Pioneers in Business Process Outsourcing for the Insurance Industry: Covenir

Founded in 2015, Covenir offers a full Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solution for the insurers, processing 100% of their daily transactional support activities. It was started at the request of a client of one of its partner companies within its collaborative. As they were implementing the technology, they wanted to partner for the services side of executing the solution in a production setting. The company was established initially with three employees to serve this need, and found its niche.

Covenir has offices in Worcester, MA, University Park, IL, and Tuscaloosa, AL.

Why Covenir?

Covenir’s mission is to provide unparalleled insurance processing services that allow insurers to focus on their core business. Its services can be used individually, on a short-term basis, or as a full back office solution. The company provides all its services with complete transparency to its client companies, but Covenir is invisible to their customers and agents.

The company’s work is done with strict adherence to a standard operating procedure created with each client and reported back in accordance with contractual Service Level Agreements. Its team consists of seasoned professionals, many of whom hold active insurance agent licenses. It provides customizable services for each carrier client.

In Conversation with the Leaders of Covenir: David Squibb, President, and Jon Hughes, Founder

How successful was your first project? Can you share the experience with us?

Jon: Our first project was wildly successful and the client is still in production and growing today. We maintain a strong working relationship with our first client, a highly innovative company. The solution that was implemented with them has received industry recognition and awards.

Starting with the first client implementation, we started building out complimentary solutions that extended what we did for them. Since inception, we have added six other service areas in just three years.

What drives you to work hard each day?

David: Our promise to provide collaborative insurance processing for a world-class partnership keeps us on our toes.

Covenir’s team of insurance professionals thinks beyond the routine daily tasks to create more efficient, high quality, and cost-effective ways to perform and manage insurance operational activities. We work very closely with our insurers and guarantee service levels while adhering to strict standard operating procedures so that insurers can focus on what they do best, while we focus on what we do best.

Every successful venture goes through turmoil. What challenges did you face in your initial years?

David: The biggest challenge was the speed at which the company grew in the first couple of years. We needed to build out infrastructure, staff, process, and client experience at an incredibly rapid pace.

Jon: Assuring that all facets of the company are built out in a scalable way is crucial to a service-based business. This is something that one must achieve in order to be successful.

What makes Covenir one of the best firms to work for?

David: Communication is the most important factor. With a focus on continual improvement, we have formal mechanisms in place to solicit the ideas of all participants (staff, management, clients, and partners) in the process. We continually work to understand employees’ goals, ideas, motivations, and input on making our organization a place that they want to focus their energy and grow personally and professionally. We believe that happy and secure employees bring much higher value to our customers in the long run.

We believe that information is king and we work very hard to assure that we are transparent and proactive in sharing key information with our team. Without informed, committed, and passionate staff members, our business would not survive.

Jon: Employee autonomy and accountability is another important factor. To truly build a sense of self-accomplishment, employees must feel inspired and empowered to not only do their job but to make a difference in our company, for our clients, in collaboration with their co-workers.

Meet the Leaders

David Squibb, President: Dave is a seasoned insurtech professional with more than 20 years of experience working with leading insurance carriers in applying technology to achieve their growth and customer experience challenges.

With a strong background in sales, marketing, account management, and operations, he is passionate about bringing high value to our clients. Before joining Covenir, Dave held senior executive leadership positions for Xpertdoc Technologies, Valen Analytics, and OneShield, Inc. Prior to that, he was the General Manager for a global insurance technology business unit at CGI.

Dave received his degree from the University of Massachusetts and is the director of an international volunteer humanitarian aid program.

Jon Hughes, Founder: Jon has more than 20 years of operations experience in the property and casualty insurance industry. Prior to founding Covenir, he was Vice President of Insurance Services for a leading onshore service provider, responsible for creating and building the BPO division of the company. His duties centered on the operations and management of all BPO functions, including managing document services, policy processing, premium services, customer services, underwriter assist services, claims services, and the CAT team.

Prior to that, Jon was the general services manager at Arbella Insurance Company. Before he joined Arbella, Jon was the General Services Manager for The Covenant Insurance Group of Connecticut and Massachusetts.

In addition to his BAs in accounting, business, and economics, Jon also holds an associate degree in Insurance Services and Personal Insurance.

“We help you bridge the gap between technology and people, particularly your policyholders.”