Instech London Podcast

Traditional underwriting is evolving, and AI-powered platforms are leading the charge. In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Will Ross, CEO and Co-founder of Federato, about how their RiskOps platform is helping insurers make smarter, faster underwriting decisions. Federato enables underwriters to triage submissions, prioritise in-appetite risks and streamline workflows using AI-driven insights. Will shares how his background in wildfire modelling led to the creation of Federato, how underwriters spend more time on the right risks post-implementation and why the company’s rapid growth is a testament to the industry's appetite for smarter portfolio management. The discussion also covers Federato’s recent $40 million USD Series C funding, its expansion into the UK market and how the RiskOps approach is catching on as a fundamental shift in underwriting strategy. Key Talking Points: The RiskOps mindset – bringing portfolio-level intelligence to risk-by-risk decision-making How AI prioritises in-appetite a

AI-driven automation is transforming how insurers process data, streamline workflows and improve decision-making. In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Graeme Asquith, UK Managing Director at mea Platform, about how AI-powered document ingestion is changing the game for underwriting and claims. With advanced machine learning models trained on millions of insurance documents, mea platform enables insurers to extract key information instantly—reducing manual processing, improving accuracy and accelerating business decisions. Robin and Graeme also discuss the rise of algorithmic underwriting, the role of AI in digital distribution and what’s next for the insurance industry as automation becomes a competitive necessity. Key Talking Points: From consulting to AI – Graeme's career path and transition into insurance technology How mea platform extracts data from insurance documents using AI and machine learning Automating underwriting workflows – turning unstructured data into actionable insights The rise of

From manual data entry to slow underwriting decisions, inefficiencies in broker management have long been a challenge for the commercial insurance industry. But what if brokers could streamline data collection, enhance risk assessment and seamlessly connect with underwriters in real time? In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Alex Cardona, CEO and Co-founder of Recorder, a company building the next generation of broker management software. After a successful exit from Codat, a financial data infrastructure business, Alex and his team are applying their expertise to insurance—helping brokers replace outdated workflows with automation, APIs and structured data. Key Talking Points: How Recorder is addressing inefficiencies in broker management Why traditional broker workflows create data bottlenecks for insurers The role of APIs in modernising commercial insurance How automated data ingestion can improve underwriting accuracy The importance of standardizing risk data for brokers and carriers Challenges in

Satellite imagery is revolutionising the way insurers assess risk, track disasters and provide coverage. In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks with Berend de Jong, Global Insurance & Finance Lead at Planet Labs, about how high-resolution satellite imagery and geospatial data are reshaping the insurance industry. With a fleet of over 200 satellites capturing daily images of the Earth's surface, Planet Labs enables insurers to enhance flood and wildfire risk modeling, parametric insurance solutions and pre/post-loss assessments. The conversation explores real-world applications, including how instant satellite imaging played a key role in analysing the Los Angeles wildfires and German floods, and how parametric insurance providers like Floodbase leverage satellite data to develop innovative flood coverage solutions. Key Talking Points From consulting to satellites – Berend’s career journey How Planet Labs’ 200+ satellites capture daily Earth imagery The power of high-resolution imaging – down to 30-40 cm T

How is generative AI changing the way insurers work—and think? In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Bob Pick, EVP Chief Information Officer at Tokio Marine North American Services and Group Deputy Chief Information Technology Officer for Tokio Marine Group, to explore the real-world impact of generative AI in the insurance industry. From streamlining underwriting decisions to detecting fraud and automating operational processes, Bob explains how Tokio Marine is using AI to address both everyday challenges and complex, global demands. Balancing innovation with responsibility, the conversation sheds light on what AI can—and can’t—do for insurers today. If you’ve ever wondered how generative AI works in practice, or what it means for the future of insurance, this episode offers clear and thought-provoking insights. Key Talking Points: The evolution of generative AI – from revolutionary tech to practical applications Classic AI vs. generative AI – understanding the difference Advisory tools like Microso

How is technology redefining supply chain insurance and resilience in a changing world? Parsyl is combining innovation, data and ambition to transform the way essential supply chains are insured. Robin Merttens speaks with Alex Haar, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Parsyl, about the company’s impressive growth, their $20M Series C funding and the advanced technologies powering their solutions. From leveraging AI and IoT to expanding into non-perishable cargo, Parsyl is building a future where insurers and businesses can better predict, price and mitigate risks across global supply chains. Key Talking Points: From tech startup to global supply chain insurer – Parsyl’s journey $20M Series C funding led by Lightsmith Group – what it means for Parsyl Essential supply chains – focusing on food, life sciences, and renewable technologies The role of AI – predictive models and generative AI powering underwriting IoT in action – real-time data for monitoring and managing risks Data partnerships – leveraging L

In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Adrian Coupland from Earnix to explore the findings of its latest industry report, An Industry at a Crossroads. They discuss how insurers are adapting to modern challenges, from navigating compliance to leveraging real-time analytics. With a focus on modernisation and competition, Adrian shares insights into how technology and data are reshaping the insurance landscape, empowering businesses to move faster and make smarter decisions. This conversation offers a glimpse into how insurers can stay ahead in a complex, evolving market while addressing regulatory pressures and increasing customer expectations. Key Talking Points: From legacy systems to agile ecosystems – modernizing insurance. Insights from Earnix’s Industry at a Crossroads report. Real-time data and analytics – leveraging external and internal insights. The compliance conundrum – challenges and opportunities for innovation. Streamlining underwriting and pricing rule changes with Earnix. Proof of value

In this special first episode of 2025, Zoja takes the hosting seat to ease us back into work and life post-New Year with a reflective and forward-looking conversation. Here’s what you can expect: 2024 Highlights: A look back at InsTech's key themes, including the growing buzz around catastrophe modeling and exposure management. Zoja shares insights from the year’s most popular webinars, including: Know Your Models: An Underwriter’s Guide to Flood Modelling (in collaboration with Fathom). JBA Risk Management’s session on lessons learned from five years of flood modeling. Flood modeling emerged as a standout topic, highlighting its importance as the second-largest driver of insured losses globally. Top Podcasts of 2024: James Orchard (QBE Ventures): Exploring investment strategies for the year ahead. Marcus Ryu (Guidewire): A personal journey into entrepreneurship and building a globally recognized company. Nicola Turner (Scrub AI): From underwriter to founder—a compelling narrative of innovation. Munich R

Matthew and Robin meet again for our final Partners’ Chat of the year to touch on the highlights of 2024 and dive into key themes shaping the insurance and technology industries. From augmented underwriting to agentic AI, they explore the trends, challenges and opportunities that defined the year—and offer insights on what’s coming in 2025. While Matthew emphasises the growing significance of secondary perils like severe convective storms (SCS), Robin reflects on how "boring but brilliant" innovations are quietly transforming the industry. Alongside these insights, expect lively discussions about digital transformation, smart follow syndication, and of course, Robin's essential holiday wine recommendations. Key Talking Points What are market makers, and how are they shaping the future of insurance? Why severe convective storms are becoming the most significant natural peril for insurers. How algorithmic syndication and smart follow innovations are transforming underwriting. The role of parametric solutions i

How can technology and culture drive successful insurance transformation? Aventum is blending innovation and ambition to transform its insurance operations into a tech-enabled powerhouse. Robin Merttens speaks with Hasani Jess, CTO at Aventum Group, about the company's growth, their approach to technology, and the cultural foundation enabling change. With over 650 employees and a tech team of more than 100, Aventum is building solutions to empower brokers, underwriters, and operational teams alike. Key Talking Points: Scaling from 450 to 650 employees while evolving technology and processes. Building an integrated platform to unify data and streamline business functions. Developing bespoke engineering solutions for competitive advantage. Adopting best-of-breed tools to complement in-house technology development. Leveraging AI to triage submissions and extract insights from unstructured data. Operating a dedicated Innovation Lab to explore future-focused technologies. Connecting brokers and underwriters with

You may have heard that Floodbase and Amwins partnered earlier this year, and are combining satellite data and parametric insurance to tackle flood risk, a peril often underinsured or uninsured altogether. Matthew Grant speaks with Emmalina, who leads Public Sector Partnerships at Floodbase, and Alex, Executive Vice President for Alternative Risk at Amwins, about their work insuring golf courses, municipalities and more. The discussion highlights how advancements in satellite technology and data-driven insights are bridging gaps in traditional flood insurance, providing faster, more flexible coverage for both private and public sectors. Key Talking Points: Learn how Floodbase uses satellite data to track and monitor flood risks. Understand the limitations of traditional flood insurance coverage. Explore how parametric insurance provides flexibility and fast payouts. See how municipalities can use parametric payouts to cover tax revenue losses and community recovery. Examine how historical flood data shapes

How can insurers, brokers, and risk managers better understand and adapt to the growing impacts of climate change on catastrophe risks? Reask is tackling this challenge by leveraging climate science and technology to enhance traditional catastrophe modeling and provide actionable insights for the insurance industry. Matthew Grant speaks with Jamie, Reask’s CEO, and Ian, Principle Quantitative Engineer, to discuss how their innovative models integrate global climate signals and provide more accurate assessments of hurricane risks, enabling the industry to manage dynamic and long-term challenges. Key Talking Points: Discover how Reask enhances traditional catastrophe models with physics-based climate insights. The distinction between natural climate variability and human-caused change Why globally connected models help insurers see correlations across regions and diversify portfolios. How Reask validates data through transparency and peer-review methodologies. Understand how flexible tools provide actionable

This week on the InsTech Podcast, Robin Merttens speaks with Martin Olley, Head of North America and APAC for AdvantageGo, and Laurence Trigwell, Head of Strategy and Chief Revenue Officer at Insurants, about how technology is transforming the commercial insurance and reinsurance landscape. Martin and Laurence explore how their respective platforms are addressing key challenges in the industry, from intelligent document processing to streamlining underwriting and policy administration. They discuss the demand for innovation, the role of AI in improving efficiency and how their recent partnership is creating seamless solutions for insurers through an integrated ecosystem. Key talking points: The shift from exploration to execution: Insurers are moving beyond AI experimentation to apply practical, value-adding solutions. Intelligent document processing: Unlocking valuable data from submissions, loss runs and slips to streamline risk operations. Ecosystem partnerships: How collaborations like AdvantageGo and In

From our highly successful webinar last month sponsored by Fathom, we bring to you everything you need to know about models in a bitesize podcast.  Flood models play a critical role in helping insurers, brokers and risk managers assess flood risk, but their inherent uncertainties make effective use challenging. Matthew Grant leads a discussion with Dr. Oliver Wing, Chief Scientific Officer at Fathom, along with Caroline Fox from Guy Carpenter, Stefan Wunderlich from Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and Tom Philp, a flood risk consultant from Maximum Information. Together, they explore how flood models can be tailored to support underwriting decisions, portfolio management and risk selection. Oliver highlights the importance of understanding model uncertainty, while Caroline and Stefan share practical insights on using flood maps effectively, validating outputs and collaborating with model vendors to create actionable insights. Tom provides guidance on defining use cases to evaluate and implement models more effec

Jonathan Gonzalez, CEO & Co-founder of Raincoat, takes the reins as guest host to explore one of the most pressing challenges in insurance: the disaster insurance gap. Jonathan speaks with Carolyn Kousky from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), about the rising economic losses from climate disasters and the need for more inclusive and innovative insurance solutions. Carolyn discusses her extensive research on climate risk management and disaster recovery, while also introducing her nonprofit initiative, ‘Insurance for Good’, which aims to bring together policymakers, insurers and community leaders to create practical solutions.  Jonathan and Carolyn dive deep into how parametric insurance, policy innovation and collaboration can redefine resilience in a world of escalating climate risk. Key talking points: The scale of the disaster insurance gap: two-thirds of global disaster losses remain uninsured How parametric insurance tailors solutions to underserved communities and specific disaster needs Afford

How can parametric insurance transform risk management in an unpredictable world? Munich Re, a leader in reinsurance, is paving the way for innovative parametric solutions addressing weather-related and natural catastrophe risks. Robin Merttens is joined by René Mück, Global Head of Parametric NatCat, and Marcel-Steffen Reif, Global Head of Weather Agricultural Risks, to explore how Munich Re’s data-driven insurance products help corporates, public sector entities and industries navigate complex and evolving risks. A key focus of the conversation is understanding the growing demand for parametric insurance, its role in bridging protection gaps and how Munich Re is developing solutions for emerging risks like green energy and agriculture. Key talking points: What does the Capital Partners unit at Munich Re do? How parametric insurance addresses gaps in traditional coverage. Revenue smoothing for industries like renewable energy and agriculture. Client use cases – from supply chain disruptions to hurricane prot

How can impartial valuations drive transparency and trust in insurance? Kroll’s platform provides property valuations through data-driven insights that benefit insurers, brokers and property owners alike. Matthew Grant sits down with Kiran Aulakh, Kroll's VP of Fixed Asset Advisory, to explore how Kroll’s platform combines technology and real-time data to assess underinsurance and overinsurance risks across vast property portfolios.  Kiran shares her insights on the value of green valuations, and the importance of impartial assessments, which Kroll provides through both an API and a standalone platform for seamless integration into clients' ecosystems. Key talking points: The role of impartial valuations in improving insurer-client trust How Kroll’s platform combines technology with in-person expertise Reducing claims friction by accurately assessing property insurance needs Using valuation data to better negotiate policy terms for clients Kroll’s partnership with WTW and global insurers to streamline valuati

How do you shed light on ‘dark shipping activity’? S&P Global Market Intelligence aims to support insurers throughout the entire insurance value chain by providing critical data and insights. Matthew Grant is joined by George Devereese, who monitors and tracks shipping around the world to screen them against various forms of liabilities. This data is passed onto markets such as the insurance world, to build a better and fuller picture for the insurance contract.  A key aspect of this process involves identifying and understanding the risks associated with illicit or ‘dark’ shipping activities. Key talking points include: How are the analytics provided helping insurers? Why all navigation is a timestamp. What is AIS and how can it help an insurer understand a ship’s history? Understanding a ship’s risk - from tracking to insurance contracts Driving frigates and hunting pirates - George’s time in the Navy On becoming ‘dark’ - are there exemptions to turning off AIS? Collaborating with Concirrus  Cross polli

Ben Turner joked that he’d “be a rich man for every pound [he] had somebody asking” what Salesforce has to offer the insurance world.  Robin Merttens is joined this week by Ben Turner and Tom Swire at Salesforce, who touch on their journey to joining the company, the trouble with legacy systems and the exciting prospects for the future including an agency management system to be launched in 2025. If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to hear more, our October evening event hosted in collaboration with Salesforce and Azur Technology was recorded. The videos will be available on our website soon. Key talking points include: On working as an underwriter or in insurance market standards to joining Salesforce - the journey Salesforce’s place in insurance The importance of the workbench Case studies from the front line - N2G and Crux Underwriting The Salesforce approach to AI - creating your own bot Looking ahead to the future - all the exciting launches A match made in heaven - working with ecosystems an

Determined to write delegated business better, Ben Laidlaw joined Nick Tye and Jacqui Ferrier to found Carbon Underwriting.  Carbon Underwriting is a Lloyd’s Syndicate MGU that provides shareable underwriting conclusions on its Graphene administration system. The company has matured since its conception in 2018, and Ben discusses navigating ‘Decile 10’ to gaining approval for Carbon’s second syndicate earlier this year, which will exclusively underwrite US business.  Key talking points: The story behind the creation of Carbon Underwriting and growth in the Lloyd’s market The thinking behind the second syndicate US business - why enter a competitive market?  Smart syndication  Graphene - who built it and what’s so good about it?  Plans for the rest of this year and 2025 On being Private Equity owned and waxing lyrical 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 newsletter for a fresh view on the world ever