The Hartford will initially invest nearly $200,000, which is part of $1.5 million committed through 2029 that includes housing scholarships for UConn students who choose to live in a new residence hall in downtown Hartford, beginning this fall.
One area of research involves collaboration with UConn’s Korey Stringer Institute, which focuses on using its research on the causes — and prevention — of sudden death from heat. That research is the basis for its educational programs, advocacy and work with employers. The institute’s work has targeted athletes, workers and those serving in the military.
Founded in 2010, the organization is named after the pro-bowl offensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings who died from an exertional heat stroke during training camp in August of 2001.
The Hartford’s collaboration with UConn expands beyond the insurer’s own research into workplace safety.
Doug Casa, the institute’s chief executive and a professor of kinesiology, said the not-for-profit has worked with large employers such as UPS, Delta Airlines and many others on heat-safety strategies.
“What’s the game-changer with The Hartford is they have a connection with thousands of companies at one time as opposed to us working individually with companies,” Casa said.
A. Morris “Mo” Tooker, The Hartford’s president, said the property-casualty giant is working to be a leader in ensuring insurance policies become more about the prevention of losses.
“It’s really the reason why we’re talking about it now because of the pace of change on the technological front,” Tooker said, in an interview. “And so, that’s where this is coming from. We see a kind of world of IoT and AI enabling a very different conversation with our customers.”
IoT — the Internet of Things — is the network of connected devices and technology that enables communication between devices and the cloud, as well as between the devices. Rapidly evolving technology is allowing communication in real time.
The Hartford’s Tooker said such research can help both the insurer and the customer.
“If we can help do the research and help the customers reduce their risk profile, that means we have fewer risks, and we can charge them less money,” Tooker said. “So there’s no doubt there is a longer-term risk management opportunity here that we avoid losses over time with the customer.”
Tooker said that is one message he will convey as keynote speaker at the InsurTech America Symposium in Hartford this week, where the attendance is expected to be more than 500.
Another area of research with UConn is in energy innovation, Tooker said.
“We are going to be doing some research together on battery storage, fuel cells, renewable energy,” Tooker said. “And how these can be better put to work to service the AI infrastructure that the country and, quite honestly, the world needs.”
One example is the growing need for powering massive data centers and the debate accompanying how that power should be produced, delivered, at what cost and who should pay for it.
“There’s a significant asset base here that needs insurance, and we’re excited about the opportunity,” Tooker said. “But we also think it needs a lot of research to make sure these things are done safely, built safely and we understand the implications of, say, having fuel cells on site, all these different things.”
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