Women Who Mean Business: 20 Female Trailblazers in Insurance Innovation

The insurance industry has long been a male-dominated field, but that is rapidly changing. In last few years women are making significant strides in the industry and are making a significant impact in the insurance industry, with more and more rising to top leadership positions and launching their own successful businesses. 

The insurtech industry, in particular, has seen a surge of female entrepreneurs who are transforming the traditional insurance landscape with innovative technologies and solutions. These women have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, and are driving innovation in the sector.

On this International Women's Day, we highlight some of the emerging women leaders and entrepreneurs in the US insurance business who are making waves and paving the way for the next generation of female insurance professionals.

1. Clara Shih
   Clara Shih is the CEO of Hearsay Systems, a leading insurtech firm that offers a social media management platform for financial services companies. She is a thought leader in the insurtech space and has been recognized as one of Fortune's "40 Under 40" and Forbes' "Top Women in Tech."
2. Jen Fitzgerald
   Jen Fitzgerald is the founder of PolicyGenius, a digital insurance marketplace that offers a range of insurance products. She founded the company in 2014, and it has since become one of the fastest-growing insurtech firms in the US. Fitzgerald has been recognized as one of Forbes' "30 Under 30" and a "Rising Star" by Insurance Business America.
3. Laura Hertz
   Laura Hertz is the co-founder and CEO of Gifts for Good, a B2B e-commerce platform that offers socially responsible gifts. Prior to starting Gifts for Good, Hertz worked in the insurance industry for six years. She has been recognized as one of Forbes' "30 Under 30" and received the "Women of Worth" award from L'Oreal Paris.
4. Alexandra Tynion
   Alexandra Tynion is the CEO of Pattern Health, a digital health platform that aims to improve patient outcomes. She previously worked at AIG as a director of strategic initiatives, and has been recognized as a "Woman to Watch" by Business Insurance.
5. Martha Notaras
   Martha Notaras is a partner at venture capital firm Brewer Lane Ventures, where she focuses on investing in insurtech and fintech startups. Prior to joining Brewer Lane Ventures, she worked at XL Innovate, an insurtech-focused venture capital firm. Notaras has been recognized as a "Top Women in Insurtech" by Digital Insurance and as one of Business Insider's "Women to Watch in Venture Capital."
6. Melinda Brown
   Melinda Brown is the founder and CEO of Decodify, an insurtech firm that offers a platform for insurance companies to automate their underwriting process. Brown has been recognized as a "Woman to Watch" by Business Insurance and has received the "Entrepreneurial Achievement" award from the Women in Insurance Leadership organization.
7. Ruth Foxe Blader
   Ruth Foxe Blader is the CEO of Foxe Practice Management Consulting, a consulting firm that specializes in the insurance industry. She is a thought leader in the insurance space and has been recognized as a "Woman to Watch" by Business Insurance.
8. Dr. Yvonne Hofstetter
   Dr. Yvonne Hofstetter is the founder and CEO of Teramark Technologies, an insurtech firm that uses artificial intelligence to analyze risk. She is a thought leader in the insurtech space and has been recognized as a "Top Woman in Insurtech" by Digital Insurance.
9. Christina Goldschmidt
   Christina Goldschmidt is the founder and CEO of Rentify, an insurtech firm that offers a platform for landlords to manage their rental properties. Prior to starting Rentify, Goldschmidt worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. She has been recognized as a "Woman to Watch" by Business Insurance.
10. Inga Beale
    Inga Beale is the former CEO of Lloyd's of London, the world's largest insurance marketplace. She served as the CEO from 2014 to 2018, making her the first woman to hold the position in the company's 330-year history. Under her leadership, Lloyd's of London introduced several measures aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion, including a target of having women make up at least 30% of senior management by 2020.
11. Lynn LaGram
    Lynn is the Founder and CEO of Catch, a personal and portable benefits platform designed to support independent workers. Catch partners with insurance carriers to offer products such as health, dental, vision, life, and retirement savings plans to gig workers.
12. Claudia Rodriguez
    Claudia is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rippling, a company that provides cloud-based HR management software. Rippling recently launched a program to offer workers' compensation insurance to its customers.
13. Katelyn Johnson
    Katelyn is the Founder and CEO of Copia Wealth Studios, an insurance and financial services agency that serves young professionals and families. Katelyn is also a founding member of the Insurtech NYC community.
14. Maria Gotsch
    Maria is the President and CEO of the Partnership Fund for New York City, a non-profit organization that invests in technology and life sciences startups in the New York City area. The fund has invested in several insurtech companies, including Lemonade and PolicyGenius.
15. Natalie Refuah
    Natalie is the Co-Founder and CEO of CoverHound, a digital insurance agency that helps consumers compare and purchase insurance policies online. CoverHound recently raised $58 million in a funding round led by global insurer Hiscox.
16. Anne Arvizu
    Anne is the Founder and CEO of RxER Communications, a healthcare communications and education company. RxER offers services such as medical writing, content development, and consulting to healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies.
17. Jessica McKellar
    Jessica is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pilot, an insurtech company that uses data analytics and machine learning to help insurance companies make better underwriting decisions. Pilot recently raised $100 million in a funding round led by Greycroft and Alphabet's GV.
18. Kelly MacDonald
    Kelly is the Co-Founder and CEO of Broker Buddha, a platform that streamlines the insurance application process for commercial insurance brokers. The platform uses automation and artificial intelligence to reduce the time and cost of applying for insurance.
19. Laura Mazzullo
    Laura is the Founder and Owner of East Side Staffing, a staffing agency that specializes in placing talent in the insurance and reinsurance industries. Laura is also the host of the podcast, "Ladies of the Insurance Industry."
20. Niki Libarios
    Niki is the Co-Founder and CEO of Equally, an insurtech company that aims to make insurance more inclusive and affordable for the LGBTQ+ community. Equally offers tailored insurance products such as life, disability, and long-term care insurance.

The insurance industry is undergoing a period of rapid transformation, and women are playing an increasingly vital role in driving innovation and growth. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, female leaders are making their mark on the industry, breaking down barriers, and challenging the status quo. As more women continue to enter the insurance business, we can expect to see even more disruption and innovation in the years to come.