Instech London Podcast

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 what’s next How to encourage entrepreneur diversity in insurtech If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.  Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CI

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 ESG across organisations Practical examples of measuring climate impact and organisational change Where insurers can have the biggest impact on carbon emissions Defining consistent terminology and standardised frameworks Opportunities for third parties around unstructured climate data Climate Change Measurement and Regulation, a new report from InsTech London on reporting insurers’ clim

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 of Responsible Business, Beazley Dana Foley, Head of Catastrophe Research, Chaucer Group Christopher Perceval, Head of ESG Business Development, EMEA, S&P Global Sustainable1 This episode also features additional insights from Fathom’s Chief Operations Officer Dr Andrew Smith and Tom Philp, CEO of Maximum Information. Talking points include: Building risk models for Envir

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 now is a fascinating time for insurance. Talking points include: Innovating in-house - insurer success stories How start-ups win - why a strong business model beats hype The growth of embedded insurance and moving beyond acquisitions Making claims savings - efficiency vs lower indemnity Going “digital” and how to overcome the challenges facing insurers post-pandemic Bryan Falchuk is also the host of The Future o

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 MGA Strategies, Aon Ruta Mikiskaite, Head of Client Solutions UK and Ireland, Swiss Re Jenny Williams, Portfolio Optimisation Director, Convex Joan Cuscó, Global Head of Transformation, MAPFRE Paolo Cuomo, Director of Operations, Brit Insurance Liselotte Munk, CEO, Fadata Keith Aylwin, Director, Alpha

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 the value chain If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. All we are up to www.instech.london Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any In

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, Founder at Reasonful. Talking points include: What is Allyship, and why should you care? Why is Allyship the most powerful thing you can do at work? Why is the future of work about intersectional inclusion and Allyship? What do all the relevant terms mean? For more information on The Camelot Network, go to thecamelotnetwork.com. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform

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 conversation covers how technology is being used in the real-time monitoring of vessels and the data and analytics IHS Markit provides to marine insurers to assist with underwriting, risk allocation, and claims investigation/mitigation. Talking points include:  The main risks involved in container ship journeys How sensors are being used to track individual cargo containers Using data to forecast global supply chain delays Partnering with insurer

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 CEO responsibility as start-ups scale Venture capital trends in Europe and the US If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.  Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insur

This week, we’re bringing you the highlights from our recent live event featuring companies providing and using near real time hazard data to speed up claims handling, reduce costs and provide more accurate underwriting. Data is only any good if it can be easily embedded in the workflow - so we get practical and specific with all our guests to explore real case studies and challenges they have overcome.  Matthew leads off talking to CEO and founder of ICEYE Rafal Modrzewski and Head of Insurance Solutions Lisa Wardlaw. Extracts follow from: Forbes McKenzie, CEO, McKenzie Intelligence Services Alun Jones, Chief Commercial Officer, Addresscloud Andrew Smith, Chief Operations Officer, Fathom Jonathon Hopper, Claims Manager, Atrium Underwriters Colin Masson, Head of First Party Complex Claims, Beazley Gethin Jones, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Skyline Partners Talking points include: Using radar satellite imaging technology to assess flood depths at individual building level Tracking climate risks and ri

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 third parties The growth in remote claims assessments Linking partners and customers through platforms Validating claims using real-time weather data If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning. Continuing Professional Development - Learni

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 watch, which is available to download for free to InsTech London members. If you want to keep up-to-date with the latest parametric insurance news and developments, sign up for our Parametric Post newsletter. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sig

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 crypto insurance Applications of parametric insurance An insurance use case for NFTs (non-fungible tokens) InsTech London's latest report, Demystifying Crypto: the insurance opportunities and challenges, sets out what the insurance industry should know about crypto in more detail.  To learn more about Ensuro, you can read an insight article we wrote about the company earlier this year, 

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. Talking points include: Advantages of the MGA model Creating products for insurer partners Monitoring the market and looking outside of insurance The growth of parametric and usage-based insurance Using telematics to mitigate risk More information on Pen Underwriting is available from the company’s InsTech London member profile page. If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use

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 Jonathan Newbery, Zurich and Jonathan Jackson, Previsico Jay Gentry, SafeGraph Bob Frady, HazardHub (acquired by Guidewire) Anthony Peake, Intelligent AI Laurent de la Porte and Antonin de Benoist, Allphins Talking points include:  What is important for insurance companies when looking for property-related data What information has been hard to get, but is now available How information for the US vari

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 innovation Balancing innovation projects with day-to-day business Building successful commercial partnerships The importance of ecosystems and efficient integration Comparing insurance innovation - differences between the US and Europe Premal’s article, 5 Tips for ensuring Startup-Corporate collaboration success, is available to read on LinkedIn. More information on

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 include: How underwriters are using algorithms The challenges to wider industry adoption Predicting behaviours through technology ‘Digital fracking’ and the importance of structured data Automation as a journey and where we are on it The balance of AI and human input A Practitioner's Guide: Algorithmic underwriting in commercial and specialty insurance is available to downl

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: Aligning innovation with day-to-day underwriting Building an innovation culture Assessing viability and accepting “fast fails” Using natural language processing (NLP) to review claims Collating location data for catastrophe risk underwriting If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a f

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 learn about: The importance of classifying businesses accurately How to find out a lot about a company from just four questions How the insurer can become an expert advisor to its customers The unusual data that can impact risk pricing that insurers don’t usually look at The opportunities in small commercial lines insurance in the US If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or cont

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 investment funding and much more.  Talking points include: Market analysis and how to spot opportunities Focusing on your USP and building the right team The importance of data and how to get it from clients The benefits of ecosystems and harnessing new technologies  Insurtech disruption vs insurer partnerships If you would like to hear more from the speakers and companies involved in the event, you can listen to