Instech London Podcast

The Managing General Agent (MGA) business model, by which companies can underwrite risks without retaining capital, has proved popular among insurtechs looking to use new technology to improve underwriting. So how do you set up a successful MGA? Matthew was joined by leading figures from tech-enabled MGAs when he hosted a panel at the 2021 Virtual KBW European Financials & Insurtech Conference. The panelists were Elizabeth Jenkin (Chief Commercial Officer at Nimbla), Graham Elliott (CEO of Azur), Alastair Speare-Cole (President of Insurance at QOMPLX) and Jonathan Spry (CEO of Envelop Risk). Talking points include: Why to set up an MGA How to make better use of data Innovating vs investing in innovators Data sharing The future of MGAs If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Obje

Robin steps back in as host this week to find out more about Sotera Heritage from co-founder Elizabeth Marston.  Sotera is using AI and machine learning to create irrevocable digital identities for ancient antiquities, helping insurers to accurately verify objects and provide tools for law enforcement agencies in the fight against the illicit sale of stolen artefacts.   Talking points include:  Digital fingerprints for antiquities Creating patterns through image recognition Tracking high-value objects in real-time Building a solution for insurers Crowdsourcing data through partnerships The conversation also covers a shared love of wine as they discuss Elizabeth’s role at the Marston Family Vineyard in Napa Valley and the impact of last year’s devastating California wildfires. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Pr

Gamma Location Intelligence helps insurers to understand property-based risks by providing accurate location data to support underwriting decisions. The company combines its own data sets with information from partners and third parties to provide a clearer view to clients on risks including flooding, subsidence, fire and crime. Chief Commercial Officer Richard Garry joins Matthew to discuss Gamma’s approach, its technology solutions and how clients are making use of its data. Talking points include: Pinpointing risks through geocoding Automating declines and referrals Using maps vs risk and accumulation scoring Working with data partners Identifying new data sources Gamma Location Intelligence was named as one of the companies to watch in our Location Intelligence 2021 report, which is available to download from our website. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh vi

The accelerated shift to digital over the past twelve months has raised the profile and importance of pricing platforms in insurance. AkinovA is one of the companies finding success in the space, with its digital marketplace allowing buyers and sellers to carry out transactions wherever they are in the world. Matthew talks to Co-founder and CEO Henri Winand on Podcast 139 about how the platform helps in the creation of new insurance products and gives the owners of the risk a better way to optimise their capital.  Talking points include:  Matching brokers with the right investors Meeting the challenges posed by intangible assets The importance of standards Creating parametric insurance products Improving business interruption cover post-Covid AkinovA is one of the featured companies in our report, ‘E-Trading Platforms: Challenges, Opportunities and Imperative’, which is available to download for free. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew

Insurance policies may leave businesses exposed to uninsured economic loss in the event of a hurricane or earthquake, because of excess, deductibles and exclusions. New Paradigm Underwriters offers parametric insurance products which use the wind speed of hurricanes and shake intensity of earthquakes to determine payouts to their clients in North America. Co-founder Evan Glassman joins Matthew on Podcast 138 to discuss New Paradigm’s technology and how to build parametric products. Talking points include: Measuring hurricane-force wind speeds Basis risk in traditional and parametric insurance The parametric insurance community The benefits of parametric products to protection sellers Educating brokers and buyers about parametric If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives Ins

Covid-19 caused an overnight demand for digital primary healthcare services accelerating major improvements in how we all access and interact with providers. Dr Anushka Patchava, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Vitality, joins Robin on Podcast 137 to discuss what that digital shift has meant for life & health insurers over the past 12 months, and the challenges that still lie ahead to achieve true digital engagement and improve access to health data.  The conversation also covers Anushka’s experience of moving from a medical career into insurance and her role as an Expert Advisor to the United Nations. Talking points include: How healthcare providers reacted to Covid-19 What life & health insurers can learn from home and motor products Incentivising customers to share health data How legacy technology impedes digital delivery Using blockchain for healthcare If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the Ins

Flood is the most pervasive hazard in the United States, but despite the huge scale of the risk there are major challenges around the provision of adequate flood cover based on accurate, real-time data. JBA Risk Management has spent the past decade developing flood models covering 99% of the world’s landmass and has leveraged that experience to provide new flood hazard maps and real-time modelling for US insurers. Matthew finds out more on Podcast 136 from Jane Toothill, Managing Director, JBA Risk Management Ltd, and Matt Reid, Managing Director, JBA Risk Management Inc. Talking points include: Integrating flood data into decision-making processes Applying global insights and knowledge to US extreme weather events Real-time probabilistic modelling through JBA’s FLY technology Catastrophe modelling for climate change scenarios The state of the US NFIP and the emergence of a private US flood insurance market If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact

Good data helps insurers to price and manage risks more effectively, but only if the right information is available, affordable and easy to integrate into underwriting processes. HazardHub are providing solutions to those challenges by supplying insurers with data for perils like flood and wildfire and unique property risk information, including the location of every fire hydrant in the US. The company was selected to join the Lloyd’s Lab last year and was named as one of the companies to watch in our new Location Intelligence report. HazardHub Co-founders Bob Frady and John Siegman join Matthew on Podcast 135 to discuss the types of data they’re offering and how they’re making it affordable and easy for clients to use. Talking points include: Accessing real-time data via APIs Lessons learned from the Lloyd’s Lab Harnessing technology to cut costs Pinpointing wildfire risks through modelling How to make clients confident about data For more information on HazardHub's AgentRiskView, go to agentriskview.co

Artificial intelligence has opened up a wealth of opportunities for both insurers and insurtechs, but turning AI’s vast potential into scalable, successful technology solutions is a major challenge. Tractable is a great example of a company that has managed to do it, with its AI solution for assessing vehicle damage now being used worldwide to process thousands of claims every day. Co-founder and President Adrien Cohen joins Matthew to discuss Tractable’s global growth, the challenges of working with AI, and what the company has planned for property insurance. Talking points include: Why insurance is a great use case for AI Data challenges and training AI systems Why insurers struggle to develop solutions in-house Spotting opportunities and expanding into different markets Convincing customers about new technology Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact M

By installing low-cost, easy to use sensors, Safehub is creating unique insights on how a building would react in the event of an earthquake. The technology continuously monitors a building’s natural frequency to create a profile of potential vulnerabilities and a baseline for assessing structural damage if catastrophe strikes. Co-founder and CEO Andy Thompson joins Matthew to discuss how Safehub is helping to reduce risk and why the wider adoption of affordable sensors benefits both customers and their insurers. Talking points include: Making faster, better decisions through data analysis How different earthquakes affect different buildings Using technology to spot inaccessible damage Understanding vulnerabilities through building frequencies Why user experience is crucial for new technology The RFID Journal article mentioned in the discussion can be found here - https://www.rfidjournal.com/iot-shakes-up-building-intelligence-with-earthquake-sensor-management Safehub is listed as one of the companies to wat

Nigel Walsh from Google Cloud steps in as a guest host on Podcast 132 to talk to Matthew about our new report, Location Intelligence 2021 - the Companies to Watch: Where, what and how risky? The report offers a comprehensive look at the technology helping insurers identify and manage risk, and profiles more than 50 companies that are leading the way in the provision of location intelligence. Talking points from Nigel and Matthew’s discussion include: Key considerations for pricing and selecting risks Data and developments for supporting claims Insights for residential and commercial property How location intelligence can help with ESG Consumers, trust and having too much data Our Location Intelligence report is free to download until the end of April. You can get your copy from: https://www.instech.london/insights/location-intelligence-2021-companies-watch-where-what-how-risky Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a

Robin and Matthew catch up for their quarterly Partners’ Chat on Episode 131 to discuss the latest news and themes emerging in insurance. Talking points include: Whether Covid-19 has actually accelerated innovation Why Robin is expecting a rise in insurtech M&A activity The emergence of real AI insurance products and solutions How Zego managed to become the UK’s first insurtech unicorn Vaccines, face-to-face dinners and a return to The Steel Yard Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme. To claim 0.5 hours for this podcast, go to the Episode 131 page of the InsTech Lo

Changes to the US government’s National Flood Insurance Programme have created opportunities for insurers to offer alternative solutions for protection against flood risk. Fathom is one of the technology companies helping insurers to do that by providing accurate flood modelling hazard data for the entire US, down to a resolution of one metre. Matthew is joined on Podcast 130 by Fathom’s Chief Operations Officer Dr Andrew Smith and Chief Research Officer Dr Oliver Wing to discuss the creation of its US flood model and how Fathom evolved from a university research project into a successful commercial product. Talking points include: the impact of different types of flooding making data consumable through technology platforms tracking vulnerability as well as hazards the key focus areas for growing a business why insurance technology is attracting interest from other sectors Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a revie

The most useful insurance products are often a combination of a simple concept powered by complex technology.  Flyreel’s AI Assistant is a great example, harnessing the potential of AI in a practical application that allows policyholders to conduct self-inspections using their phone camera. Founder and CEO Cole Winans joins Matthew to discuss how insurers are using Flyreel’s technology to create a comprehensive baseline record for underwriting, risk management and claims. Cole also shares some great tips on starting a company, finding customers and how to scale a business. Talking points include: Balancing AI with human intervention How to sell to insurers Developing portfolio risk characteristics through data Why a mutual customer benefit is vital Building a company culture and collaboration Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Continui

Using its own constellation of microsatellites, ICEYE is providing insurers with high-resolution, building-level flood depths around the world immediately after an event. VP of Solutions Charles Blanchet joins Matthew to discuss how the company is making satellite technology commercially viable, and how insurers are now able to provide rapid flood loss estimates and efficient claims settlements.  Talking points include: How synthetic aperture radar can see through clouds Why the insurance division of this company has been engaged by leading insurers in only 12 months How aerial imagery is augmented with third-party data Parametric product solutions Making a complex offering easy to use  Look out for ICEYE on our Live Chat panel on Thursday 1 April. The company will also be one of more than 60 featured in our forthcoming Location Intelligence report.  Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform

The ability to accurately forecast annual changes in the likelihood of damaging hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons occurring has been a challenge in the past.    Now, with advances in technology, research and the use of AI, new companies are emerging with techniques to provide insurers with the evidence they need to confidently change their assessment of potential catastrophe risks over the short term (less than one year). Australia-based reask is rethinking how catastrophe models are built, with a global solution that has caught the attention of leading insurers and investors. Co-founders Nick Hassam and Thomas Loridan join Matthew on Podcast 127 to discuss how they are helping insurers understand climate change, and why it is driving a greater frequency and intensity in natural disasters. Talking points include: Why today’s models need a global focus Seasonal forecasting Machine learning and neural networks Integrating new approaches with historical views Tracking storms after landfall Sign up to our n

Since its inception in 2015, Flock has grown from a promising insurtech to setting its sights on becoming a truly global insurance provider.  The company’s micro-duration policies have made it a market leader for insuring drone flights, and it launched Flock Motor last year to provide flexible, digital-first products to the commercial motor space.  CEO Ed Leon Klinger joins Matthew to discuss the company’s growth, its new connected vehicles division, and a whole lot more.  Talking points include:  Finding funding and building a brand Identifying and researching new markets How to innovate with insurers Augmenting traditional datasets Embedded insurance solutions  Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening

A lack of standardisation and the ability to transfer data through the entirety of the insurance lifecycle remains a major challenge for the industry. Charles Taylor InsureTech CEO Arjun Ramdas joins Matthew on Podcast 125 to discuss data collaboration between insurers, MGAs and brokers, and how Charles Taylor’s technology is supporting the Lloyd’s market. Talking points include: Moving from on-prem to SaaS tech solutions The shift towards platform solutions Delegated Data Manager (previously known as DA SATS) Minimising paperwork through automation Forging partnerships with Systems Integrators Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript,

Money is the rocket fuel for business growth, but raising funds is a major challenge for almost every company looking to scale. So how do you do it? Matthew asks three founders who secured early stage funding for their tips. Goncalo de Vasconcelos (Rnwl), Sam White (Stella Insurance) and Jonathan Spry (Envelop Risk) share the lessons they learned in turning start-ups into scale-ups. The conversation was recorded from Raising Money: The Founders' Stories, an InsTech London Live Chat sponsored by Genasys Technologies. CGO Andre Symes also shared his insights on the key characteristics Genasys sees in successful start-ups. Talking points include: Identifying potential brand advocates Crowdfunding vs bootstrapping What to expect from angel investors How to spot when you’re wasting your time The importance of having a strong narrative Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact 

Since forming part of the first Lloyd’s Lab cohort in 2018, Parsyl has established itself as an innovative technology company, global cargo insurer and more recently, a vital part of the fight against Covid-19. CEO and Co-founder Ben Hubbard joins Matthew on Episode 123 to discuss the company’s rapid growth.  Listen now for more on how Parsyl is using sensors to keep vaccines safe in transit, combining traditional and parametric insurance, and why companies no longer have to ‘ship and pray’.  Talking points include: Using data and automation to improve cold chains Designing technology that users understand Working with government organisations MGAs and launching a Lloyd’s syndicate Scaling at speed and future plans  You can read edited highlights of the conversation on the Episode 123 page of the InsTech London website. Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Gr