Instech London Podcast

Cognizant is a global professional services company helping companies across different industries with generative AI.  Henry Gale is joined this week by Colville Wood, Chief Technology Officer for Insurance (UK&I and EMEA) and David Fearne, Global Director of Generative AI at Cognizant. The discussion covers how Generative AI has the potential to automate manual tasks, optimize processes, and provide valuable insights for underwriters in the insurance industry. Cognizant encourages companies to start exploring the possibilities of generative AI and see how it can improve their operations. Key talking points include: Generative AI in the workplace - accelerator and assistant Data, privacy and security considerations  Helping underwriters do their work better The key to successful implementation is balance 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 every Wednesd

In our first podcast of 2024, Jamie Crystal, CEO of MIC Global, discusses with Matthew Grant their aim to close the insurance protection gaps by offering insurance products tailored to the needs of underserved individuals, including income protection, identity theft protection, and incident coverage.  MIC uses a business-to-business-to-customer (B2B2C) model and all of its products are embedded within other platforms or services. MIC offers insurance products in various forms including embedded insurance methods, aiming to make the process simpler and more relevant to everyday life. Crystal highlights the company’s partnerships with brokers, digital platforms, and other insurance companies to distribute their coverage. The need for these products is global, Crystal insists, and not limited to specific demographics or regions. Key Talking Points Include: Understanding the concept of microinsurance The problem MIC is solving - access to affordable products The role of embedded insurance The future of MIC and th

The InsTech team is taking a break and we’ve outsourced this week’s short podcast to ChatGPT. But fear not - humans will be back in the loop next week. Interested to find out more about how insurers are using AI. Sign up to our Generative AI newsletter here.  If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. To find out more about InsTech, our membership and offerings visit www.instech.co or contact us hello@instech.co

This Christmas Eve, we bring to you our last Partners’ Chat of the year. Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant reflect on the year and the developments we’ve seen in insurance, particularly those set to define the industry in the next year. As always there are things to celebrate, and some things to be grumpy about. Talking points include: Our increasing understanding of what can or cannot be automated M&A and MGAs - how they fared this year Recognition of interdependence in insurance War exclusions - what are they and why were they relevant in 2023? The data in the hands of risk managers - how can we use it? What to do when there is no capacity available Love for wines 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 every Wednesday morning. To find out more about InsTech, our membership and offerings visit www.instech.co or contact us hello@instech.co Continuing Profes

Instabase offers technology solutions to extract information from unstructured data and automate processes. This week Matthew Grant speaks with Bas de Goei, Director of Growth Marketing at Instabase about how generative AI is helping the insurance industry tackle its pain points, and specifically “give people time back to do things that are uniquely human”.  To find out more about how Instabase can specifically help you, visit the AI Hub where you can trial various data extractions from your own documents. Key talking points: Upside down startup - the beginning of Instabase and its journey in insurance The proof is in the statistics - listen to Instabase’s case examples. Why democratising automation is important. Where will generative AI go next? The potential for collaboration. 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 every Wednesday morning. To find out more a

This week we hand over the mic to Robin Merttens as he talks to James Gillespie, Head of Pricing, and Grant Dewar, Client Services Director at Aon’s Strategy and Technology Group (STG). In this episode, they discuss the evolution of Aon STG in the 18 months since it was created, what has been learned and what clients are seeking. It goes on to describe the body of services and resources it is building and the scale of its ambitions. Key talking points include: How the role of insurance brokers is changing The development of the Aon STG ecosystem and plans for that What the data model of the future looks like and how a conjoined approach through the whole value chain could transform insurance The strength of what Aon can offer when the brokerage and STG join forces How the size of the group has attracted new business, not deterred prospects Nostalgia for 70’s prog rock music, art and design Why everyone should do Lego in their spare time If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever

We’re piloting a new style of podcast this week and borrowing the InsTech podcast channel to test this out.  If you are wondering what is going on behind the news items you read about in insurance or technology then this new podcast is for you. We’re bringing together experts, founders, insurers and some well know figures to tell us the news items that are capturing their attention - and why.  Matthew Grant CEO of InsTech is joined face to face in London by fellow podcasting enthusiast Nigel Walsh, Managing Director, Insurance, Google Cloud US, James Birch, Development Director at Ki Insurance and Bijal Patel, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Aurora Insurance.   And we’ve got more. This week we have an interview with the CEO of Ki Insurance Mark Allan, a listener question and a chance to hear our hosts and guests predictions for 2024. The news we’re discussing this week is: Ki insurance new capacity partners Travelers and Aspen Why the range of loss estimates from Hurricane Otis is so high Howden Grou

What drives insurers to look into adopting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into their underwriting processes? Salman Siddiqui at Moody’s Analytics and Adiraj Maitra at Canopius join Matthew Grant in this podcast to discuss ESG and sustainability in the insurance industry, centring the conversation around the recent Moody's report on incorporating ESG into P&C underwriting.  Key talking points: ESG risks and opportunities in the insurance industry What does sustainability mean in the context of ESG The challenges of finding the right data  The future is with carbon credits Explore more insights from Moody’s Analytics and Moody’s RMS’ annual survey of major, global P&C insurers: State of the Market 2023: Incorporating ESG into P&C Underwriting. 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 every Wednesday morning. To find out more about

Inversion specialises in bespoke software development services tailored for the insurance and reinsurance sector. This week Robin Merttens spoke with Inversion's founders, Jacques Bosch and Piro Vorster, and in their conversation they touched on the story behind the creation of the company, and the various secrets to success the founders have picked up by working together.  Key talking points include: Founding a company and overcoming unique challenges - both inside and outside the industry Why excellence and expertise are important to Inversion The benefits of having a global, connected workforce Blockchain and AI technology adoption: anything but a trend The value of hobbies: coding and Brazilian jujitsu 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 every Wednesday morning. To find out more about InsTech, our membership and offerings visit www.instech.co or contact

Arbol, an MGA specializing in parametric insurance, has been rapidly growing and expanding since we last spoke a year ago. Arbol recently announced a partnership with reinsurer Beazley, enabling them to deploy capacity in the US for weather risks. Tune in to Henry Gale, Senior Research Analyst at InsTech as he speaks to Arbol’s CEO, Sid Jha, about Arbol’s plans to target unmet risks in the energy and agriculture sectors and its new products to help companies manage climate risks beyond insurance. Key talking points include: Insuring renewable energy and agribusinesses with parametric Helping companies understand their exposure to climate risks Measuring carbon offsets and the potential for carbon credit insurance Building an ecosystem for climate risk management Hybrid parametric insurance for difficult-to-insure risks "Climate risk time bombs" in our financial system 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 I

Addresscloud has grown from a team of three to a team of eleven since InsTech last spoke to Founder and CEO, Mark Varley.  In this episode, Matthew’s discussion with Mark covers Addresscloud’s core services such as geocoding and peril risk assessment, and its recent launch of a new management platform called Addresscloud Risk. Tune in to hear more about fire blocks and how Addresscloud utilises open-data sets to simulate fire spread for insurance purposes. Key talking points include: Utilizing open-data sources Working with serverless technology  Partnerships with Allied World Insurance and solving their pain points A look back to the InsTech and Addresscloud Breakfast Event In addition to hearing about Addresscloud’s work with Allied World, we talk about other partners including Cytora, Send, Flood Re and hyperexponential. For more information about Addresscloud and Risk, visit instech.addresscloud.com If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew

Capgemini is an information technology services and consulting company which partners with businesses to develop innovation solutions. In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks to Kristofer le Sage de Fontenay, Insurance Leader at Capgemini, about the company's investment in generative AI. Capgemini is focusing on helping clients solve their pain points through digital solutions, investing $2 billion USD in generative AI over the next three years and recruiting 30,000 new people with expertise in data and artificial intelligence. Tune in to find out how Capgemini is trying to alleviate pain points including legacy systems, data access and control, and talent acquisition.  Talking points include: Developing and investing in generative AI Consumer trust in generative AI  The potential for advertising through AI If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Kristofer le Sage de Fontenay and Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh

Zywave provides a platform of modular solutions that enables digital distribution and revenue operation optimisation for insurers and brokers. Over the past five years, the company has made ten acquisitions, spending nearly $1 billion dollars to bring leading brands and innovative companies together under one unified organization. Join Matthew as he speaks to Zywave CEO, Jason Liu on how the company is a fast growing and ambitious player in the space, as well as how it focuses on the customer and external front-office operations.  Curious to find out more? Jason Liu co-authored with Don Bailey “The Sales Revolution” on demystifying digital distribution. Key talking points: Evolution versus revolution - when disruption is your friend Why focus on the customer front end trumps back end Merging data and software - acquisitions that allow software to be more intelligent and automated  Funding in 2023 - the Impact of private equity on insurance Top tips for a CEO - Running, mental health and company culture If yo

Robin speaks to Liselotte Munk, CEO of core administration system provider Fadata, available across all major lines of business to help insurers contribute successfully to the security and well-being of customers. Join Robin and Liselotte as they discuss meeting customer demands in an increasingly digital world, the benefits of a diverse and global workforce, the power of networking and the experience of running the insurance technology company as a woman CEO.  Topics covered include: The importance of trusting yourself  The shift towards cloud-based solutions Experience of being a women in technology and insurance 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 every Wednesday morning. To find out more about InsTech, our membership and offerings visit www.instech.co or contact us hello@instech.co Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech is acc

Tensorflight uses AI, aerial and street view imagery to provide property data for risk analytics on commercial, personal and industrial properties globally. Matthew Grant was joined by Jakub Dryjas, CEO of Tensorflight. They discuss various topics including the importance of partnering, advances in commercial property information by using AI, and tips for aspiring CEOs. Talking points include: What makes Tensorflight different in the aerial imagery space Lessons from a tech start-up CEO Why collaboration is necessary Developing commercial property characteristics 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 every Wednesday morning. To find out more about InsTech, our membership and offerings visit www.instech.co or contact us hello@instech.co Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). B

What does parametric insurance mean to Jonathan Gonzalez, Co-founder and CEO of Raincoat?  Raincoat is a technology company that works with brokers and insurers to develop and distribute parametric climate insurance for consumers in at-risk regions. The company is involved in parametric schemes around the world and aims to extend parametric protection to those exposed to disasters globally.  In this week’s podcast Jonathan speaks to InsTech’s Henry Gale, to discuss how Raincoat has expanded since the last podcast, and asks us to consider whether parametric insurance will ever simply be known as “insurance”? Talking points include: Lessons from operating parametric programmes where pay-outs were triggered Why parametric insurance is relevant across the world Raincoat’s approach to collaboration with brokers, insurers and distribution partners How parametric insurance is a “tool” Consumer attitudes to parametric How will the category of “parametrics” evolve in the future? To continue learning about the paramet

Chat GPT was launched a year ago in November 2022, and its existence has consistently brought to the forefront questions surrounding adoption and implementation of AI and technology. It comes as no surprise that insurers are increasingly exploring new opportunities made possible by generative AI.  In this podcast, Matthew Grant speaks to Sam Taylor and Paul Merrey from KPMG to discuss how generative AI tools can be integrated into the insurance industry. The conversation covers the importance of education and experimentation with regards to the implementation of AI, as well as the exciting developments occurring as a result of KPMG Ignition as well as Microsoft Copilot. Key talking points: How the insurance industry is embracing generative AI Why technology moves quickly and then slowly How generative AI can help people do their roles better Chat GPT the librarian KPMG’s Summer of AI: educate, adopt, and infuse artificial intelligence Why experimentation is key to understanding the power of generative AI Wan

The first podcast in our series with PwC touches on the Scale-up programme for insurtechs and the key to transformation in speciality insurance. Matthew Grant speaks to Anthony Joseph, Partner and Andrew Caswell, Director of Insurance Consulting at PwC UK, on why insurers are now progressing with the move to digitization, what transformation really means and how - and which -  insurtechs are the key to change. Talking points include: The PwC insurtech Scale-up programme  Digital adoption in the industry  Specialty insurance and transform New generations of underwriters and new tools You can find out more about PwC, their Scale-up programme and the successful candidates of Scale-up 2023 here. In addition to hearing about PwC, we talk about transformation in the insurance industry touching on various InsTech members including Allphins, Cytora, hyperexponential, Send, Apollo Underwriting, Artificial, Convex, Rethink (Howden) and Vave. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platfo

Parsyl is an integrated risk management and insurance solution for supply chains in food and health, which underwrites policies globally via its managing general underwriter in the US, its Lloyd’s cover holder and its Lloyd’s syndicate (Syndicate 1796).  Robin Merttens is joined by Gavin Spencer, Chief Insurance Officer at Parsyl, to discuss how the company is able to establish its identity as a data-led insurtech and a Lloyd’s of London consortium. This episode touches on the importance of data in improving underwriting, growth and development of start-up businesses, as well as how traditional marketplaces can cooperate and collaborate with leaders of innovation. Talking points include: How Parsyl translates Math into English - the power of insights from data The low-hanging fruit model Lloyd’s, consortiums, syndicates and more Data Darwinism 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 f

The climate has been on our minds since the record-breaking summer heat we had across the world. In this podcast we turn to matters closer to home. In this episode, Matthew speaks to Richard Garry, CCO at Gamma Location Intelligence, which provides software and data services to help insurers understand location risk and climate. Tune in to find out more about how Gamma is helping insurers adapt to the changing weather in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as listen in to InsTech’s first live demonstration on the podcast of Gamma’s Go Green platform, done in collaboration with AXA XL. Talking points include: Why flooding follows wildfire The importance of customising and responding to client needs Go Green platform - how homeowners can mitigate risks associated with climate change MGAs and ecosystems - Gamma and collaboration We’d love to know what you think about this episode - click here and add your thoughts to our LinkedIn post about it. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on wh