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InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens On retaining talent in the London Market: a conversation with PwC (352)Attracting and retaining talent in the London Market is an evolving concern, with the PwC CEO Survey revealing that 93% of respondents either recognise the need to change or are already adapting their strategies to address it. Let’s discuss how! In this special podcast episode done in partnership with PwC, we invited Anna Craston, Senior Manager, to host a panel discussion to explore the critical trends shaping talent management in the London insurance market. She’s joined by fellow PwC colleague Simone Ritson, Phoebe Thomas from CFC, Jacinta Chiang from WTW and Alfie Holt from Marco...

2025-04-2730 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Tim Rayner, CEO: Verisk Specialty Business Solutions: Innovation in the London Market (290)Robin Merttens is joined by CEO and President of Verisk Specialty Business Solutions (VSBS), Tim Rayner. The discussion covers VSBS’s acquisitions such as Rulebook and Whitespace for a broader digital ecosystem, and the challenges of decision-making and procurement in the London market. Key talking point: Growth and opportunities in the specialty market Acquisitions and the role of Whitespace and Rulebook The impact of London Market modernisation on Verisk The importance of providing solutions rather than products A challenge to the market to innovate If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on...

2024-02-1826 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Dawn Miller: Commercial Director, Lloyd’s of London: Powering innovation to solve new global challenges (226)Since being founded in 1688 Lloyd’s of London has grown into a marketplace supporting over £35 billion of premium. Innovation is at the heart of its success. More recently the “Lloyd’s Lab” has supported over 100 companies from around the world that are helping insurers find new solutions for the insurance protection gap and improving efficiencies. Dawn Miller joined Lloyd’s of London as the Commercial Director in 2022 after a career with some well-known global insurers - having cut her teeth as an investor and entrepreneur. One of Dawn’s responsibilities is helping the Lloyd’s market (which in...

2023-01-1528 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Ben Huckel: Co-founder & CEO, Send Technology: Composable technology - helping underwriters do what they love (187)Send Technology is a software company founded in 2017 that has developed a connected workbench that enables insurers, brokers and MGAs to automate, streamline and optimise its operations. It has recently entered its scale-up phase and secured major clients such as Renaissance Reinsurance and Bowhead Specialty. Send Technology’s Co-founder and CEO, Ben Huckel, joined Matthew to talk about the importance of companies using the right technology, the benefits of leading with a service rather than a product and the advantages of providing a software service that is tailored to clients’ needs. Talking points incl...

2022-04-2424 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens John-Isaac Clark: CEO, Arturo: Property insights from above (186)Arturo delivers on-demand property data using multi-source imagery and provides AI insights for damage assessment after a catastrophic event. John-Isaac "JC" Clark, the CEO of Arturo, speaks to Matthew about how Arturo's information is used. They cover how satellites collect data, what underwriters are doing with it and how he expects this to evolve as innovation progresses. Talking points include: How American Family is producing a technology company from its innovation team The sourcing and accuracy of information used in the lifecycle of an insurance policy What data do satellite and aerial images capture...

2022-04-1747 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Jeff Radke: Co-founder & CEO, Accelerant: Growing the MGAs of the future (185)Traditional insurers’ minimum premiums, small transactions and subsequent inability to absorb clients’ portfolio volatility leave MGAs vulnerable. Accelerant provides insurance capacity, technology and investment for MGAs in property and casualty insurance. Jeff Radke, Co-founder and CEO of Accelerant, speaks to Matthew about the role of Accelerant in championing the latest technology and supporting individuals. They cover the support MGAs get from being members of Accelerant and address the problems that specialty commercial underwriters face and how to tackle them. They also discuss how to handle a remote, global business in the age of working from home...

2022-04-1047 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Robert Le: Fintech Analyst, PitchBook: The facts and figures - tech companies to watch (184)PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides insights on private and public markets to help clients better evaluate opportunities. Robert Le, a Fintech Analyst at PitchBook, talks about how it gathers, defines and categorises different sources of information in its databases. He reviews what public market investors expect from insurtech and established technology companies and discusses the insurance areas where he is seeing opportunities emerge. Talking points include: How investors rate risk-taking entities (MGAs and insurers) compared to technology companies licensing products The potential opportunities to assess cyber insurance risk Recent...

2022-04-0336 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Jonathan Gonzalez: CEO & Co-founder, Raincoat: The parametric company solving the protection gap at scale (183)While weather-related catastrophic events are on the rise, insurance policies and federal aid are still inaccessible for many globally. Jonathan Gonzalez is the CEO and co-founder of Raincoat, a platform to support insurers in the development and distribution of parametric insurance solutions for consumers in at-risk countries and regions. He joins Matthew on Podcast 183 to explain how scalable parametric insurance products are helping to reduce the protection gap, Raincoat’s consumer-focused approach, and tailoring solutions to tackle relevant climate risks in different areas of the world. Talking points include: How Hurricane Maria in...

2022-03-2727 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Joan Cuscó, MAPFRE & Nicolas Monsarrat, Accenture Health: Digital health in 2022 and the implications for insurers (182)The healthcare industry has faced monumental changes over the past two years, with the pandemic affecting both the provision of services and consumer behaviour. Increased demand and Covid-19 lockdowns led to the acceleration of digital health technology, which in turn is now presenting fresh challenges and opportunities for insurers. Robin talks to Joan Cuscó, Global Head of Transformation at MAPFRE, and Nicolas Monsarrat, Managing Director, Strategy & Consulting, Digital Health Europe Lead at Accenture, about the digital health landscape in 2022 and what it means for the insurance industry. Talking points include: Transitioning to d...

2022-03-2027 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Rich Sorkin: CEO & Co-founder, Jupiter Intelligence: The climate change risks that can’t be ignored (181)Jupiter Intelligence has achieved rapid growth since its launch five years ago and is now providing analytics on the impact of climate change to insurers, governments, and corporations worldwide. CEO and Co-founder Rich Sorkin joins Matthew to discuss how his experience of extreme weather events motivated him to launch the company. Their conversation covers the products and services Jupiter offers, how clients are using its data, and why it is vital that insurers track the long-term impacts and risks they face from climate change. Talking points include: Using data to understand physical and financial p...

2022-03-1335 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Paul Templar: CEO, VIPR: Data - seen it, clean it, sort it (180)Data has never been so important or abundant in insurance but finding the right information is still a major challenge for insurers. That has led to opportunities for companies like VIPR, which is providing extraction and ingestion solutions to help standardise data from third parties and creating analytics to improve underwriting accuracy. CEO Paul Templar joins Matthew on Podcast 180 to discuss how brokers and insurers are using VIPR’s data and analytics platform to manage data, getting information flowing efficiently across the market, and how VIPR is looking to scale with the help of private equity...

2022-03-0628 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Alex Hearn: Founder & CEO, Slipcase: Information that matters and insights that inform (179)Alex Hearn, founder of insurance news and insights platform Slipcase, joins Matthew on Podcast 179 to share his experience of growing a successful business. Formerly a broker at Willis, Alex left the company to develop a digital environment to connect insurance industry professionals. The result, Slipcase, is now an established platform collating and sharing information from insurers, brokers, and service providers to 160,000 users worldwide. Alex and Matthew discuss the process of building the company, the technology behind the platform, and the insurance content that is capturing users’ attention. Talking points include: Establishing a pro...

2022-02-2732 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Dr Tim Farewell: Science and Communications Director, Terrafirma, a Dye & Durham Solution: Cracks and collapse – the risks beneath your property (178)Thousands of UK property claims are made every year related to unseen perils below ground, with climate change already increasing the risks facing homeowners and insurers. Dr Tim Farewell is the Director of Science and Communications at Terrafirma, a Dye & Durham Solution, and one of the UK’s leading authorities on ground risks. He joins Matthew on Podcast 178 to discuss what is causing the problems, and how Terrafirma provides data to help insurers understand portfolio risks from subsidence, mines and voids, sinkholes, and coastal erosion. Talking points include: The science behind different gro...

2022-02-2035 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Devin Chawda: Co-founder & CEO, ARMD: Embedded insurance - the next frontier for a serial entrepreneur (177)Embedded insurance was one of the hot topics of 2021, with a growing number of successful propositions emerging that target potential customers with insurance at the point of purchase. ARMD is one of a crop of new companies putting embedded insurance into action. It offers theft and damage insurance to UK tradespeople purchasing tools through its online shop and supplies IoT sensors to help protect their vehicles. Co-founder and CEO Devin Chawda joins Matthew to discuss how the technology works, why customers like embedded insurance, and the challenge of building a business and raising funds during Covi...

2022-02-1333 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Ruth Foxe Blader and Matthew Jones: Anthemis: What really matters - the investors’ view (176)For start-ups and scale-ups, funding is the fuel for growth. But after a record-breaking year for insurtech investment, what can we expect to see in the investment space in 2022? Ruth Foxe Blader and Matthew Jones from venture capital investor Anthemis join Matthew to discuss the current financial markets and the opportunities that are attracting investors right now. Talking points include: Assessing IPO performance and the investment appetite for insurtech What Anthemis looks for from new companies and solutions How new sources of data are creating new product opportunities The growth of embedded insurance and...

2022-02-0645 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Katie Lennon: Head of ESG, UK & Lloyd’s, AXA XL: ESG - the insurer’s perspective (175)With climate-related risk becoming a top priority for insurers, Podcast 175 examines where the industry is right now in terms of identifying the specific challenges and opportunities ahead. Matthew talks to Katie Lennon, Head of ESG, UK & Lloyd's at AXA XL, about how processes for measuring and managing climate impact are developing. The conversation covers how Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) differs for business operations and clients, creating consistency around allocating carbon emissions, and the work being done on a global scale to help support insurers. Talking points include: Communicating the purpose of ES...

2022-01-3032 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Climate Change Risks and Opportunities Today (174)As the financial risks from climate change continue to increase, insurers are having to come to terms with both the short-term impact of large catastrophe events and new regulatory requirements. Podcast 174 features insights from our Climate Change Risks and Opportunities Today live event, sponsored by S&P Global Market Intelligence, which focused on practical solutions and real examples of how insurance is responding to a changing landscape and evolving risks. Recorded live at CodeNode in London, Matthew talks to: Raphael Zindi, Product Manager | Segment Lead, EMEA Insurance, S&P Global Market Intelligence Chris Illman, Head...

2022-01-2322 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Bryan Falchuk: Managing Partner, Insurance Evolution Partners: Insurer, start-up, writer, coach, influencer - one life, many roles (173)Matthew talks to author, coach, and speaker Bryan Falchuk on Podcast 173 about his background in insurance and insurtech, and the innovation challenges for insurers and start-ups in 2022. Bryan began his career at Liberty Mutual Insurance and worked for Beazley, McKinsey and Hiscox before branching out as an author. His two books titled The Future of Insurance look at the lessons learned by incumbent insurers as they look to innovate and evolve to meet the needs of their customers. The episode features examples from insurers that have successfully launched innovation projects and why Bryan feels that no...

2022-01-1635 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Predictions for Insurance in 2022 (172)What can the insurance industry expect in 2022? We’ve gathered a panel of 16 innovation experts to give us their predictions for the year ahead. Podcast 172, sponsored by Fadata, covers topics, themes and opportunities including the insurtech investment scene (valuations and opportunities), increase in mergers & acquisitions activity, ESG and climate change, operational excellence, talent war, cryptocurrency and the Metaverse. Our panel of innovation experts includes: Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Anthemis Charles Burgess, CEO International Distribution, Munich Re Specialty Group Premal Gohil, Head of Innovation Partnerships & Investments, GRS, Liberty Mutual Insurance Sasa Brcerevic, Global Head of MG...

2022-01-0928 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Partners’ Chat - New Year Special: Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant (171)Matthew and Robin wave goodbye to 2021 by reflecting on some of the key insurance, insurtech and innovation themes from the past 12 months. Their Partners’ Chat - New Year special includes thoughts on a record year for insurtech investment, why now is a good time to be an MGA, and predictions for data and technology developments in 2022. Talking points include: Unicorns, angels and securing early-stage funding The decline of incubators and accelerators Embedded insurance and educating customers about risk How data ingestion and extraction became a top business priority Why brokers remain a key part of...

2022-01-0233 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Allyship, inclusion and the future of work (170)InsTech London was really pleased to be involved in a panel discussion on Allyship in the workplace hosted by The Camelot Network’s Inclusion & Diversity Think Tank and sponsored by Genasys. The diverse panel explained what Allyship is, how to action it and the impact it can have in creating a truly inclusive society. The speakers include: Rebekah Bostan – Director of Research and Insight, InsTech London Lethabo Motsoaledi – Co-founder, Creator and CTO, Voyc Dr Joanna Abeyie MBE – Founder and Director, Blue Moon Paul Jardine – Chairman, Asta and Chaucer The discussion was moderated by Miriam Reason...

2021-12-2630 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens George Devereese & Turloch Mooney: IHS Markit: Revealing the risks: inside shipping and containers (169)The global pandemic and the shutdown of the Suez Canal in March highlighted the importance of the global supply chain and the risks involved in shipping goods around the world. Tracking what happens at sea is a major challenge, however, innovations in data and technology are now allowing insurers and businesses to track ship and cargo movements from start to finish. Matthew is joined on Podcast 169 by George Devereese and Turloch Mooney from IHS Markit, a global data provider and the primary source of information on vessels being used for international trade. The con...

2021-12-1924 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Christian Wiens: CEO, Getsafe: Giving a new generation access to insurance (168)In October 2021, Getsafe extended its Series B funding round to $93 million, including investment from Swiss Re. The start-up is now a fully licensed insurer in Germany and operates as an MGA in the UK, targeting younger generations with personal lines insurance products. Robin talks to co-founder and CEO Christian Wiens about how Getsafe has scaled since being founded in 2015, the company's plans for expansion, and innovation trends to watch. Talking points include: How to sell insurance to first-time customers The benefits of being a full-stack insurer Distribution channels for personal lines insurance Changes in...

2021-12-1222 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Jeremy Hyams: Chief Executive Officer, Claims Consortium Group: Claims technology - building the single source of truth (166)When it comes to innovation, claims technology has not always got the level of focus it deserves. That situation is changing though with several companies, including this week’s podcast guest, providing new technology solutions to speed up and improve claims processes. Matthew talks to Jeremy Hyams, CEO and founder of Claims Consortium Group, about building a claims service provider, innovating at speed during Covid-19, and how its Synergy Cloud platform is helping the AA to manage home insurance claims in-house. Talking points include: Claims handling technology in practice Building technology for thir...

2021-11-2829 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Sébastien Piguet: Co-founder & Head of Underwriting, Descartes Underwriting: Going global - delivering parametric insurance at scale (165)Descartes Underwriting, founded in 2018, has scaled quickly to provide parametric insurance against climate risks to corporate clients around the world. Co-founder & Head of Underwriting Sébastien Piguet joins Matthew on Podcast 165 to discuss trends in parametric insurance and Descartes' experiences with its clients. Talking points include: Why some corporates are replacing indemnity policies with parametric Educating brokers and risk managers about parametric Insuring solar and wind farms Data sources for natural perils The potential for parametric cyber insurance Descartes Underwriting was featured in our report Parametric Insurance - 2021 outlook and the companies to w...

2021-11-2122 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Marco Mirabella: Founder & CEO, Ensuro: Crypto capital for insurance start-ups (164) Start-ups looking to sell insurance products often struggle to secure the insurance capacity from incumbent (re)insurers they need as a managing general agent (MGA). Ensuro is piloting an alternative source of insurance capital: using cryptocurrency funds from investors, locked in smart contracts on a blockchain, to underwrite risks. Founder and CEO Marco Mirabella joins InsTech London's Henry Gale on Podcast 164 to discuss the opportunity for cryptocurrency to be used as insurance capital and how Ensuro's technology works. Talking points include: The crypto market and decentralised finance (DeFi) The regulatory landscape for cr...

2021-11-1419 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Nick Wright: Chief Business Development Officer, Pen Underwriting: Every problem has a solution (163)The Managing General Agent (MGA) model has become a successful way for many insurtech startups to establish themselves, but the subject of this week’s podcast is a bit different to other MGAs in the marketplace. Pen Underwriting was created by bringing together 12 companies in 2014. Its work covers claims, pricing, and distribution with more than £650 million in gross written premium per year. Chief Business Development Officer Nick Wright joins Matthew on Podcast 163 to explain how Pen Underwriting supports its partners and why investing in innovation is a key part of the company’s approach. Tal...

2021-11-0721 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Property Intelligence - new solutions for an old problem (162)We're bringing you the highlights and key insights from our property risk event at The Steel Yard in London. ‘Property Risk - What’s New and What Works?’ brought together experts in flood forecasting, digital twins, rebuild costs, remote assessment and more, to discuss new data and analytics solutions that are helping insurers understand the physical characteristics and risks of properties. The episode begins with Robin in conversation with Todd Rissel, Chairman and CEO of event sponsors e2Value, and is followed by interviews with: Mark Cunningham, WhenFresh Olivia Iltcheva, Convex Anthony Siggers, Archipelago Jonatha...

2021-10-3151 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Brendan Smyth & Premal Gohil: Liberty Mutual Insurance: Embracing innovation - lessons from a global insurer (161)Liberty Mutual Insurance is a global insurance company that embraces innovation, with a strong track record of building successful partnerships with technology companies. Matthew talks to Brendan Smyth, SVP, Global Risk Solutions Innovation, and Premal Gohil, Head of Innovation Partnerships & Investments, to understand how Liberty approaches innovation projects and works with third parties to understand new insurance trends. The episode also includes advice for start-ups on how to approach insurers with new ideas and what Liberty is looking for from potential data and technology partners. Talking points include: How to create a culture of...

2021-10-2441 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Robin Merttens & Andrew Yeoman: Navigating algorithmic underwriting in Property & Casualty (160) Robin is joined by Concirrus CEO and Co-founder Andrew Yeoman on Podcast 160 to discuss how commercial insurers are beginning to use algorithms to support underwriting decisions. The conversation covers the findings from the InsTech London report, A Practitioner's Guide: Algorithmic underwriting in commercial and specialty insurance, which examines where industry adoption is right now and what’s needed to move the technology forward. Andrew shares his insights on the potential of algorithmic underwriting, plus practical examples of how Concirrus is using algorithms to identify marine risks and build dynamic pricing models. Talking points inc...

2021-10-1727 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Simon Lewis & Matt Greaves: Atrium Underwriters: Underwriting and innovation where it counts (159)Atrium Underwriters has been operating in the London market for almost 100 years and has established itself as one of the most forward-thinking insurers when it comes to innovation and new technology. Underwriters Simon Lewis and Matt Greaves join Matthew on Podcast 159 to discuss where that drive for innovation comes from. The conversation covers how Atrium assesses ideas and products for new opportunities like crypto, using technology to speed up claims and reduce costs, and how it supports start-ups through the Lloyd’s Lab and Product Innovation Facility (PIF) at Lloyds. Talking points include: Alig...

2021-10-1040 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Piyush Singh: Founder, Terrene Labs - a FRISS company: Calling all underwriters - focus on the core, not the chore (155)For underwriters, time spent searching for information is time lost to underwriting. Terrene Labs, acquired by FRISS in April 2021, aggregates third-party data sources to help underwriters focus on the core of underwriting rather than the chore of data collection. The acquisition will expand FRISS's range of underwriting insights beyond risk detection analytics. Matthew speaks to Piyush Singh, CEO of Terrene Labs, on podcast 155 to discuss why he left his senior role to launch a start-up, how Terrene Labs built its client base and why his business was acquired by FRISS. Listen now to l...

2021-10-0831 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens The founders‘ stories - start-up to scale-up (158)Podcast 158 features the highlights from Part 1 of our first live event back at The Steel Yard in London and is packed with advice for start-ups looking to grow and future founders. Ed Leon Klinger (Flock), Oliver Brew (CyberCube), Andre Symes (Genasys Technologies), and Jonathan Spry (Envelop Risk) returned to the InsTech London stage to discuss their experiences of the journey from start-up to scale-up. They shared their insights with Matthew and Robin on surviving the ups and downs of early-stage growth and building successful products, right through to securing hundreds of millions of dollars in...

2021-10-0335 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Mark Allan: Commercial Director UK Insurance, Bupa: Private healthcare in the pandemic and beyond (157)Health insurers have been on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have had to get to grips with the new peril of the COVID-19 virus, experience changes in demand and plan for the long term while adjusting to lockdowns and home working. Mark Allan, Commercial Director UK Insurance at Bupa, joins Robin to discuss Bupa’s experience during the pandemic in the UK and what lies ahead. Talking points include: The challenges of being a health insurer during a pandemic The long term impact of COVID-19 Digitising customer access and engagement The ch...

2021-09-2622 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Karina Buch: Chief Commercial Officer, Insurance Business Applications: Digital insurance platforms - getting ahead and staying ahead (156)Insurance Business Applications (IBA) has established itself as a genuine insurance innovator over the past decade, embracing new technologies to offer a full cycle property and casualty insurance platform in the cloud. Chief Commercial Officer Karina Buch joins Robin to discuss the company's origins and growth so far, why global insurers like Zurich and AIG are choosing to use its IBSuite platform, and the potential of both embedded and parametric insurance. Talking points include: Why speed matters when building products Re-platforming vs greenfield development Covid-19 and the race to modernise The demand and attraction o...

2021-09-1931 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Niall Barton: Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Wrisk: A marathon not a sprint - surviving and thriving as an insurtech (154)For insurtechs to flourish, companies need to match their innovative technology solutions with market opportunities and an understanding of how the industry works. Some of the best innovation in recent years has come from combining new technology with deep insurance knowledge and experience, and this week’s podcast guest is a great example. Originally an underwriter, Niall Barton co-founded Wrisk in 2015 and has gone on to become one of the leading figures in the UK insurtech scene. Niall joins Matthew on Podcast 154 to discuss the growth of Wrisk, his experiences as a founder, developing insurance technol...

2021-09-0533 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Todd Rissel: Chairman & CEO, e2Value: Product launch 2.0 - smart tech, simple solutions (153)When you think of insurance innovation, there is a whole host of exciting start-ups and scale-ups that spring to mind, but this week’s podcast guest has been consistently innovating for the past two decades. Todd Rissel founded e2Value 20 years ago and has built a company that now provides Insurance to Value (ITV) data and products to over 500 clients in the US and Canada. Matthew and Todd discuss how e2Value has managed to stay relevant and move with the times, including its latest product offerings for estimating repair costs and gathering data about pro...

2021-08-2932 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Andrew Passfield: CEO, ICE InsureTech: Insurance software for innovation - flexibility as a service (152)Whether you are an established company or a new kid on the block, you need to be smart and flexible to make the most of new opportunities and stay ahead of the game. ICE InsureTech is one of the companies that is helping the insurance industry do that, using its experience of building digital policy administration and claims management systems to tackle legacy issues and drive innovation. CEO Andrew Passfield talks to Robin Merttens on Podcast 152 about the company’s ICE platform, providing more agility to clients and their customers in a digital world and th...

2021-08-2229 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Jerad Leigh: Co-founder & CEO, Supercede: The founder‘s journey: surviving and thriving as a start-up (151)There has been no shortage of founders looking to transform insurance over the last five years, but turning innovative insurtech ideas into successful businesses is an incredibly tough challenge. Jerad Leigh is the co-founder of Supercede, one of many companies we’ve worked with at InsTech London that have made the leap from 'early stage' to ‘established'. He joins Matthew on Podcast 151 to share his experience of that journey and some great advice on how to build a business. Talking points include: How to test your idea before you quit your job Wheth...

2021-08-1542 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Complex claims innovation (150)Claims is a vital component in the insurance value chain, but despite its importance it doesn’t always get the innovation attention and headlines that it deserves. On this week’s podcast, Matthew is joined by Ed Gaze from the Lloyd’s Lab and Colin Masson, Head of First Party Complex Claims at Beazley, and member of the Future at Lloyd's Claims Design Group, to discuss innovation and new technology solutions for settling claims for complex risks. Episode 150 also features insights from Tautona, Safekeep, SettleIndex and distriBind - four companies who have recently built solutions in the...

2021-08-0844 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Partners' Chat - Summer Special: Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant (149)Recorded after the InsTech London Summer Party, our first public event since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, Matthew and Robin catch up for their quarterly partners’ chat. The conversation covers their pick of the latest insurance and insurtech news stories, reaction to our report on embedded insurance, and even Robin’s restaurant recommendations. Talking points include: Face-to-face events and our return to The Steel Yard Insurtech investment and lessons learnt from the last five years Embedded insurance opportunities The rise of the tech-enabled MGA Climate change, ESG and the demand for data The InsTech London r...

2021-08-0133 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Mick Noland: Executive, General Manager, Insurance Solutions at CoreLogic: The digital hub for property data (148)Founded in 2010, CoreLogic has established itself as a leading provider of location and property intelligence, with more than 500 insurers and reinsurers now using its products. Mick Noland, General Manager for Insurance, joins Matthew to discuss the company’s growth over the last decade and the unique data sets that CoreLogic is creating for its insurance clients. The conversation also covers recent investment in CoreLogic, how the company integrates with third-party providers, and the development of data and insights for catastrophe modelling and climate change risks. Talking points include: How insurers are using rea...

2021-07-2525 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens William Hawkins: Director of Research - Europe, KBW: How insurers think: the equity analyst‘s view (147)While insurtech, start-up funding and data and technology developments are important to all of us, we also need to understand how the major insurers make money, what their needs are from technology and how they address the challenge of change. William Hawkins, Director of Research for Europe at investment bank KBW, joins Matthew to share insights from his team's research into the mainstream world of insurance. With incumbent insurers spending an annual IT budget of $200 billion how much is earmarked for innovation, and how should a technology company attract insurers as clients? Talking points include: The basics of ho...

2021-07-1835 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Gethin Jones, Skyline Partners & Calum Williams, AEGIS London: The parametric platform delivering new insurance solutions (146)Skyline Partners and AEGIS London have launched a new parametric product to provide US small and medium business owners with cover in the event of a shooting. The Active Assailant policy uses police department data to define when an event has taken place, triggering a non-damage business interruption cover payment of up to $50,000. An initial launch is taking place in Dallas, Texas with the aim of scaling the policy out to other states across the US. Skyline Partners Co-founder Gethin Jones and Calum Williams from AEGIS London join Matthew to discuss the product’s development and...

2021-07-1135 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Hemant Shah: Co-founder & CEO, Archipelago: Moving upstream - digitising and standardising customer data at source (145)Archipelago is aiming to improve the data shared between insurers and their corporate clients related to property risks. Archipelago is going directly to the original data sources - upstream from insurers to the risk manager and building owners. This is then collated and shared on a platform with brokers and selected insurers. Co-founder and CEO Hemant Shah, previously founder of catastrophe modelling company RMS, joins Matthew to discuss how Archipelago is improving risk reduction and better access to reliable insights between all parties. Talking points include: Finding the right problem to solve ...

2021-07-0436 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Robin Merttens & Simon Torrance: Insurance - to Embed, or not to Embed (144)The attraction and vast potential for ‘embedding’ insurance products has made it one of the hottest topics of 2021. Robin Merttens chats to Simon Torrance on Podcast 144 about the opportunities offered by embedded insurance and insights from the InsTech London report, Insurance: to Embed or not to Embed. Talking points include: The definition of embedded insurance Embedded success stories from around the world Why customers like embedded solutions Third-party distributors and platform business models The challenges facing incumbents If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or co...

2021-06-2742 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Marine Utgé-Royo: Chief Strategy Officer, Tesselo: Geospatial intelligence for forestry risk (143)Tesselo is one of the companies looking to help its clients manage the impact of climate change, using satellite data and remote sensing to monitor tree and crop health and support forest owners and farmers in mitigating risks. The company, based in Lisbon, is now exploring insurance applications for its data and analytics and was recently selected to join Cohort 6 of the Lloyd’s Lab. Matthew talks to Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder Marine Utgé-Royo on Podcast 143 to discuss how Tesselo’s technology is tracking changes in forests and how it can help with complian...

2021-06-2033 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Building a successful technology enabled MGA (142)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: ...

2021-06-1330 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Elizabeth Marston: Co-founder, Sotera Heritage: Old meets new - using the latest technology to insure antiquities (141)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 the...

2021-06-0622 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Richard Garry: Chief Commercial Officer, Gamma Location Intelligence: Build vs buy - getting the best location intelligence information (140)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 I...

2021-05-3020 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Evan Glassman: Co-founder, New Paradigm Underwriters: Parametric insurance - delivering US hurricane & quake cover since 2013 (138)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 pa...

2021-05-1634 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Dr Anushka Patchava: Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Vitality: Where clinical meets digital - insights from health insurance (137)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. ...

2021-05-0926 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Jane Toothill & Matt Reid: JBA Risk Management: US flood - lessons learnt from the UK (136)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 i...

2021-05-0226 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Bob Frady & John Siegman: CEO & CCA, HazardHub: The data you need at a price you can afford (135)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 Siegm...

2021-04-2523 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Adrien Cohen: Co-founder & President, Tractable: Damage assessment with AI - fast, scalable, global (134)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: W...

2021-04-1829 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Andy Thompson: Co-founder & CEO, Safehub: Sensors and sensitivity - Real time property earthquake risk assessment (133)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 ea...

2021-04-1131 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Location Intelligence 2021: Nigel Walsh enquires, Matthew Grant reveals (132)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 intellige...

2021-04-0437 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Arjun Ramdas: CEO, Charles Taylor InsureTech: Platforms, data collaboration and market efficiency (125)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 fre...

2021-02-1424 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Top tips for fundraising: The founders' stories (124)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...

2021-02-0735 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Ben Hubbard: CEO & Co-founder, Parsyl: Cold chains, Covid & parametric insurance (123)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...

2021-01-3142 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Robin Merttens & Mark Geoghegan: E-Trading Platforms: Challenges, Opportunities and Imperative (122)Robin Merttens talks to guest host Mark Geoghegan ahead of the release of our new report on e-trading of reinsurance and complex risks. E-Trading Platforms: Challenges, Opportunities and Imperative examines the renewed interest in the platforms space, accelerated by Covid-19, Lloyd’s Blueprint Two and the needs of increasingly demanding customers. Talking points include: What’s needed to help e-trading catch on The lessons learned so far Who is doing what in the platform space How to get brokers on board The role that Lloyd’s has to play E-Trading Platforms: Challenges, Opportunities and Imper...

2021-01-2730 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Mark Patterson, Deloitte & Mark Eastham, Avantia: What 8,000 people want from their insurer (121)On Podcast 121, Matthew Grant talks to Mark Patterson from Deloitte about its survey, The Future of Home and Motor Insurance. The survey is the result of interviews with 8,000 consumers across 12 countries. Mark Eastham, CEO of Avantia, which sells insurance under its HomeProtect brand, joins the discussion with a view from insurance. Talking points include: The importance of simplicity Pros and cons of embedded insurance products Connected devices and what’s holding the market back Flexibility of policy systems Why parametric solutions are capturing consumer attention Download the Deloitte report here. Read edit...

2021-01-2455 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Pascal Millaire: CEO, CyberCube: Powering profitable cyber insurance growth (120)The increasing threat from cyber attacks has presented the insurance industry with its biggest opportunity in over a century, according to Pascal Millaire. The CyberCube CEO joins host Matthew Grant to discuss the expansion of the cyber insurance market since his first podcast appearance in 2019, and why the world’s largest insurance institutions are turning to CyberCube to manage their cyber exposures. Talking points include: Business interruption and lessons from Covid-19 The role of data, and how to access it, in improving modelling capabilities Establishing clear exclusions and lines for cyber risk How brokers ar...

2021-01-1938 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Parul Kaul-Green: Chief of Staff, AXA XL Asia and Europe: Reconnecting insurance with its purpose (119)This week we're hearing from a well-known leader from one of the largest global speciality insurers, AXA XL and someone who always provides a refreshing perspective on what is happening around us. The core purpose of insurance is to provide a safety net for customers. As the industry looks at improving its own efficiency, is it at risk of losing sight of that purpose? Robin Merttens is this week's host, and our guest is Parul Kaul-Green, Chief of Staff, AXA XL Asia and Europe. Talking points include: The importance of context in dig...

2021-01-1024 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens The Friend's Forecasts 2021 - 20 People's Predictions (118)After the rollercoaster of 2020 it’s a brave soul that’s willing to commit to what 2021 will look like. But running a global network of talented and successful people means that we have been able to dip into the collective wisdom of 20 of our friends and supporters from InsTech London. We crowdsourced what is top of mind from some of the best people to predict the year ahead – i.e. those that are part of making it happen. One investor, two reinsurers, three consultants, five Lloyd’s syndicates, six growing insurtechs, and three others – all that was m...

2021-01-0341 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Robin Merttens & Matthew Grant: Partners’ Chat Christmas Special (117)A pause from interviewing our usual guests this week as Matthew Grant and Robin Merttens - the InsTech London partners - are back to reflect on the year that's passed and what's coming up. Find out: how we've been getting on putting some of the insurtech offerings to the test - personally high and low points of the year the insured and uninsurable from real life to digital in 26 steps and more random recollections. Normal service will be resumed soon. Keep track of everything we are up to at instech.london and sign up...

2020-12-2737 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Rod Fox: CEO, TigerRisk Partners: Capital, culture and challenging the status quo (116)Rod Fox co-founded TigerRisk Partners in 2008 after spotting a gap in the reinsurance market. Just over a decade later, the company has established itself in a leadership role and a reputation for innovation. Rod joins Matthew on Episode 116 to discuss how the company has grown, the future of the broker, and why he feel right now is the most interesting time for insurance. Talking points include: Solving problems through technology The future of placement platforms Protection gap and opportunities Embedded insurance solutions Building a culture to attract talent Keep track of everything we...

2020-12-2038 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Neta Rozy: Co-founder and CTO, Parametrix Insurance: Parametric downtime insurance (115)Covid-19 has led to insurance companies ramping up the speed of their digital evolution, but relying on third-party services like a cloud provider creates new external risks that need insuring. Parametrix Insurance was launched 18 months ago to protect businesses from the hidden costs of going offline. As well as attracting strong interest from brokers, the company also had a parametric product named after them in the Lloyd’s Lab. Co-founder and CTO Neta Rozy joins Matthew on Episode 115 to discuss the company’s rapid growth and how they’re using technology to monitor thousands of digital...

2020-12-1331 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Mark Varley: Founder and CEO, Addresscloud: Hitting the spot - getting location accuracy right (114)To provide the right insurance for homes and workplaces, insurers have to be sure of the exact location of the assets. But 500 years on from the creation of the UK’s Royal Mail, the challenge of knowing where something is and what surrounds it remains. Addresscloud is one company rising to that challenge. Five years on from launch, it has processed 32-million addresses and 25-million buildings, with the data being used to help insurers quote and bind, fight wildfires in the US and even for organic vegetable deliveries. Founder and CEO Mark Varley join...

2020-12-0631 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Paul Prendergast: CEO and Co-founder, Blink Parametric: Parametric, payments & protection (113)Blink Parametric’s new Hurricane Non-Damage Business Interruption solution, developed in the Lloyd’s Lab, cuts waiting times for payouts from months to days. It’s the latest product from a company that has emerged as a leader in parametric solutions through identifying the right data and an innovative technology platform. CEO and Co-founder Paul Prendergast joins Matthew to discuss his experience of the Lloyd’s Lab, the benefits of parametric solutions and some great advice on growing a successful company. Talking points include: Making parametric solutions work for underwriters Distribution and the route t...

2020-11-2933 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Robin Roberson: Founder of WeGoLook & Managing Director of Claim Central Consolidated: A journey of people, platforms and perseverance (112)Turning a start-up into a successful company requires the ability to clearly identify customer problems and spotting market opportunities for growth. A conversation with a friend about eBay led Robin Roberson to found WeGoLook, which grew from mitigating risks around online purchases to helping assess property damage from natural catastrophes. Robin joins Matthew on Podcast 112 to share her inspiring story on growing a new business, leveraging technology and her new role at Claim Central Consolidated. Talking points include: Switching careers and starting a company Why start-ups need to shift and pivot Finding th...

2020-11-2233 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Mark Cunningham: Co-founder, WhenFresh: The data supermarket and its master chefs (111)A shortage of data isn’t a problem in insurance but identifying sources that are high-quality can mean a lot of shopping around. WhenFresh is one company looking to speed up that process, through what Co-founder Mark Cunningham calls a ‘digital supermarket’ of curated choices for insurers and lenders. He joins Matthew on Podcast 111 to explain how the technology works and why WhenFresh should be “the least exciting company” that insurers work with. Talking points include: Getting trusted data during Covid-19 Identifying new sources and partners Moral hazards and customer experience Why insurers s...

2020-11-1538 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Paul Mang: Chief Innovation Officer, Guidewire: Insurance analytics for 21st century risk management (110)Insurance might be “swimming in data” - but without actionable insights that data is just noise. Matthew catches up with Paul Mang, Chief Innovation Officer at Guidewire to explore the latest developments in innovation, modelling and interpreting data to advance the understanding and management of risk. Talking points include: Parallels between biotechnology and insurance Sense-making of data for actionable insights The challenges of managing cyber risk Innovating through the Guidewire Marketplace The hype vs reality of IoT and sensors Keep track of everything we are up to at InsTech London and sign up to our n...

2020-11-0843 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Gianni Biason: Head Property & Specialty Solutions, Swiss Re: Insurance product innovation at scale (109)Founded in 1863, Swiss Re is one of the world’s largest reinsurance companies and is well known for its innovative use of technology, data and willingness to address global issues like climate change. Head of Property & Speciality Solutions Gianni Biason joins Matthew on Podcast 109 to discuss the opportunities for growth in insurance, building new technology solutions for clients, and what Swiss Re is looking for from external partners. Talking points include: Areas of focus at Swiss Re Balancing partnerships between early-stage and established companies Parametric insurance growth and opportunities Understanding the risks from climate ch...

2020-11-0131 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Andres Webersinke: Global Chief Underwriting Officer, Life/Health at Gen Re: Reinventing customer care (108)We're back talking directly to a senior executive from a major reinsurance company about their views on innovation and what they see as the industry’s major challenges. Andres Webersinke, Global Chief Underwriting Officer for Life/Health at Gen Re, joins Matthew on Podcast 108 to reveal the rethinking of customer relationships and harnessing new technology Listen now for more on: How Covid-19 has kickstarted innovation Changing risks and influencing behaviour Building customer loyalty through regular communications The lessons to learn from Asia How insurtechs can work with Gen Re Keep track of everything we...

2020-10-2542 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Clive Rich: Founder & Chairman, LawBite: Legal platforms & partnerships (107)Insurance is about managing risk, but so is law - and both industries are discovering the changes and challenges from new sources of data, remote working and the power of platforms. LawBite was founded in 2011 to provide affordable and accessible online access to legal services and is now supporting over 1,000 small/medium sized businesses. Founder & Chairman Clive Rich joins Matthew on InsTech London Podcast 107 to discuss the company’s beginnings and growth, and how it uses technology to embed legal support into everyday transactions. Talking points include: Reaching an SME audience through new...

2020-10-1834 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Andre Symes: CGO, Genasys Technologies: Agile products and speed to market (106)Staying relevant and able to embrace new technology is a big challenge for any established company. Despite being 20 years old, Genasys Technologies continues to innovate and work on new solutions for emerging and establishing companies, deploying policy administration systems for insurance products, including no-code solutions. CGO Andre Symes joined Matthew on Podcast 106 to discuss the company's approach to innovation, how Genasys is partnering with others and what has driven its growth over the past two decades. Talking points and lessons include: Combining the best of legacy with new technology Implementing no-code solutions ...

2020-10-1127 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Jeroen Morrenhof: CEO & co-founder, FRISS: Underwriting and claims fraud revealed (105)One of the most effective uses of data and analytics in insurance is to prevent fraud both at the point of underwriting and from claims. Jeroen Morrenhof founded FRISS in 2006 and today the company has over 180 implementations of its technology around the world. Identifying potential fraud creates savings direct to the bottom line - Jeroen believes FRISS has saved its clients over 1 billion dollars. Join Matthew Grant as he finds out what motivated Jeroen to start the company and lessons from the last 14 years including: the choice between bootstrapping and bringing in external funding ...

2020-10-0430 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Kate Stillwell: CEO and Founder, Jumpstart: Earthquake parametric insurance in practice (104)Five years ago Kate Stillwell had a vision of how she could help people recover quickly after they had suffered the effects of an earthquake. Today she has set up a company, acquired clients and gained insurance capacity. Jumpstart is now providing parametric earthquake insurance cover for homeowners in California and exploring expansion into other states. CEO and founder, Kate Stillwell, joins Matthew to explain what inspired her vision for Jumpstart and how its products differ from conventional insurance. Listen now to learn more on: Turning a vision into a viable business ...

2020-09-2735 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Marcus East: Technical Director, Office of the CTO at Google: cloud, culture, collaboration and innovation (103)Google’s products are playing an increasingly important role helping insurance companies innovate and grow. There are also lessons for everyone in how the company has developed a culture to keep its own innovation fresh and relevant. Marcus East, Technical Director, Office of the CTO at Google, joins Matthew on Episode 103 to explain how Google is driving change in the industry, and share some fascinating insights into Google’s culture of innovation. Talking points include: Lessons on the role of culture in fostering innovation in within large companies The future of AI and Machine Learn...

2020-09-2033 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Stephen Brittain: Co-founder, Insurtech Gateway: Secrets of scale - incubation & investment (102)There is no shortage of ideas, and opportunities, for starting up new companies in and around insurance, but scaling fast, with access to capital, capacity and connections is critical. Stephen Brittain is the Co-founder of Insurtech Gateway, an incubator and fund offering start-ups advice, investment and capacity, with a portfolio that includes By Miles, FloodFlash and Jumpstart. He joins Matthew on Episode 102 of the podcast to give an investor’s view on the market and some great insights for founders. Talking points include: Defining an underserved target market How to scale at sp...

2020-09-1332 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Scott Quiana: Head of Products, Marketing & Partnerships, Quantemplate: Turning data into insights (101)Launched in 2013 Quantemplate was one of the early insurtech stories in the London and US, but after a few years things went quiet. Quantemplate had not gone away, but instead had been busily building up its technology to organise, clean and harmonise the variety of data being used by insurers around the world. In this episode Matthew Grant talks to Scott Quiana to find out: How an emerging company found its product-market fit Why it's so important to be part of the client workflow and how to do so Deploying Machine Language and Artificial Intelligence at s...

2020-09-0621 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Matthew Grant, Robin Merttens and Paolo Cuomo: The Partners' Centenary Chat (100)Matthew Grant, Robin Merttens and Paolo Cuomo reunite for a special InsTech London Partners’ Chat to celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast. Reflections on the past five years of insurance and insurtech, plus thoughts on what’s next for the industry. Talking points include: How and why InsTech London was created The birth of insurtech Changing perceptions of technology Reducing the protection gap The power of community in insurance If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on Linkedin. Fin...

2020-08-3037 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Forbes McKenzie: CEO of McKenzie Intelligence Services: Data driven intelligence (99)Without a good understanding of their clients - both at the time of underwriting and during claims - insurers are increasingly going to struggle to offer the right products, at the right price to the right people. With a background in military intelligence, Forbes McKenzie knows how to combine the data obtained from technology, with that gathered from the essential Human Intelligence. He's used this to great effect in building MIS. Forbes talks to Matthew on Episode 99 to discuss the latest developments in collecting information ranging from satellites to doorbells to the One Under Lime c...

2020-08-2337 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Katie Crook-Davies and Rajasree Variyar: The Risky Mix Podcast hosts: Diversity, inclusion and innovation (98)Katie Crook-Davies and Rajasree Variyar are the hosts of the Risky Mix Podcast which features conversations on making insurance more diverse and inclusive. They join Matthew Grant on Episode 98 to discuss their own experiences of working in the industry, raising awareness of careers opportunities and changing consumer perceptions of insurance. Other talking points include: The value of diversity for innovation Differing attitudes between insurtechs and incumbents Funding challenges for female founders Attracting young talent to the industry Rethinking how we work following Covid-19 If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a...

2020-08-1737 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Andrew Johnston: Global Head of InsurTech, Willis Re: Insurtech innovation insights quarterly (97)Andrew Johnston is Global Head of InsurTech at Willis Re and responsible for the team that produces the Willis Quarterly InsurTech Briefing. Using data and resources from around the world, the briefings have become a great way to keep track of current trends around companies providing technology solutions for insurance. Andrew joined Matthew Grant on Episode 97 to discuss: The diversification of insurtech Success factors for start-ups Changing attitudes around fundraising Trends among investors The growth of Google and Amazon in insurance If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on...

2020-08-0928 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Adam Richards, COO & Founder and Andy Stevenson, Advisor, Albany Group: Supply chain management & operational resilienceAfter spotting a gap in the market, Adam Richards co-founded Albany Group to build technology solutions to help insurers improve their supplies and claims processes, and how they interact with their partners. Listen here or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Adam is joined by Andy Stevenson, a former Albany client now helping to expand the business, talk to Matthew about how their risk and intelligence software helps with supply chain management and improving operational resilience. Talking points include: Self-funding vs external funding The problems with supply chains Building software solutions ar...

2020-08-0233 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Mark Lusted: Managing Director and Founder, Dock9: Innovation for the incumbent (95)Digital innovation agency Dock9 helps incumbents catch up with the start-ups. Its client list ranges from small Lloyd’s brokers to global insurers, such as Arch and Assurant. Managing Director and Founder Mark Lusted joins Matthew to discuss what insurtech has taught insurers about digital engagement. Talking points includes: Best practices for user engagement Getting senior management excited about user testing Designing portals and websites for brokers The rise of chatbots during Covid-19 If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on...

2020-07-2427 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Dan Joyce: General Manager EMEA, SafetyCulture: Risk managed (94)Many companies from outside of insurance are now realising that their data, customers and distributions can be very valuable for insurers and their clients. One of these is SafetyCulture. Its inspections app iAuditor is today used by over 1,000,000 workers in 85 countries to help companies monitor, measure and improve their health and safety. Insurers such as QBE, Zurich and Aviva are finding that companies that have embedded the use of iAuditor into their processes and culture have a greater chance of preventing losses. Dan Joyce, General Manager EMEA at SafetyCulture, joins Matthew on to discuss the p...

2020-07-1931 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Ollie Forsyth: Community Manager, Draper Esprit: Venture Capital - reinvented (92)In the week that Lemonade had its IPO, Matthew Grant has been speaking to another VC firm about what it’s looking for in its portfolio companies. Matthew spoke to Ollie Forsyth who has crammed a lot into only a few years. One of his current roles is community manager at Draper Esprit. Ollie comments on the current technology scene from the view of a millennial, and has advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and those wishing to benefit from what Draper Esprit offer. Ollie brings a different perspective to innovation from our usual guests. As well as...

2020-07-0827 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Barnaby Rugge-Price: CEO, Hyperion X: Broking in the modern world (91)We are hearing alot about what the future is for insurance brokers - where they add value, how they are evolving and even, in some areas, whether they are relevant at all. But when it comes to complicated insurance covers, the brokers that are expanding their traditional roles and moving into offering advice, analytics and data will continue playing a vital role for many years to come. Barnaby Rugge-Price, CEO of Hyperion X, one of the divisions of Hyperion insurance group joins Matthew Grant to discuss how they, as the technology arm of a fast g...

2020-07-0524 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Tony Grosso, Head of Marketing, EIS Group, Coretech - leaving legacy behind (90)Innovation is great, but one thing's clear from the last few years - no insurer can totally abandon its core legacy systems and switch to the latest technology in one simple move. Tony Grosso brings a breadth of practical experience from a career in IT, starting his own business, working at a leading US carrier and now running marketing for EIS Group. EIS was founded in 2008 and describes itself as providing a platform for high velocity insurance operations. In this episode Matthew's discussion with Tony covers a wide range set of topics including: - the r...

2020-07-0338 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens David Daiches, COO, Inshur. Fast, effective, affordable - building an MGA for the new economy (89)Founded in 2016 by David Daiches and Dan Bratshpis INSHUR is an MGA making it easier for ride share drivers, including those covered by New York's TLC (Taxi and Limousine Commission), to get insurance coverage in the US and UK working closely with Uber, Lyft and others. Recorded from INSHUR's offices in Brighton back in March and updated with a call to Paul Doran - VP Marketing (who spoke to us at our event recorded on episode 26 last April). Matthew's discussion with David include: - How to get professional drivers confident in a new insurance coverage...

2020-06-2125 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Gavin Naimer, President Granite International, Remote executive recruiting masterclass (88)Traditionally executive recruiting has relied alot on face to face meetings and personal contact. Whilst recruitment may have slowed down in the last few months it hasn't stopped. In this midweek episode from our occasional masterclass series, Matthew Grant is talking to Gavin Naimer, who has built a business recruiting senior executives for insurance companies and their partners, to find out what's happening. Topics include: - How to assess your candidates, or your next employer, from afar - The questions you must ask - What is the impact on slow down in other...

2020-06-1717 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Florian Graillot, C-founder, astorya.vc; What insurers want - an investor's view (87)One of the fastest ways to find out what's making an impact right now when it comes to innovation in insurance is to talk to the people investing in, and advising to, the companies building new tools and technology. Florian Graillot has over 10 years of experience in investing and chose insurance as the market in which to launch his fund astorya.vc. Today the fund is investing in Aazzur, Wetterheld, Zelros and, in the few days since we recorded this interview, has announced its investment in Sesame it. Florian is also well known as a daily commentator and publisher o...

2020-06-1443 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens - the InsTech London partners chat with Insurance Insider's Catrin Shi (86)Another slight shift for this week's episode. The tables were turned and Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant were interviewed as one of the keynotes for the recent Insurance Insider event "InsiderTech". Catrin Shi asked such great questions - and we haven't recorded a partners' chat for a while - so we polished it up and here it is. We managed to fit all of these into 30 minutes: - What does Insurtech actually mean these days? - How is funding getting in for insurtechs, start-ups and others? - Acceleration in activity over last few...

2020-06-0723 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Frank Perkins, CEO, Inari: Technical tips to enable insurance innovation (85)Whether launching a start-up or running a major company, the decisions you make about the technology you use and the people working closely with you will be critical to the success of your business. In this episode Matthew Grant talks to Frank Perkins, CEO and founder of Inari. Frank comes from a background of building technology whilst working inside major insurance companies and in 2017 launched Inari. Frank and his colleagues participated in the Lloyd's Lab in 2019 and are providing the underwriting infrastructure and analytical tools for companies in the UK and Europe. In this episode w...

2020-05-3125 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Ki, the algorithmic underwriter. Mark Allan, CFO & James Birch, Head of Innovation, Brit Insurance (84)Whilst some organisations may look elsewhere to blame for the increasing costs of placing insurance in London, Brit has decide to strike out and show what digital can mean for an established company with the launch of Ki, it's algorithmic syndicate. In this episode Matthew Grant talks to Mark Allan CFO of Brit, and James Birch, head of innovation to learn about the motivation for launching this new initiative, how it will work and why they chose to partner with Google Cloud and University College London. Topics covered included: What is a lead-follow syndicate? How will K...

2020-05-2430 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Sean Ringsted, Chief Digital Officer, Chubb; Prevent & Predict - IOT Success Stories (83)The potential for sensors, data and IOT (Internet of Things) to dramatically improve risk reduction has been known for many years. Telematics are now widely used for motor insurance, but some insurers still struggle to find ways to effectively partner with their clients to integrate the use of IOT into their overall offering. Sean Ringsted is chief digital officer at global insurer Chubb. He's also the company's chief risk officer and was formerly chief actuary, sitting on the company's executive committee. He is one of the best-placed people in the industry to both know, and influence, the u...

2020-05-1729 min

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens Andy Thomas & Melanie Hayes, Co-Founders, Kynd, Making Cyber Simple (82)With all the attention on COVID-19 just now there is a risk we forget one of the other emerging risks of the last few years - cyber. But of course it's still very much a threat and, in some areas, growing. Most large companies will have their own CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) but for smaller or medium sized companies it's harder to be able to assess their exposure, understand how to reduce the risk and know what insurance options are available. Kynd was only founded two years ago by Andy Thomas (CEO) and Melanie Hayes (Chief...

2020-05-1025 min