Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JANUARY 12, 2026 5 Susan Winkler of Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services; Dylan Taylor and Phil Powell of Matrix iQ; and Gene Goddard of the MetroHartford Alliance at the InsurTech Connect conference in Las Vegas. U.K.-based Matrix iQ plans to open a Hartford office. Contributed Photo Industry Identity Marketing push defends Hartford's 'insurance capital' status as Midwest rivals gain ground no-brainer; they're close to us, and they're probably going to be inter- ested in what we're putting out there," Ormsby said. "But we thought it was interesting that the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago were also key locations showing interest." By the numbers Hartford's claim to the insur- ance capital title has always been a matter of definition. By some measures, Connecticut remains the undisputed leader. A 2024 study by Conning and data firm Lightcast found that Connecticut ranks first nationally in insurance jobs as a percentage of total employment, at 3.43%, with roughly 56,000 insur- ance and related full-time employees. The state also ranks first in insur- ance as a percentage of gross state product, contributing 4.8%, or $17.61 billion, to Connecticut's economy. The state's 147 domestically domiciled insurers collectively wrote $212 billion in premiums in 2024, ranking fourth nationally in total direct written premiums, according to an analysis of Lightcast data cited in the marketing materials. Other studies, however, suggest Midwest competitors are gaining ground. An October 2025 report from The New England Council used a different methodology, ranking Connecticut third in terms of the insurance indus- try's contribution to gross domestic product. The Nutmeg State lagged behind Iowa and Nebraska, which have aggressively courted insurance companies with tax incentives, lower operating costs and, in some areas, less stringent regulations. The report noted that Connecti- cut's share of national insurance activity has slipped, as total New England financial services employ- ment declined to about 350,000 By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com C onnecticut has marketed itself as the pizza and basketball capitals of the world. Now, the state's business leaders are mounting a campaign to defend a more economically consequential claim: Hartford is the insurance capital of the world. The MetroHartford Alliance — a nonprofit regional economic develop- ment organization — hired Avon-based marketing firm Mintz + Hoke to spear- head a rebranding campaign funded by the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The effort reflects a strategic pivot for the Alliance, which has shifted away from sponsoring industry trade shows and toward broader marketing aimed at business decision-makers and talent attraction, said Gene Goddard, the organization's chief business investment officer. The campaign's first phase, which focused on paid media, ended last fall. Officials said it exceeded expec- tations, citing a 50% year-over-year increase in web searches for the phrase "insurance capital of the world," including from outside the East Coast. Goddard said DECD recently noti- fied the Alliance that grant funding for the marketing effort will continue in 2026. The initiative is led by Connecticut Insurance & Financial Services, or CT IFS, a membership-driven group within the MetroHartford Alliance that includes 32 insurance and financial services companies, including Cigna, The Hartford, Travelers, Aetna, Voya Financial and Empower. Formed in 2003, CT IFS works to strengthen Connecticut's position as a global insurance center through business attraction, workforce development and industry advocacy. Marketing plan The campaign's creative strategy centers on the tagline "Infinite Possibilities From a Starting Point," with visuals playing off the infinity symbol. Marketing materials targeted insurance and financial services decision-makers through digital advertising, social media campaigns on LinkedIn and Facebook, and placements in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal. "We want to make it obvious that Hartford is the insurance capital of the world with messaging about how the possibilities or opportunities are infinite, but there's only one starting point, and that's Hartford," said Michelle Ormsby, account director at Mintz + Hoke. The campaign included adver- tisements in corporate real estate publications, including Site Selection Magazine and other outlets closely watched by companies making location decisions. Campaign messaging focused on three factors that often influence corporate location decisions: work- force availability, business environ- ment and risk mitigation. Ormsby said audience engagement extended well beyond the Northeast. "The New York metro area is a Continued on next page NO. OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY INSURANCE CARRIERS IN CT Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 50K 40K 30K 20K 10K 0 EMPLOYEES 36,600 43,300 37,700 38,900 41,200

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