Bothell, Wash.-based Property Drone Consortium, acollaboration of insurance carriers, construction industry leadersand supporting enterprises, said Allstate Corp., American FamilyInsurance, Auto-Owners Insurance, EagleView Technologies Inc., ErieInsurance and Pilot Catastrophe Services have joined as chartermembers.

The consortium also said the Insurance Institute for Business& Home Safety has joined as a technology adviser, the NationalRoofing Contractors Association as an honorary member and theRochester Institute of Technology as a technology member.

Newton, Mass.-based telematics systems and services providerOcto Telematics announced its entrance intoMexico through its North American subsidiary, Octo Telematics NorthAmerica. Octo's telematics will now be available to insurancecompanies and fleet management companies throughout thecountry.

Valhalla, N.Y.-based insurance brokerage and consultingcompany USI Insurance Services said it hasacquired Toledo, Ohio-based independent insurance agency BrooksInsurance. Terms were not disclosed, but USI said Brooks' employeeswill remain at their Toledo and Bowling Green, Ohio, locations.

Pennsylvania-based InsuranceSociety of Philadelphia, a nonprofit dedicated toeducation and professional development of insurance professionals,said it has awarded more than $25,000 in scholarships to TedFaulstick, Paul Gretzer and Claire Patterson of Temple University,and Nicholas D'Orazio of St. Joseph's University. The scholarshipswill be awarded at the Pennsylvania Convention Center during PhillyI-Day — which the company says is the largest insurance and riskmanagement convention in Pennsylvania — on April 28.

Boston-based insurance strategic advisory firm Strategy MeetsAction said it is now accepting submissions for itsannual SMA Innovation in Action Awards, which honor insurers andsoftware providers that are rethinking, reimagining, andreinventing the business of insurance. Submissions are dueby June 30th. Winners will be announced duringthe 2016 SMA Summit: The Next-Gen Insurer atthe Mandarin Oriental in Boston on Sept. 19.

Paris-based global financial networking nonprofitEfma said it has collaborated withAvanade and Microsoft to open a new FintechPortal endorsed by BNP Paribas, Group BPCE, Deutsche Bank,Intesa Sanpaolo, ImaginBank and Santander. The company said at the2016 Efma Distribution Summit in London thatthe portal connects fintech organizations with retail banks andinsurance companies, enabling them to showcase best-in-classsolutions to financial institutions around the world.

TheMinneapolis-based Insurance Marketing & CommunicationsAssociation said itwill host the next edition of its Leadership Webcast Series onTuesday, May 10. The program, “How Cyber Threats and Cyber CrimeChange the Math for Insurance and InsuranceMarketing” will be presented by Greg Mancusi-Ungaro, chiefmarketing officer at BrandProtect. Registration is requiredfor the hour-long broadcast that begins at 2 p.m. (EDT) and is freefor all IMCA members and $49.95 for everyone else.

Jersey City, N.J.-based data analyticsprovider Verisk Analytics said it has acquiredfraud detection, compliance, risk control, and process automationservices provider Risk Intelligence Ireland for an undisclosed sum.Upon completion of the transaction, Dublin-based Risk IntelligenceIreland will become part of Verisk and will adopt the name VeriskInsurance Solutions — Ireland. Ciaran McGaley, chief executiveand managing director of Risk Intelligence Ireland, will beappointed managing director of Verisk Insurance Solutions— Ireland, the company said.

Chicago-based Claims Management Holdingssaid it has acquired Indianapolis-based Eagle AdjustingServices, Tampa-based CatManDo, Tampa-based Simsol Insurance Services Group, andDallas-based Claim Adjustment Specialists tocreate Ryze Claim Solutions. Terms of theacquisitions were not disclosed.

Washington, D.C.-based law firm Arent FoxLLP said it has secured a victory for Fortress Re Inc.— the aviation reinsurance agency that insured the four planes thatcrashed on 9/11 — after a New York district court dismissed abreach of contract claim in late March.

Hayward, Calif.-based textile restoration services providerFabricRestoration Service Team Inc. said it haspresented FRSTeam of North and Central Georgia owner Ron Patriewith its Franchisee Leader Award, which the company said is its highest honor. FRSTeam by Tri State owners Jeff Gervasi,Suzanne Stefanelli and Art Katz were the recipients of thecompany's President's Award.

Rapid City, S.D.-based claims softwarecompany DCI Solution said it has formed a strategicalliance with Braintree, Mass.-based OnSource OnlineOnline to enhance its Under-Rite Valuation product and service.Policyholders and claimants can use self-inspection apps,InstantInspection.com's chat website, or field inspectors tocapture quality photo inspections of vehicles, real estate andpersonal property, the company said.