As you know, I officially retired at the end of 2025. After more than 40 years in the insurance industry, I am honored to have spent the past 15 years working at Arbella, first under John Donohue and then under Paul Brady.
Iām also grateful to have had the privilege of working with you, our independent agents. It has been a truly rewarding partnership, and I want to thank you for the many successes we achieved together during my time at Arbella.
During my tenure, we more than doubled the size of the business while managing to evolve and stay competitive through some challenging periods. Your feedback and input have helped us develop a new homeowners productāwhich youāll hear more about in this issueāfeaturing coverages tailored to and designed for the exposures our customers face today.
In the past few years, climate change, legal system abuse, and competition from direct writers all have contributed to a turbulent insurance market. Arbella is uniquely positioned to move forward in the face of these and any other challenges that may arise. Our Personal Lines team includes both seasoned specialists and up-and-coming professionals who will foster our continued success and long-term growth.
At the head of this team will be Allen Chaves, who is now Vice President of Personal Lines at Arbella. With his background in underwriting, pricing, and product management, Allen has extensive knowledge of the industry and is a strong supporter of the independent agency channel. I have no doubt that he will make an excellent leader. If you donāt already know Allen, youāll have the chance to get to know him on the next page.
Arbella continues to position itself as a leading market for you and your agencies, and weāre ready to grow with you. Arbellaās results today are extremely strong in all lines of our business, and Iām incredibly proud of the successes that we achieved together. As I look ahead to retirement, I am excited to travel and spend more time with my family.
I am grateful for your support and partnership over the years.
Sincerely,
Jim Hyatt
Former Executive Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer Arbella Insurance Group
Jim Hyatt
GET TO KNOW
Meet Allen Chaves
Allen Chaves is no stranger to the insurance world. Heās spent 14 of his 23+ years in the industry at Arbella, holding leadership roles in underwriting, pricing, and research analytics. In that time, heās gained a deep understanding of our business strategy and relationships across our organization.
Since 2017, Allen Chaves has worked closely alongside Jim Hyatt, supporting profit and growth responsibilities for Personal Lines, focusing on revenue projections and forecasts, owning product and pricing, and spearheading the development of our new Personal Lines home product. He also oversaw product development for both commercial and personal lines of business. Chaves represented Arbella on the CAR MAIP Steering Committee and currently serves as Chair of the Automobile Insurers Bureau of Massachusetts.
As Vice President, Head of Personal Lines, he will continue to advance Arbellaās business while maintaining the strong partnerships that are integral to our success.
āIn my time at Arbella, Iāve seen firsthand the strength, value, and importance of our independent agents,ā he said. āOur agents
are crucial in educating and helping our customers navigate a complex and uncertain world.ā
Chaves is excited about his new position and is eager to get to know agents better and build meaningful relationships.
āRelationships with our agents have always been our foundation, and thatās not going to change,ā said Chaves.
His commitment to our people-first culture will contribute to our enduring shared success.
āOur agents are crucial in educating and helping our customers navigate a complex and uncertain world.ā
āI am both excited and grateful to take on this new role,ā he said. āWeāre constantly evolving, but weāre also maintaining the same exceptional service weāve provided to our agents and customers from our early beginning.ā
He holds a Bachelorās in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire and a Masterās in Insurance Management from Boston University. He lives in Duxbury with his wife and two children, and when he is not working, most of his time is spent coaching hockey and soccer.
Allen Chaves
Customer Care, Collaboration Key to Success for Segreve & Hall
Meghan Hall never expected to join her familyās insurance business. After working at a different company for a year post-college, she decided to take a job in claims at Segreve & Hall while contemplating her next move.
Eighteen years later, her career at the agency is still going strong. Meghan is now Segreve & Hallās Director of Operations and is involved in everything from human resources to finance. During her time there, sheās witnessed the hard work and authenticity of her colleaguesā qualities she believes contribute significantly to the companyās success.
āWe do our best to ensure that our customers trust us and have a good experience with us,ā Meghan said. āWe see them through some of their biggest life momentsāthe exciting times like getting married or buying a home, as well as the difficult times, like experiencing a fire or losing a loved one. We want to be able to provide them with whatever they need.ā
Availability and accessibility are a big part of that, she noted.
āSomeone is typically here at 6:30 in the morning to open, and we will meet customers at 8 p.m. if needed,ā Meghan said. āI canāt tell you how many times Iāve been in the office early, and someone will call and ask, āIs this an answering service?ā And I say, āNo, itās not. Weāre here.āā
Regular check-ins are also essential. Meghan and her team host customer appreciation events, drop off gifts, and often give customers a call just to see how theyāre doing.
āWe like to keep those touchpoints active,ā she said. āWe donāt want to reach out only when people have a claim.ā
This emphasis on connection defines the culture at Segreve & Hall. As a smaller agency, they value the relationships theyāve built with each other.
āWe have a very collaborative culture,ā Meghan said. āA few months into the pandemic, everybody had the option to either keep working from home or come back into the office. Every single employee voluntarily came back to the office five days a week.ā
The team at Segreve & Hall is committed to providing exceptional service.
āWeāve been partners with Arbella since 1993, and we feel like weāve grown together,ā Meghan said. āOver the years, their consistent accessibility, transparency, and responsiveness have always aligned with our values.ā
Meghan Hall, Segreve & Hall
PRODUCT
NEWS AND UPDATES
Enhancing Your Personal Lines Experience
In July, we announced a new policy system with exciting features and capabilities for our agents and customers. This new system, available exclusively for homeowners and umbrella new business effective October 1, 2025 and later,* has allowed us to expand our product offerings while giving you the ability to service policies faster than ever.
HOMEOWNERS PRODUCT ENHANCEMENTS
New business customers have access to our full suite of homeowners products, which now includes an umbrella endorsement, landlord coverage and landlord enhanced coverage, home-sharing activities, and in-home business. We also offer new coverages and enhancements:
ā¢ Higher all-peril deductible options of $25,000 and $50,000 for all forms.
ā¢ Up to $25,000 for Water Backup and Sump Overflow for all forms.
ā¢ Scheduled bikes and e-bikes.
ā¢ Smart devices credit expanded to include smart water devices.
ā¢ HO3 and HO6 residences owned by a Trust and/ or LLC can now be written using our new Trust & LLC endorsements.
NEW PLATFORM FOR EASIER, FASTER QUOTING
Our new and improved Personal Lines digital experience includes a user-friendly e-application. Some of its features and benefits include:
ā¢ Real-time new business and policy change processing for Homeowners, Landlord, and Umbrella.
ā¢ Messaging displays when a risk must be referred to Underwriting. Referrals are sent directly in the system, meaning no more paper applications.
ā¢ Redesigned applications and declaration pages. Dec pages are now available immediately for both new business and policy changes.
ā¢ Ability to order loss history systematically on home so you will be aware of any changes to tier and premium before issuance.
To learn more, access our self-guided new business, policy change, and product enhancement agent training modules by going to Arbella Connect > Agency Resources > Arbella Learning Center.
BILLING AND PAYMENT CHANGES
With our new system, your new business customers will receive a policy number and billing account number. Key policy information will be listed on Arbella Connectās account billing page. Other Arbella Connect billing and payment changes for new home and umbrella policies include:
ā¢ Customers should make payments to their billing account number.
ā¢ When paying by check, please write the new billing account number directly on the check.
CLAIM UPDATES
With our new system, immediately after filing a claim you and your customer will receive an email with all the information you need, including the claim number. Weāve also increased the transparency of our claim file notes.
*Please note that as of now, existing policies will not renew onto the new system until a conversion date is announced. Prior to this conversion, if a new product or enhancement is desired, the policy must be cancelled and rewritten.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Lori Goodell of Greylock Insurance Named an Arbella Agent of Change
This past year, the Arbella Insurance Foundation celebrated 20 years of community impact, an extraordinary milestone that couldnāt have been achieved without Arbella employees and agents.
In recognition of their unwavering support and generosity, the Foundation launched its $20K for 20 initiative, an opportunity for 10 Arbella employees and 10 Arbella agents to nominate a charity of their choice to receive a $20,000 donation from the Foundation.
Among the 10 chosen Agents of Change is Lori Goodell, Senior Vice President and Agency Manager at Greylock Insurance. Her selected charity, Berkshire County Kidsā Place, provides critical services to children and families affected by abuseāa cause Lori is passionate about.
āI believe every child deserves protection, compassion, and most importantly, a chance,ā she said. āThe work of Berkshire County Kidsā Place reminds me why giving back matters. Itās about showing up for the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.ā
Lori has been involved with Berkshire County Kidsā Place for 12 years and currently serves as Chair of the organizationās Board of Directors. Her volunteer efforts focus on fundraising, specifically through an annual event called Jimmyās Ride. The event honors the life of Jimmy Bernardo, a child who was kidnapped and abused more than 30 years ago.
With the $20,000 donation from the Foundation, Berkshire County Kidsā Place will continue to strengthen its efforts to help children cope with the effects of abuse.
āThis organization provides a safe space where children only have to tell their story once,ā Lori said. āThey get the support they need to start the healing process.ā
Loriās ambition to give back reflects the values held by Greylock Insurance. A subsidiary of Greylock Federal Credit Union, the agency is committed to community enrichment and local partnerships.
āIāve seen firsthand how Greylock empowers individuals and families throughout Berkshire and Hampden counties,ā she said. āWhen local companies give back, whether through donations, volunteer efforts, or partnerships, we strengthen the social and economic wellbeing of the community.ā
Together, agents and the Arbella Foundation are able to drive meaningful impact.
āArbellaās commitment to community mirrors our own,ā Lori said. āThe Arbella Foundation gives us all a platform to make a difference, and Iām proud to be part of its efforts.ā
Lori Goodell, Greylock Insurance
Arbellaās Smart Device Discounts Can Reduce Climate Change Impacts
The insurance market continues to shift from reactive to proactive risk mitigation. Smart devices can help customers manage risk in real time, resulting in enhanced safety and lower costs. Arbella is constantly monitoring the industry as there are always new devices coming onto the market.
We recently sat down with Mark Teller, Personal Lines Product Manager at Arbella, to discuss Arbellaās smart device discounts and how these technologies can help customers prevent and mitigate lossesāweather-related and otherwise.
WHAT ARE SMART DEVICES?
When an incident like a fire or water leak occurs, smart devices may activate an alarm while also sending alerts to customersā smartphones. These devices are designed for loss mitigation, and in some cases, they can prevent catastrophic damage to a home.
We recently had a loss where a washing machineās water hose became detached from the machine, resulting in extensive water damage to the first and second floors of the home. A smart device would have alerted the homeowner and enabled them to mitigate this loss.
HOW CAN SMART DEVICES HELP CUSTOMERS MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE?
When it comes to minimizing the impacts of extreme weather or loss, prevention is the best strategy. Catastrophic events are becoming increasingly common, and smart devices such
as the Flo by Moen and the Ting Smart Plug may reduce the frequency and severity of claims. With Arbellaās smart device discounts, customers can save some money on their home insurance, too.
WHAT SMART DEVICE DISCOUNTS DOES ARBELLA OFFER?
Arbellaās basic smart device credit gives customers a 3% discount for having devices such as smoke detectors, smart water sensors, and electrical fire prevention sensors that provide notifications. We also have our advanced smart device credit, which gives customers a 5% discount if they have a water leak detection system with an automatic shutoff.
Additionally, our loss mitigation endorsement gives customers another 5% off their premium when they have items such as an automatic generator, a water pump, a battery backup system, or hurricane shutters.
Climate change is an evolving issue. Together, we can offer customers tools and support to help reduce its impact. For more information on our discounts and coverages, visit the Personal Lines Reference Center on Arbella Connect.
PEOPLE TO KNOW
Why We Chose Arbella
āArbellaās positive culture struck me immediately. The companyās commitment to its employees, independent agents, and the community sets it apart. Iām excited to grow and build meaningful relationships here, all while contributing to an organization that leads with purpose and delivers on its promises.ā
- Trish Delaney
Marketing Territory Manager
āI chose Arbella because itās a place where doing good work really matters. Iām encouraged to learn and grow, and I appreciate being part of a team that treats people with respect. I take pride in supporting our agents and insureds and contributing to a consistent and reliable experience.ā
- Seth DeCastro
Customer Account Professional
āWhen I started at Arbella in February 2025, I immediately knew I made the right decision for my career. I enjoy collaborating with passionate people, learning new things, and seeing the impact of my work. I feel like Iām making a difference every day.ā
- Suzanne Crossman
Customer Experience Professional
āIn my first three months at Arbella, Iāve felt truly inspired and supported. New ideas are welcome, and people care about our customers, colleagues, and communities. Iām excited to advance my career here and be part of a company that values its people and our collective impact.ā
- Sabrina Chan
Claims Service Representative
āFrom the moment I started at Arbella, I was greeted with warmth and enthusiasm. Iāve formed strong relationships with my coworkers since being here. Everyone wants to see you succeed and live up to your highest potential.ā
- Kodi Saotome
Customer Experience Professional
āI chose Arbella because of their fantastic culture. You feel welcome here from the moment you walk through the door, and that feeling never fades.ā
