices to follow to safely use the inter ..read more

  “A team is not a group of people who work together. It is a group of people who trust each other.”– Simon Sinek, “Start With Why” Two things are essential for developing long-term partnerships in our business: building trust and credibility, and providing a seamless experience. When a client or broker works with us it is our responsibility to deliver on that, but often, there is internal division that can diminish the client’s overall experience. There’s research dating back to 2007 that indicates “a historical friction exists in the insurance industry between risk management and sale ..read more

Data Privacy Week is an international initiative that aims to raise awareness about the importance of privacy and data protection. The week-long event encourages individuals and businesses to safeguard data and enable trust. The theme for 2024 is “Take Control of Your Data.”  This year, Cowbell has been named a ‘Data Privacy Week Champion’ by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and we take our commitment very seriously. Trust is foundational to our business and it’s critical that we remain a leader in the space, modeling exemplary behavior and sharing guidance and best practices with othe ..read more

Imagining the range and severity of the various kinds of cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities today, many professionals feel overwhelmed. And understandably so: the risk landscape is dynamic, constantly evolving, and looks different for every business – it’s always hard to assign a real value or quantify something so opaque. But at Cowbell, having a clear sense of each organization’s risk level is foundational to how we operate. Just as some of the finest musical compositions would lack their distinctive rhythm without the clear resonance of a cowbell, underwriters would find themselves los ..read more