News Summary
Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Erie Insurance are currently facing network outages impacting their policyholders’ access to vital services. Philadelphia Insurance confirmed a significant system outage starting on June 11, making phone support and online access unavailable. Erie Insurance experienced a similar outage from June 7 due to unusual activity detected by their security team. While Philadelphia has allowed claims to be filed via phone, both companies have not confirmed any link between the outages. The situation raises concerns about data protection and service delivery in the insurance sector.
Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania-based property and casualty insurers Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Erie Insurance are currently facing separate network outages affecting their policyholders’ access to services. These disruptions have raised concerns about service continuity and data protection in the insurance sector.
Philadelphia Insurance Companies confirmed a significant system outage that began on June 11, 2023. During this time, customers have been unable to access phone support, email services, and online applications. The only functionality available on the Philadelphia Insurance website is a message acknowledging the ongoing outage. Despite this issue, policyholders are still able to file claims via phone, ensuring that essential services remain somewhat operational during this disruption.
On the other hand, Erie Insurance reported a network outage that started three days earlier, on June 7. Their information security team detected unusual activity on the same day and promptly took action to isolate and protect their systems. To address the situation, Erie Insurance is actively collaborating with law enforcement agencies and third-party cybersecurity specialists to investigate the matter comprehensively.
As of June 11, Erie Insurance has made progress toward restoring access, with limited functionality available through local agents and customer support phone lines. The company has urged its customers to exercise caution, warning them to avoid clicking on unknown links and not to share personal information through phone or email communications. Policyholders are advised to contact their agents directly for any inquiries related to their policies.
Both Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Erie Insurance have committed to resolving the outages and restoring normal operations as soon as possible. However, both companies have not indicated any connection between the outages nor confirmed if either incident is related to a cybersecurity breach.
Philadelphia Insurance Companies, which is a subsidiary of Tokio Marine Holdings Inc., has reported an increase in net income for the fiscal year 2024, although its profits in North America have declined. Factors contributing to this decline include increased losses from natural disasters and a reduction in releases of prior-year loss reserves.
With approximately 2,000 employees, Philadelphia Insurance Companies is known for its solid operational history. In contrast, Erie Insurance employs around 6,700 individuals across 12 states and Washington, D.C. This recent outage has raised operational concerns about continued service delivery and the protection of client data, making it imperative for both organizations to effectively communicate with their customers.
In light of the ongoing disruptions, Erie Insurance has assured its customers that they will not initiate calls or emails requesting payments during the outage. Customers seeking to report new claims can reach the First Notice of Loss team at 800-367-3743 or contact Customer Care at 800-458-0811 for assistance.
The current network outages faced by both Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Erie Insurance highlight critical challenges within the insurance industry regarding technology reliance and cybersecurity measures. As both firms work diligently to resolve these issues, the implications of service disruptions for policyholders remain a pressing concern.
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- GoErie
- Wikipedia: Cybersecurity
- Insurance Journal
- Google Search: Philadelphia Insurance Companies Erie Insurance outage
- Insurance Business
- Google Scholar: insurance network outage
- The Insurer
- Encyclopedia Britannica: network security
- Erie News Now
- Google News: Erie Insurance network outage
