InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens

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...

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...

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. Talki...

Robin and Matthew catch up for their quarterly Partners’ Chat on Episode 131 to discuss the latest news and themes emerging in insurance. Talking points include: Whether Covid-19 has actually accelerated innovation Why Robin is expecting a rise in insurtech M&A activity The emergence of real AI insurance products and solutions How Zego managed to become the UK’s first insurtech unicorn Vaccines, f...

Changes to the US government’s National Flood Insurance Programme have created opportunities for insurers to offer alternative solutions for protection against flood risk. Fathom is one of the technology companies helping insurers to do that by providing accurate flood modelling hazard data for the entire US, down to a resolution of one metre. Matthew is joined on Podcast 130 by Fathom’s Chief Ope...

The most useful insurance products are often a combination of a simple concept powered by complex technology.  Flyreel’s AI Assistant is a great example, harnessing the potential of AI in a practical application that allows policyholders to conduct self-inspections using their phone camera. Founder and CEO Cole Winans joins Matthew to discuss how insurers are using Flyreel’s technology to create a...

Using its own constellation of microsatellites, ICEYE is providing insurers with high-resolution, building-level flood depths around the world immediately after an event. VP of Solutions Charles Blanchet joins Matthew to discuss how the company is making satellite technology commercially viable, and how insurers are now able to provide rapid flood loss estimates and efficient claims settlements. ...

The ability to accurately forecast annual changes in the likelihood of damaging hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons occurring has been a challenge in the past.    Now, with advances in technology, research and the use of AI, new companies are emerging with techniques to provide insurers with the evidence they need to confidently change their assessment of potential catastrophe risks over the short t...

Since its inception in 2015, Flock has grown from a promising insurtech to setting its sights on becoming a truly global insurance provider.  The company’s micro-duration policies have made it a market leader for insuring drone flights, and it launched Flock Motor last year to provide flexible, digital-first products to the commercial motor space.  CEO Ed Leon Klinger joins Matthew to discuss the...

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-pr...

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 conversati...

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, comb...

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-...

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...

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 expo...

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'...

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...

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 ran...

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:...

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...

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, w...

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 experienc...

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 inspi...

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 “...

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...