WebCE's Weekly Wrap-Up: March 28, 2025
WebCE Staff
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March 28, 2025
From Robinhood stepping into wealth management to the NAIC's push against federal oversight, this week’s roundup shows how regulatory changes, market disruptions, and new technologies are rewriting the rules for professionals in every sector. Small businesses are confronting hidden insurance gaps, while carriers are revisiting traditional risk maps in the face of increasingly unpredictable catastrophes. Meanwhile, real estate pros are looking ahead to 2025’s challenges, and CPAs are adapting to new clarification on financial statement preparation.
We’ll also explore how leveraging advanced tech can help claims professionals cut costs and boost efficiency, examine what it takes to recruit top talent on a budget, and take a peek at a D.C. realtor’s inventive home-listing strategy that’s gone viral.
There’s a lot to unpack, so settle in for this week’s must-read stories, insights, and podcast highlights—all designed to keep you on the cutting edge of your industry.
Let’s dive in.
Top News of the Week
Robinhood Wants to Be Your Clients' Wealth Manager for $250 a Year (ThinkAdvisor)
“Robinhood pushed beyond the business of online investing Wednesday with the launch of an online wealth management service to be priced at $250 a year or less: Robinhood Strategies. Now available to its 2.6 million Gold subscribers, the firm plans to make it available to all investors in April.”
NAIC, Legislators Push to Abolish the Federal Insurance Office (Carrier Management)
The NAIC states that the “FIO stands in direct conflict with the states’ role as primary regulators, complicates the states’ engagement with fellow insurance regulators globally, duplicates confidential data collection from the insurance industry, and blurs the line that separates Treasury from independent financial regulators.”
What Claims Pros Must Know About Small Businesses’ Insurance Blind Spots (Claims Journal)
“Business owners file claims expecting coverage, only to discover critical gaps. When this happens, it doesn’t just create frustration; it can strain client relationships, lead to disputes and result in significant financial losses.”
Rewriting the Risk Map (Insurance Business)
“This isn’t a localized problem anymore. Wildfires and other catastrophic events are becoming more frequent and severe, and they’re hitting regions where carriers - and clients - haven’t historically expected them.”
State Farm Insurance Agents Can Now Offer Personal Loans (Insurance Journal)
“In the latest expansion of the alliance between State Farm and U.S. Bank, State Farm customers can apply for U.S. Bank personal loans for up to $50,000 working directly with their insurance agent. The new offering joins the existing suite of U.S. Bank products accessible through State Farm agents that includes deposits, co-branded credit cards and commercial loans, banking products and services.”
How well do consumers anticipate retirement healthcare, LTC costs? (InsuranceNewsNet)
“According to a recent study by Jackson National Life Insurance Company, there is a notable gap between individuals’ perceptions of health care and long-term care retirement costs and their overall financial preparedness, underscoring the need for better retirement planning.”
Market Disruptions Reshaping Real Estate: How to Stay Competitive in 2025 (WebCE Blog)
“Disruption doesn’t have to mean instability. For real estate professionals who commit to adapting—whether that means rethinking commission conversations, navigating shifting affordability, or mastering new technologies—2025 offers just as much opportunity as it does uncertainty.”
Amendment Clarifies CPAs’ Cinancial Statement Preparation Engagements (Journal of Accountancy)
“The AICPA Accounting and Review Services Committee (ARSC) voted Wednesday to issue an amendment clarifying that a CPA preparing financial statements as part of a consulting services engagement performed in accordance with CS Section 100, Consulting Services: Definitions and Standards, is not required to apply AR-C Section 70, Preparation of Financial Statements.”
5 Ways to Compete for Talent When You’re on a Budget (Fast Company)
You don’t need a sky-high budget to attract top-tier talent—just a compelling culture, real work/life balance, and a promise to grow together. This article reveals five smart, budget-friendly strategies to help you win the talent war without breaking the bank.
Elevate Your Funeral Services: NFDA Teams up with InSight Institute to Host Celebrant Training Workshops in 2025 (National Funeral Directors Association)
“A certified celebrant collaborates with families and funeral directors to craft personalized funeral or memorial services that capture the essence of a person’s life. This training is especially valuable for those who wish to offer non-religious or alternative services that still provide comfort, connection and healing.”
Top Podcast of the Week
How Technology Is Transforming Claims Management and Reducing Costs (PropertyCasualty360)
15 minutes
Advanced technologies are helping claims professionals document losses more efficiently and generate more accurate estimates. Rick Wahlstrom, who handles estimate review and compliance at BELFOR Property Restoration, explains how these tools are transforming outdated methods, reducing costs, and improving efficiency. He emphasizes the need for ongoing training to support claims professionals in fully using the tools available to them.
In this podcast, you’ll learn:
How 3D imaging and AI-driven estimating tools are improving claims accuracy
Why ongoing education is critical for claims professionals adopting new technologies
How advancements in estimate writing reduce costs and improve efficiency for insurers and restoration companies
Weekend Wind-Down
Washington D.C. realtor Lisa DuBois created some serious buzz from her unique hide-and-seek home listing that have already garnered over 13 million views.
“DuBois showcases her properties with a now-signature style, playing hide-and-seek while using autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), as she whispers.”
Watch DuBois's interview with NBC4 Washington from earlier this week: