InstaBrain Names Jim Harkensee Director of Strategic Relationships
Four-decade insurance veteran to lead carrier, reinsurer and IMO relationships for the AI-native insurtech
InstaBrain, Inc., the AI-native insurtech behind instant, fully digital life insurance sold through licensed professionals, today announced that Jim Harkensee has joined the company as Director of Strategic Relationships. Harkensee will lead InstaBrain's relationships with insurance carriers, reinsurers and large independent marketing organizations, with a focus on product collaboration, reinsurance support and expanded distribution through the platform.
Harkensee brings more than four decades of insurance industry experience, including service as President and Chief Operating Officer of Fidelity Life Association, Chief Actuary at Zurich Life and President of Zurich Direct for eight years. His background spans actuarial leadership, product development, insurance company operations and distribution.
"Jim has run a carrier, priced the risk and led a direct business. He knows what carriers need because he has run one," said David Racich, co-founder and CEO of InstaBrain. "We turned weeks of waiting into a real decision in minutes. Our goal is to dominate the instant-issue life insurance category, and Jim will make sure the right carriers, reinsurers and distributors are building that future with us."
InstaBrain projects a run rate of 500,000 to 600,000 applications a year as new products and carriers come online in the fourth quarter. Global Radiance Review has recognized InstaBrain among the Top 5 companies featured in its 20 Most Innovative Companies to Watch in 2026.
The platform's AI engine, The Brain, runs real-time risk analysis on more than 10,000 data points while an application is being completed, so the carrier's decision arrives in minutes with no medical exam. On October 1, 2026, the company launched InstaBrain iQ, an autonomous communications layer that alerts the writing agent and the policyholder when the carrier reports a payment problem and points them to the carrier to resolve it. InstaBrain's fraud intelligence platform, FraudBrain, scores every producer in a monitored book continuously, reads that book as a network and ranks review queues by evidence and exposure. Scores advise. People decide. Monitored organizations display the Monitored by FraudBrain seal.
"I spent four decades on the carrier side of this business, and I have watched InstaBrain deliver what the industry talked about for years: a real decision in minutes with a licensed professional in every sale," said Harkensee. "Carriers, reinsurers and distributors want growth they can trust. That is what this platform delivers, and I am glad to help bring those partners together."
About InstaBrain
InstaBrain, Inc. is the AI-native insurtech behind instant, 100 percent digital life insurance. Founded in 2021 and based in Scottsdale, Arizona, the company offers five instant products: term life with living benefits, pure term, guaranteed issue, final expense and accidental death, with no medical exam and decisions in minutes. Policies are issued by licensed, rated insurance carriers and sold by licensed professionals. InstaBrain never sells direct to consumers. Learn more at https://instabrain.io.
About FraudBrain
FraudBrain provides fraud investigation support for organizations that move money through networks of people, starting with life insurance carriers, BGAs and IMOs. Learn more at https://fraudbrain.ai.