Insurtech Pie Expands SMB-Focus to Connecticut

Pie Insurance said it has launched workers compensation coverage aimed at more than 365,000 small businesses in Connecticut.
The insurtech said it now offers workers’ comp in 39 states and Washington, D.C., serving more than 50,000 policyholders nationwide.
The startup claims to help agencies use vast quantities of data to inform business decisions.
Pie says its proprietary technology delivers instant pricing decisions on 73% of class codes and more accurate pricing for small businesses that may often face limited options and higher premiums due to “traditional insurers’ inability to granularly assess risk for diverse business types.”
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed Freida D. Foster as the new chair of the State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), succeeding Clarissa M. Rodriguez, who stepped down in July but will remain a board member.
Foster, who has been with WCB since 2009 and served as Vice Chair since 2016, has played a significant role in modernizing the agency’s systems and implementing the NYS Paid Family Leave, according to the governor’s statement.
Hochul also appointed Renee Delgado as Vice Chair of the Board.
Delgado joined the WCB in 2022, has a strong background in advocating for workers’ rights, having worked for 14 years at the New York State Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO.
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A Maine law designed to make it easier for firefighters with cancer to get workers’ compensation benefits is failing to deliver, with nearly all claims initially rejected, according to state records and former workers’ compensation officials.
Despite the presumption, insurers rarely approve claims outright. Using Maine’s Freedom of Access Act, local television news “8 Investigates” found that since the law took effect in 2009, 98% of firefighter cancer claims were initially denied. As of May, only 35% of firefighters who filed claims had received any workers’ compensation benefits.
“It just seems like the presumptions are not being used to assist employees,” said Christopher Cotnoir, who served as deputy senior staff attorney for the Workers’ Compensation Board until 2023. “They’re being used to hinder them.”
The law presumes that 11 types of cancer are work-related if the firefighter has been on the job at least five years and can sign an affidavit swearing they have no personal or family history of cancer.
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Barrett Business Services said last week that its second-quarter 2025 results showed a tangible improvement in cost efficiency, as workers’ compensation cost ratio dropped to 2.1% in Q2 2025, down from 2.5% in Q2 2024.
Barrett provides workers’ compensation as part of its professional employer organization (PEO) services. They act as a co-employer, handling payroll, payroll taxes, and workers’ compensation coverage for their clients, along with other administrative functions.
“Our workers’ compensation program continues to perform well and benefit from favorable claim frequency trends and favorable claim development,” CFO Anthony Harris told participants on the Aug. 7 earnings call.
He said that the company continues to see inflationary pressures that are expected to drive pricing higher in both products. “In the case of workers’ compensation, this marks a shift from the lower pricing trends of recent years.”
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U.S. Physical Therapy said the workers’ compensation share of its second-quarter revenue grew, as WC-related visits represented 10.4% of net patient revenues, with visits increasing 8.4% year-over-year.
“Volumes in our physical therapy business remain at record levels while we execute our plan for cost rationalization and improved efficiencies. Our injury prevention business continues a strong growth path, both organically and through carefully added acquisitions, which have broadened our service offerings and increased our exposure to new industry verticals,” CEO Chris Reading told analysts last week.
Overall, the net rate per patient visit was $105.33, up slightly from $105.05, despite a 2.9% Medicare cut. Commercial rates hovered around ~$105.50, while workers’ comp patients were billed at over $150 per visit.
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