Shows
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensOn 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 MerttensTim 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 MerttensDawn 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 MerttensBen 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 MerttensJohn-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 MerttensJeff 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 MerttensRobert 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 MerttensJonathan 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 MerttensJoan 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 MerttensRich 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 MerttensPaul 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 MerttensAlex 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 MerttensDr 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 MerttensDevin 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 MerttensRuth 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 MerttensKatie 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 MerttensClimate 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 MerttensBryan 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 MerttensPredictions 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 MerttensPartners’ 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 MerttensAllyship, 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 MerttensGeorge 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 MerttensChristian 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 MerttensJeremy 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 MerttensSébastien 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 MerttensMarco 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 MerttensNick 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 MerttensProperty 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 MerttensBrendan 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 MerttensRobin 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 MerttensSimon 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 MerttensPiyush 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 MerttensThe 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 MerttensMark 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 MerttensKarina 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 MerttensNiall 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 MerttensTodd 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 MerttensAndrew 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 MerttensJerad 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 MerttensComplex 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 MerttensPartners' 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 MerttensMick 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 MerttensWilliam 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 MerttensGethin 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 MerttensHemant 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 MerttensRobin 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 MerttensMarine 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 MerttensBuilding 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 MerttensElizabeth 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 MerttensRichard 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 MerttensEvan 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 MerttensDr 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 MerttensJane 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 MerttensBob 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 MerttensAdrien 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 MerttensAndy 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 MerttensLocation 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 MerttensTop 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 MerttensBen 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 MerttensRobin 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 MerttensMark 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 MerttensPascal 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 MerttensParul 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 MerttensThe 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 MerttensRobin 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 MerttensRod 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 MerttensNeta 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 MerttensMark 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 MerttensClive 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 MerttensStephen 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 MerttensScott 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 MerttensMatthew 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 MerttensForbes 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 MerttensKatie 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 MerttensAndrew 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 MerttensAdam 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 MerttensMark 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 MerttensDan 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 MerttensOllie 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 MerttensBarnaby 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 MerttensTony 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 MerttensDavid 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 MerttensGavin 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 MerttensFlorian 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 MerttensMatthew 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 MerttensFrank 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 MerttensKi, 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 MerttensSean 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 MerttensAndy 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
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensNigel Walsh, Partner at Deloitte and insurtech guru (81)Nigel Walsh has been helping the insurance industry get to grips with the opportunities offered by technology for many years - both in his day job as a partner at consulting firm Deloitte, and as a regular speaker, writer and co-host of the Insurtech Insider podcast.
In another lively discussion, Matthew Grant talks to Nigel, covering a wide range of subjects including:
- Has insurtech lived up to its potential?
- Will the future of insurance give us more choice, but more complexity or less choice but more simplicity?
- Starting...2020-05-0337 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensSai Lakshmi, Caura and Amit Patel, Hlthie: Founders we're watching (80)We like to mix it up for our events - a chance to hear from some established companies, insurers and the newcomers. Part of our philosophy at InsTech London is our "pay forward" approach. We lookout for the best upcoming companies, or even just great people with great ideas - and we give them a place to talk about what they are up to. We've been delighted to have so many of our early speakers return as corporate members in the last couple of years supporting what we do, and getting more benefits from our network once they have...2020-04-2613 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensInsTech Investigates: podcasting & recording tips with former BBC sound engineer Peter Roach (75)Wondering about how to create a podcast and best practices for recording sound? In Episode 75 of the InsTech London podcasts, we're kicking off a series of "Instech Investigates" - a look beyond the usual topics and a chance to learn more about the skills you or your team may need in today's world.
Matthew talks to former BBC Sound Engineer Peter Roach, who now runs VisualMonkeys and who is normally on the other side of the microphone editing our weekly podcast. Matthew and Peter discuss podcasting and recording techniques, subject types, what equipment to use and how to...2020-04-0316 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensGoogle Cloud and Insurance – Planning for a Truly Digital Future (74)Remember when we all got together and ran in person events? Recorded live at The Steelyard, Episode 74 features the highlights from our event with Google Cloud, including what their plans are for insurance and they type of companies they want to work with.
InsTech London’s Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant talked to Damion Thompson, Head of Insurance UK, Google Cloud along with some of the partners they are already working with. Take a trip with us down memory lane to hear more from Cytora, Quantiphi, Quantexa, Aviva and Apigee.
A written summary of Episode 74, plus...2020-03-2941 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensGary Hoberman: CEO & founder of Unqork: Accelerating innovation with no-code (73)This week's episode, recorded in February 2020 - is a great lesson in the "art of the possible" when it comes to having, and delivering on a bold vision.
CEO & founder Gary Hoberman and his team have raised more than $150m for Unqork since the company was founded in 2017, to provide "no code" solutions to insurers. Today the company is working with a number of insurers, and at scale. Wondering if legacy is still a problem? Keep listening.
Matthew Grant finds out how and why Gary founded the company on Episode 73 and why their no-code solution is...2020-03-2240 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensDavid King: Founder of Artificial Labs: Organising the world's data (70)After honing his skills and gaining experience in other industries, David King settled on insurance and, with co-founder Johnny Bridges set up Artificial Labs in 2013.
Today Artificial is helping deliver major efficiencies for insurance companies in how they collect and analyse third-party data.
David joined Matthew on Episode 70 of the InsTech London podcast and topics include:
Why the insurance industry is a great place to launch a business
The benefits of different accelerators and incubators
Lessons learned from Ping An and the Chinese market
Identifying the right technology mix for different clients
When to...2020-03-0129 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensRichard Hartley: CEO & Co-Founder of Cytora: Underwriting analytics for commercial insurers (68)As data becomes more widely available, underwriters may have more information to select and price the business they are taking on, but they don't have more time. This week Matthew Grant talks to Richard Hartley about how Cytora has grown since 2014, the challenges of being a founder and how the company helps insurers identify and focus on the accounts that are going to be more profitable. Topics include:
Finding investors as a start-up and scale-up
The challenges of building a team as the company evolves
Cytora's clients
Distributing through other platforms
The role of accelerators and incubators
F...2020-02-1631 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensFuture of Payments in Insurance: Mastercard and Davies Group (67)Live highlights from the InsTech London "Future of Payments" evening at The Steelyard on 21st January 2020 hosted by Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant
Mastercard's Ian Slater & Ruth Polyblank discuss:
Why Mastercard is so enthusiastic about the opportunities of working with partners in insurance
Lessons from the banks and fintech - and relevance for insurtech
Why data will change perceptions of insurance
How insurers can collaborate with Mastercard
Followed by Laura Harvey, Strategic Director at Davies Group on the benefits of virtual credit numbers (VCN) to speed up payments to policyholders.
A written summary of...2020-02-0932 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensErik Abrahamsson: CEO & Founder, Digital Fineprint: Discovering the data to drive decisions (65)Ask someone to name some of the more successful UK insurtech scale-ups and Digital Fineprint (DFP) often gets a mention.
In 3 years CEO and Founder Erik Abrahamsson has taken DFP from holding meetings in a garden shed to raising £7m in funding and securing an impressive list of clients.
He joined Matthew on Episode 65 of the InsTech London podcast for a conversation that covered:
Using new data sources for selecting and pricing SME insurance
Tips for a new company on pitching to prospective clients
Why in a world that is turning digital, personal contact st...2020-01-2628 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensInsurance leadership: what do they really care about? (62)We've interviewed well over 100 people in 2019 and you can hear most of them on the InsTech London podcasts. Our guests share fantastic insights - whether on stage speaking to us at our events, or for Matthew's longer in-depth interviews. The leaders from insurance companies, the founders and CEO of technology companies (small and large) that they are working with and others that are truly influencing the shape of the industry.
Over the break we've been looking to see what consistent themes have emerged during our chats to some of the leading figures from a handful of the l...2020-01-0526 min
InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin MerttensThe InsTech Partners' wrap up: Looking back, looking forward (60)Robin and Matthew grabbed some time out from a busy year-end to review their personal highlights from the past 12 months, and take look at what's coming up in the next few months. Topics included:
Redefining insurtech
From start-ups to the big guys: innovation on all fronts
Funding
The growth in the Life & Health market
Our plans for 2020
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You can get the latest InsTech London news and event announcements by si...2019-12-2215 min