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Modern Insurance Magazine Issue 69

Insight: Modern Risks: Another World Should Be Possible, Julie Graham, CEO, Airmic Interview: Three Cheers for 25 Years: In Conversation with Adrian Jolly, BDMA In Discussion: Weathering the Storm in Home and Property Claims Editorial Board: Find out what our editorial board panel of experts have to say in this edition of Modern Insurance Magazine. Associations Assemble: Modern Insurance's panel of resident associations outline the burning issues in insurance. The Fraud Board: Don’t miss our next instalment of The Fraud Board, where our growing collective of fraud experts convene to discuss the key factors affecting the fight against fraud in our industry today. Just a Thought with Eddie Longworth... Insurance: A Risky Business Thatcham Research: Driving Change: Navigating Modern Motor Insurance Risk Welcoming… Auxillis, Q&A with Mel Bebbington, Managing Director, Auxillis Welcoming… Witness Wise, Q&A with Gilly Daniels, Managing Director, Witness Wise I Love Claims / ARC 360: Navigating Risk in a Changing World In Celebration: Global Insurtech Awards 2024 10 Minutes with… Hein Hemke, Managing Director, BELFOR UK Insurtech Insights: Megan Kuczynski, Senior Strategic Advisor, Insurtech Insights / Founder & CEO, ClimateTech Connect; Margeaux Giles, Founder & CEO, IRYS Insurtech; James Berrocal Sizemore, Chief Strategist – Insurance, Informatica; Garrett Droege, Head of Innovation, Digital Risk Practice Lead, IMA Financial Group; Lisa Wardlaw, President & Founder, 360 Digital Immersion Insur.Tech.Talk Editorial Board: Experts from within the insurtech sector and beyond join us once more to share their unique insights!

Insight: Modern Risks: Another World Should Be Possible, Julie Graham, CEO, Airmic
Interview: Three Cheers for 25 Years: In Conversation with Adrian Jolly, BDMA
In Discussion: Weathering the Storm in Home and Property Claims
Editorial Board: Find out what our editorial board panel of experts have to say in this edition of Modern Insurance Magazine.
Associations Assemble: Modern Insurance's panel of resident associations outline the burning issues in insurance.
The Fraud Board: Don’t miss our next instalment of The Fraud Board, where our growing collective of fraud experts convene to discuss the key factors affecting the fight against fraud in our industry today.
Just a Thought with Eddie Longworth... Insurance: A Risky Business
Thatcham Research: Driving Change: Navigating Modern Motor Insurance Risk
Welcoming… Auxillis, Q&A with Mel Bebbington, Managing Director, Auxillis
Welcoming… Witness Wise, Q&A with Gilly Daniels, Managing Director, Witness Wise
I Love Claims / ARC 360: Navigating Risk in a Changing World
In Celebration: Global Insurtech Awards 2024
10 Minutes with… Hein Hemke, Managing Director, BELFOR UK
Insurtech Insights: Megan Kuczynski, Senior Strategic Advisor, Insurtech Insights / Founder & CEO, ClimateTech Connect; Margeaux Giles, Founder & CEO, IRYS Insurtech; James Berrocal Sizemore, Chief Strategist – Insurance, Informatica; Garrett Droege, Head of Innovation, Digital Risk Practice Lead, IMA Financial Group; Lisa Wardlaw, President & Founder, 360 Digital Immersion
Insur.Tech.Talk Editorial Board: Experts from within the insurtech sector and beyond join us once more to share their unique insights!

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ISSUE

69

ISSN 2515-3803

BALANCE

THE

RISK

2025 Contributors

Media Partners


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WELCOME

Hello, and Happy New Year!

In the first issue of 2025, we’re looking at ways to assess,

manage and mitigate risk in a world where new threats

continue to present themselves all the time. In an industry that

specialises in protecting our dearest assets, how is the modern

insurance industry navigating this landscape, considering new

challenges and sharing best practice whilst working towards

effective, mutual solutions?

Julie Graham, CEO at Airmic, joins us on p.8 to further outline these emerging risks

- driven as they are by increased maturity in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI),

continued growth in risk complexity, and a race to source the necessary talent in

order to effectively manage this landscape.

Amelia Barlow, Editor

We also caught up with Adrian Jolly, Chair of the British Damage Management

Association (BDMA), to celebrate the association’s 25th birthday and discover more

about the challenges facing the damage management industry at the moment.

The conversation continues in our annual Home and Property Claims forum (p.14-

19), showcasing leading observations from some of the most prominent insurers,

specialists and commentators within this area of the market.

As always, our treasured Editorial Board members share their wealth of knowledge

from p.21 onwards - followed by that of our well-loved industry associations from

p.33, and our thriving panel of insurance fraud experts from p.41.

It’s always a pleasure to work closely alongside the wonderful Megan Kuczynski,

supporting each other through the curation of another outstanding panel of

insurance technology experts for Insur.Tech.Talk (p.64-71). Situated in the second

half of the magazine, you can also hear more from the winners of our 2024 Global

Insurtech Awards (p.56-61) and catch up with our dedicated board of insurtech

specialists from p.73 onwards.

Rachael Pearson, Project Manager

Rachael Pearson

Project Manager

Modern Insurance Magazine

rachael.pearson@charltongrant.co.uk

Happy reading!

Amelia

Amelia Day Barlow,

Editor,

Modern Insurance Magazine.

amelia@charltongrant.co.uk

Market-Leading Outsourced Claims Services

www.carpentersgroup.co.uk

ISSUE 69

ISSN 2515-3803

Editor

Amelia Barlow

Project Manager & Events Sales

Rachael Pearson

Modern Insurance Magazine

is published by Charlton Grant Ltd ©2025

All material is copyrighted both written and illustrated. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly

forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. All images and information is collated

from extensive research and along with advertisements is published in good faith. Although the

author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this publication

was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any

liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether

such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

MODERN INSURANCE | 3


Contents

8

41

12

65

14

4 | MODERN INSURANCE


8

12

14

21

33

41

49

51

52

53

Insight

Modern Risks: Another World

Should Be Possible, Julie Graham,

CEO, Airmic

Interview

Three Cheers for 25 Years: In

Conversation with Adrian Jolly, Chair

of the British Damage Management

Association (BDMA)

In Discussion

Weathering the Storm in Home and

Property Claims

Editorial Board

Find out what our editorial board

panel of industry experts have to say

in this edition of Modern Insurance

Magazine.

Associations

Assemble

Modern Insurance’s panel of resident

associations outline the burning

issues from their unique area of the

industry.

Fraud Board

Don’t miss our regular instalment

of The Fraud Board, where our

collective of fraud experts convene

to discuss the key factors affecting

the fight against fraud in today’s

modern insurance landscape.

Features

Just a Thought with Eddie

Longworth:

Insurance: A Risky Business

Driving Change: Navigating Modern

Motor Insurance Risk, by Jonathan

Hewett, Chief Executive, Thatcham

Research

Welcoming… Auxillis

Mel Bebbington, Managing Director,

Auxillis

Welcoming… Witness Wise

Gilly Daniels, Managing Director,

Witness Wise

55

56

63

I Love Claims / ARC 360: Navigating

Risk in a Changing World

In Celebration

Global Insurtech Awards 2024

10 Minutes with...

10 Minutes with… Hein Hemke,

Managing Director, BELFOR UK

Insur.Tech.Talk

Interviews

65 Welcome

Megan Kuczynski, Senior Strategic

Advisor, Insurtech Insights, Founder

& CEO, ClimateTech Connect

66

68

70

73

Irys Insurtech x Informatica

Margeaux Giles, Founder & CEO,

IRYS Insurtech

James Berrocal Sizemore, Chief

Strategist – Insurance, Informatica

Garrett Droege

Garrett Droege, Head of Innovation,

Digital Risk Practice Lead, IMA

Financial Group

Redefining Distribution with Lisa

Wardlaw

Insights from ‘Insurance Unplugged’

Season 5

Insur.Tech.Talk

Editorial Board

Experts from the insurtech sector

join us once more to share their

unique insights!

INSUR.TECH.TALK BOARD

Disclaimer: Our publications contain advertising material submitted by third parties. Each individual advertiser is solely responsible for the content of its advertising

material. We accept no responsibility for the content of advertising material, including, without limitation, any error, omission or inaccuracy therein. We do not endorse,

and are not responsible or liable for, any advertising or products in such advertising, nor for any any damage, loss or offence caused or alleged to be caused by, or in

connection with, the use of or reliance on any such advertising or products in such advertising.

MODERN INSURANCE | 5


Editorial Board

21

23

25

ARTIFICIAL

INTELLIGENCE (AI)

IN PERSONAL INJURY

CLAIMS: RISKY

BUSINESS?

Darren Hall, Chief Operating Officer,

Carpenters Group

MANAGING RISK

THROUGH EFFECTIVE

PROCESSES AND

PROCEDURES

Will Prest, Product Manager,

ParaCode

ASSESSING, MANAGING

AND MITIGATING RISK IN

RECOVERY RESCUE

Jason Brice, Managing Director,

CMG

TOTAL LOSS TAKES

EMOTIONAL TOLL

Mia Constable, Head of Business

Development, e2e Total Loss

Solutions

SUPPORTING

VULNERABLE

CUSTOMERS THROUGH

CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS

Deborah Edwards, Chief Executive

Officer, RTW Plus

27

29

31

OUR RISK LANDSCAPE

Chris McKie, Chief Executive Officer,

Vizion Network

ENSURING VULNERABLE

CUSTOMERS ARE

ADEQUATELY

SUPPORTED

Lucy Collett, Head of Customer

Experience, QuestGates

MITIGATING UNIQUE

RISKS AT LYONS

DAVIDSON

Mark Savill, Managing Director,

Lyons Davidson

THE NECESSITY OF

PLANNING AHEAD

Robin Lang, Insurance Services

Director, FMG

COLLABORATION IN

AN AMPLIFIED RISK

LANDSCAPE

Lior Koskas, CEO, Digilog UK

The Fraud Board

41

WELCOME

Mark Allen, Assistant Director,

Head of Fraud and Financial Crime,

Association of British Insurers (ABI)

6 | MODERN INSURANCE


43 IASIU

IASIU: Looking Ahead to 2025

Aimee Stidham, Vice President,

International Association of Special

Investigation Units (IASIU)

MARSHMALLOW

Tackling Fraud and Building Trust for

Underserved Markets

Ash Jackson, Head of Fraud,

Marshmallow

45 FRISS

Keeping up with the Fraudsters

Martyn Griffiths, Sales Manager UK&I,

FRISS RGI Solutions

47

48

LV=

Curiosity Killed the Fraudster

Ben Fletcher, Head of Financial Crime,

LV= General Insurance

CHARLES TAYLOR

Document Validation Tech Turns the

Tables on Fraudsters

Bobby Gracey, Global Head of

Counter Fraud, Charles Taylor

WHITELK

Yuletide Lessons: Santa Claus Jailed,

Billions Left Distraught

Matt Gilham, Director, Whitelk

NETWATCH GLOBAL

Data Protection Should Enable

Innovation

David Purcell, Chief Operating Officer,

NetWatch Global

35 CHO

Managing Risk in Credit Hire

Anthony Hughes, Chair & CEO, Credit

Hire Organisation (CHO)

IAEA

Risk and Reward

David Punter, President, Institute of

Automotive Engineer Assessors (IAEA)

37 CII

Barriers Persist in Access to Justice

Sue Brown, Chair, Motor Accident

Solicitors Society (MASS)

MGAA

Staying Ahead: A Spotlight on

Compliance for MGAs

Mike Keating, CEO, Managing General

Agents’ Association (MGAA)

39 BIBA

Ransomware Resistance in the

Insurance Community

Shaune Worrall, Deputy Head of General

Insurance, British Insurance Brokers’

Association (BIBA)

FOIL

AI in 2025

Simon Murray, Technology and Cyber

Liabilities Sector Focus Team, Forum of

Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) and Partner,

DWF

MODERN INSURANCE | 7


INSIGHT

MODERN RISKS:

ANOTHER WORLD

SHOULD BE POSSIBLE

As we head into a New Year, the planets of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Financial

Conduct Authority (FCA) are in alignment. Technology, geopolitics and climate are all topics at the

top of their agendas, with emerging risks driven and shaped by increasing maturity in the use of

Artificial Intelligence (AI), continued growth in risk complexity, and a race to source the talent to

effectively manage this landscape. Interesting opportunities in the risk and insurance professions will

continue to exist, but role profiles will change, alongside the priorities of those that can be retained

and attracted to the industry in the first place.

8 | MODERN INSURANCE


INSIGHT

Attracting Talent in a New Risk Landscape

The World Economic Forum 2025: Future of Jobs

Report said that analytical thinking remains the most

sought-after core skill among employers, with 7 out

of 10 companies considering it to be essential in 2025.

This is followed by resilience, flexibility and agility,

along with leadership and social influence.

An understanding of AI and big data topped

the list of fastest-growing skills, followed closely

by networks, cybersecurity and technology

literacy. Complementing these technology-related

skills, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility,

curiosity and lifelong learning are also expected to

rise in importance over the next five years.

Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture, employs a simple

strategy when evaluating job candidates in this new

world. During a recent interview on the ‘In Good

Company’ podcast, Sweet revealed that she asks

all applicants the same question: “What have you

learned in the last six months?”

Sweet explained the rationale behind her approach,

stating, “A lot of the time people are asking me,

‘How do I know if someone’s a learner?’ And it’s a

very simple way to know. If someone can’t answer

that question—and by the way, we don’t care if

it’s ‘I learned to bake a cake’—then we know that

they’re not a learner.” This question is applicable

to candidates across many roles. Sweet believes

it provides a direct way to assess curiosity and

a commitment to continuous self-improvement,

traits she sees as critical in today’s ever-changing

workplace environment.

While global job numbers are projected to grow

by 2030, existing and emerging skills differences

between growing and declining roles could

exacerbate existing skills gaps. The most prominent

skills differentiating growing jobs from declining jobs

are anticipated to comprise resilience, flexibility and

agility; resource management and operations; quality

control; programming and technological literacy.

Given these evolving demands, the scale of necessary

upskilling and reskilling remains significant within

the global workforce. Skill gaps are considered the

biggest barrier to business transformation by Future

of Jobs survey respondents, with 63% of employers

identifying a major barrier over the 2025-2030

period. Accordingly, 85% of employers surveyed plan

to prioritise upskilling their workforce, with 70% of

employers expecting to hire staff with new skills, 40%

planning to reduce staff base as their skills become

less relevant, and 50% planning to transition staff

from declining to growing roles.

MODERN INSURANCE | 9


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INSIGHT

In this world, there will be

little room for old ways

of thinking, as new risks

emerge and new risk

solutions are demanded

The Role of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in

Talent Acquisition

Supporting employee health and wellbeing is also

expected to be a top focus for talent attraction,

with 64% of surveyed employers identifying this as

a key strategy to increase talent availability.

The potential for expanding talent availability by

tapping into diverse talent pools is highlighted

by four times more employers (47%) than two

years ago (10%). Diversity, equity and inclusion

(DEI) initiatives have become more prevalent,

with 83% of employers reporting such an initiative

in place, compared to 67% in 2023. This seems

particularly popular for companies headquartered

in North America (with a 96% uptake rate), and for

employers with over 50,000 employees (95%).

Artificial Intelligence

Finally, half of employers plan to re-orient their

business in response to AI, whilst two-thirds plan

to hire talent with specific AI skills. Meanwhile, 40%

anticipate reducing their workforce where AI can

automate tasks.

Reflecting this feedback, several global businesses

have already announced job cuts in recent

months. The World Economic Forum predicts that

technology jobs in areas like AI and big data will

double by the year 2030, indicating a shift in the

employability landscape as new roles emerge while

others become obsolete.

As we look back over the last two decades,

experience will provide some idea of what the next

two decades have in store. However, of the world’s

top 20 companies by market capitalisation at the

end of 2005, only four will remain in the top 20 as

we enter 2025. To compete, organisations will need

to continually escalate investment and improve

their capabilities.

criminal activity’, and ‘regulatory changes,

compliance, and enforcement’. However, opinion

on how much risk professionals currently inform

strategic decision-making was varied. This calls

into question whether existing approaches to

managing risk and risk financing will be sufficient

when navigating the future risk landscape. More

work is required to boost the ability of risk

professionals if they are to play a convincing role in

this context.

Purpose must also become clearer, and business

models will evolve when they are fuelled by further

technological step changes. We will see a new

dawn rising as we stand on the cusp of incredible

times.

Find Your Purpose

There are two key aspects to an organisation’s

purpose – the ‘why’ and the ‘who’. The ‘why’

explains the organisation’s reason for being,

whilst the ‘who’ highlights which stakeholders

an organisation exists to serve. This allows an

organisation to define why it exists, what it exists

for, and who it benefits.

Everything the Financial Reporting Council

does is framed in terms of pursuing its purpose.

It describes what they are ultimately trying to

achieve, and offers a strategic guide for their

decision-making, priority-setting and resource

allocation.

This will be further addressed as part of the

agenda at the 2025 Airmic Risk Forum on 29

January, which will include a keynote speech from

the FRC’s CEO, Richard Moriarty.

To develop a strategic voice and be heard, risk

professionals will need to think and act differently,

learn new knowledge, and build new skills.

The Airmic Risk Forum provides a space to

network, consider the top risks facing our world

today, and contemplate the future impact of our

profession.

A Shift of Mindset

In this world, there will be little room for old ways

of thinking, as new risks emerge and new risk

solutions are demanded.

Risk management is beneficial for organisations,

with 95% of Chief Risk Officers polled by the World

Economic Forum in October 2024 stating that

an effective risk function provides a competitive

organisational edge.

The top three risks of concern they cited were

‘macroeconomic indicators’, ‘cyber risk and

Julie Graham,

CEO, Airmic

MODERN INSURANCE | 11


INTERVIEWS

THREE CHEERS FOR 25 YEARS:

IN CONVERSATION WITH ADRIAN

JOLLY, BDMA

To recognise and celebrate 25 years in operation, Modern

Insurance Magazine recently caught up with Adrian Jolly, Chair

of the British Damage Management Association.

Q. Adrian, the British Damage Management Association

(BDMA) celebrated its 25th birthday in 2024 – a

fantastic achievement!

It therefore seems fitting to begin by reflecting upon

the last 25 years, what the BDMA continue to provide

for the industry and how you’ve seen the sector change

in this time. Can you share some insights here?

A. The BDMA are at a crossroads right now as we move

from the first phase of our lifespan into the next. This is

perfectly natural for an established and maturing industry

association, and we’ve seen a recent change of personnel

within the senior leadership team to reflect this evolution.

The BDMA is a relatively immature association in terms

of longevity; the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters

(CILA) and the Chartered Institute of Insurers (CII) have

both been around a lot longer, and we’re still in the

position where many of us can remember a time when

the damage management industry didn’t exist at all. The

BDMA was set up 25 years ago to bring this formulative

market sector together and give the industry a voice.

We’ve established ourselves more since then and have

developed a very successful programme of accreditation,

but now it’s time to move forward into the next phase of

new challenges. We intend to begin by looking at a review

of our holistic accreditation and examination process,

pulling it apart and putting it back together again in order

to prepare us for the next 25 years and beyond.

Q. Congratulations on a great conference back in June!

Would you like to share some of your key takeaways?

A. Thank you! Our 2024 event was a huge success, and it

seems to have been really well received by our delegates,

exhibitors and sponsors.

The BDMA Conference always tries to stay relevant and

track a journey to where we are today through identifying

and unpicking the industry’s key trends. Our panel

discussions tend to attract a lot of attention in light of

this; we always try to capture a balance of insurer voices,

loss adjusters and damage management contractors

to consider challenges holistically. Feedback from our

audience also suggests that they appreciate this effort.

This conference was a celebration of the last 25 years, but

it was also the perfect opportunity to consider the next

25 years and the direction we’re heading in as an industry

collective.

We’ve found that our attendees really benefit from

hearing insightful presentations from speakers who are

ordinarily based outside of the industry; in 2024, for

example, we hosted Sir Tim Smit, Founder of the Eden

Project, who was extremely entertaining. We also heard

all about personal resilience from Colin Maclachlan

(Channel 4’s ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’) and Paul Sinha

(The Chase). Our BDMA Awards evening is always a key

highlight, so it was great to see this particularly well

attended in 2024 as well. It’s always important to make

the most of these moments; our conference is biannual,

which means that our next big event won’t be until 2026.

Q. What about recruitment and talent? How are the

BDMA embracing diversity and helping to support the

sector with industrywide skills shortages?

A. Well, there are a number of aspects to this. Our

memberships are mostly individual memberships instead

of corporate memberships. Therefore, it’s fair to say that

as far as Diversity and Inclusion goes, there’s much more

to be done within the BDMA in order to advance these

incentives within our membership base.

In terms of the skills shortage specifically; up until

recently, damage management contractors found it

very difficult to recruit and retain experienced damage

management personnel. However, since we’re seeing

some fragmentation within the market at the moment,

the larger operators seem to be releasing a number of

well-trained technicians. Plenty of those technicians

are on the move now, so it’ll be interesting to see what

happens on that front in 2025!

As far as new talent goes, we’re struggling with

recruitment alongside everyone else, and it’s more

important than ever to consider how we can take active

steps to counter this. We’ve recently signed the Armed

Forces Covenant for example, and we’re keen to follow

through with that pledge and set a strong example for

12 | MODERN INSURANCE


INTERVIEWS

recruiting military personnel throughout the industry.

They have the potential to bring a wealth of life

experience, transferable skills and self-discipline to the

damage management sector and I believe we’re really

well-suited to welcome this skillset - particularly during

surge events when personal resilience is a key factor.

Q. How are new technologies impacting your area of

the industry at the moment? Are legacy technologies

still posing challenges?

A. A significant majority of the work instructions seen by

damage management contractors involve water damage

to domestic and commercial properties; the other

primary factor relates to fire damage and other perils.

Therefore, most of our technology on the ground relates

to dehumidifiers, air movers and other equipment which

aim to return properties to their pre-loss condition after

flood or escape of water damage.

Dehumidifying technology is always looking to become

more efficient in terms of power consumption. The latest

generation of dehumidifiers will continue to use less

power and process moisture more efficiently, although

there will always be upper limits as to how much

moisture you can extract from an environment!

There’s also a great deal of talk around remote

monitoring sensors at the moment, but the industry has

been having a conversation about this for years. Remote

monitoring will reduce the number of in-person visits

to site and improve sustainability from that perspective,

but some reassurance checks will always be necessary.

Electric vehicle (EV) technology doesn’t currently extend

to vans with payloads that meet our requirements, so

we’re not able to make the switch to electric yet either.

Finally, there’s still a perceived lack of understanding

around Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the damage

management industry right now. How might this

revolutionise our area of the market? Personally, I didn’t

know much about AI until a recent industry event, where

one of the lead presenters discussed the possibilities

of ChatGPT and the latest generation of AI. It was a

session that completely woke me up to a future with this

technology, yet for the time being, there’s no doubt that

the damage management industry remains significantly

reactive. Ultimately, AI is only as good as the data that

feeds into it, and whilst the time-saving benefits are

potentially revolutionary from a claims management

perspective, I haven’t seen any tangible benefits from a

risk and damage management angle yet.

Damage management contractors must always be poised

to respond, and yet you can’t have significant equipment

and personnel on standby when this far exceeds

‘business as usual’ requirements. Our contractors can’t

sit around all day waiting for the storm; you don’t know

when that storm will be, or if that storm will ever come in

the first place! As yet, the industry has not managed to

come up with a sensible plan to address this risk.

Moreover, most of the businesses involved in damage

management don’t diversify their trade. Some will dabble

in carpet cleaning or other aspects of restoration, but it’s

not that easy to stay afloat. Even when you take the time

to expand your client base, you’re still faced with the

same problems when all of those clients arrive at once

after a weather-related event.

From a financial point of view, industry pricing structures

could also be seen as unsustainable. Margins have

always been relatively tight in the damage management

industry, and this will become even more of a problem

in 2025 as a result of Government impacts in the new

financial year. There’s a real risk that changes to PAYE

for small firms will drive many out of business, and when

you’re looking to recruit into an industry that is feast or

famine, this creates a really turbulent atmosphere. Costs

for building materials still haven’t settled back down after

COVID-19, and some of the bigger players in the damage

management industry have changed their business

model, causing fragmentation within the market.

Q. So, do you have any industry insights to share that

might go some way towards supporting the damage

management sector through these challenges in 2025?

A. I think it’s really a case of wait-and-see. More

independent businesses seem to be making good

traction by increasing their client base, and there’s a

greater prevalence of assessors in the industry at the

moment as well. Because of the way that the market

has fragmented, policyholders can get frustrated and

loss assessors are becoming more sophisticated when it

comes to attracting work. This has led to opportunities

for damage management contractors from different work

sources, so this is certainly a positive takeaway.

Adrian Jolly,

Chair, British Damage Management Association

(BDMA)

Q. Are you able to share some of the other key

challenges unique to risk in your area of the industry

at the moment? What other factors are you grappling

with?

A. There is a feeling that the damage management

industry is currently a landscape of ‘feast or famine’.

We’re heavily reliant on weather-related events, so

when things are quiet, they’re really quiet. 2024 was one

of those quiet years, and many of us found ourselves

struggling for work and cashflow. On the other hand,

we know that when a weather-related event does occur,

our workload escalates off the charts. This lack of

predictability poses a huge challenge for our industry.

MODERN INSURANCE | 13


INTERVIEWS

WEATHERING THE STORM

IN HOME AND PROPERTY CLAIMS

In this issue of Modern Insurance Magazine, we’re looking into the presentday

Home and Property Claims market, questioning perceptions and

challenges facing this area of the sector whilst considering how solutions

might be found through collaboration and technology.

Kelly Smith

Head of Home Claims, LV=

Stephen Linklater

Claims Director, Ageas UK

Matt Scott

Co-Founder, Insurance

DataLab

Helena Evans

Head of Specialist

Services, Criterion, and

Immediate Past President,

Chartered Instutute of

Loss Adjusters (CILA)

Sam Richardson

Deputy Editor, Which?

Money

Laura Lazarus

Head of Home Claims,

Aviva

Dr Matthew Connell

Director, Policy and

Public Affairs, Chartered

Insurance Institute (CII)

14 | MODERN INSURANCE


INTERVIEWS

Can you tell us about some of the most

significant challenges you’re facing right

now in relation to Home and Property

claims? How are you adopting a solutionbased

approach to address or resolve these

problems?

First to respond is Stephen Linklater, Claims Director at

Ageas UK. “The increase in extreme weather events has

been unprecedented,” Stephen says, “and this has been

felt by homeowners across the country. As one of the

UK’s largest home insurers, innovation is fundamental

to our response when it comes to protecting our

customers before, during, and after events like storms,

floods and freezes.”

According to Stephen, one of the ways Ageas are

doing this is by using data insights, coupled with a

preventative approach. He continues, “We use a tool

which allows us to look at bespoke weather forecasts

for the postcodes of our policyholders, up to 16 days

ahead, refreshed four times every day. By combining

this granular insight with our technical expertise, we are

able to identify, advise, and support our customers who

live in the geographical areas most at risk of inbound

extreme weather.”

Laura Lazarus, Head of Home Claims at Aviva,

agrees that wider uncertainty has left the market in a

vulnerable position. “Over the past year, there has been

continued global uncertainty and volatility impacting

the supply chain,” she says, which has led to higher

claims costs.

“Last winter, the UK experienced 12 named storms, the

most since records began in 2015. These events, which

occurred in quick succession, put additional pressure on

the availability of adjusters, restorers and contractors, as

well as the availability of alternative accommodation.”

So how does Aviva act to tackle these issues? “We

try to minimise the impact of claims inflation on our

customers by managing claims through our network of

approved repairers,” Laura says. “We have also reviewed

the way we manage our home insurance claims,

focussing on ownership and progression to make sure

all customers have the right level of support. This allows

us to focus our field-based resource on customers who

need it most.”

For Kelly Smith, Head of Home Claims at LV=, it’s escape

of water claims causing the most trouble. “Escape of

water related claims are increasing across the market,”

she says, “and this is partly driven by properties having

more facilities in their home that require a water supply.

With any water-based peril, the key is to intervene in the

early days to stop the water first of all, before assessing

and acting on drying the customers’ homes.”

She continues, “As a business, we have decided look at

our products across Home Emergency and Buildings/

Contents to identify common areas that enable us to

offer a service stopping the leaks to reduce overall

costs. Being innovative and looking at customers’ needs

is always a good step, and we have seen reductions in

average building repair costs because of our approach.

We continue to review this, working alongside our

building contractor network and supply chain to ensure

the correct steps are taken to provide an efficient and

timely claims response for our customers.”

Meanwhile, Helena Evans, Head of Specialist Services

at Criterion, sees the issue of underinsurance as one

of the industry’s most pressing challenges. “Criterion

work within the High Net Worth (HNW) sector of

Home and Property claims,” she says, “and this can be

even more of an issue due to the values involved. The

recent challenge has been caused by several factors,

including but not exclusively limited to COVID-19, Brexit

and inflation, all of which have had a knock-on effect

on the cost of materials. Whilst the rebuilding rates are

now stabilising, this has affected the adequacy of sums

insured, particularly where customers may not have

regularly reviewed them.”

“In the HNW arena, you can often be dealing with the

rebuilding cost of Listed buildings or properties with

a bespoke design,” Helena explains, “high end fit outs

where the general rebuilding rates are not always

appropriate for calculating these accurately. Therefore,

it is important to ensure that all elements of the

property are considered, such as outbuildings, tennis

courts and driveways, all of which can add a significant

figure to the total rebuilding costs of a property.”

This is where the advice of a good broker comes in

handy! “Criterion has a surveying division who work

closely with private clients, insurers and brokers,”

Helena says. “For example, they can provide Value

at Risk surveys to assist when it comes to setting

the correct level of cover. Moreover, having regular

conversations with insurers and brokers - and

contributing to discussions across the wider industry

in general - goes a long way towards learning from the

perspectives of a wider audience.”

“With the cost-of-living

crisis, consumers may well

have been making claims for

‘grey area’ issues that they

would not have claimed for

in times when household

budgets are under less

pressure”

MODERN INSURANCE | 15


INTERVIEWS

How are you incorporating prevention and

resilience measures in your approach to

claims?

The fact that Aviva was one of the first insurers to

sign up to the Build Back Better scheme is a point

of pride for Laura. “Making homes more resilient to

extreme weather is a key priority for us” she says, “and

we’ve helped over 200 customers with property flood

resilience measures following a flood claim of £25k or

more. We provide advice to customers about claims

prevention via our website and during major weather

events, and we are also able to contact customers

directly via phone, email or social media to advise them

on the steps they can take to protect their homes and

livelihoods against weather perils.”

LV= have also invested in enhancing their inhouse

technical expertise in order to support future resilience

measures. “The insight from these experts will enable us

to improve our ways of working” Kelly says, “reducing

the time it takes to settle claims and support customers.

Using innovative approaches and working with our

supply chain will enable us to be there more quickly for

our customers in their time of need.”

Prevention and resilience is also a key factor at the

core of Ageas’ weather response plan. “The first

step uses data to predict and prewarn customers

who are most likely to be affected by events such as

storms or floods,” Stephen says. “The second step is

to inform those customers about measures they can

take to protect their homes before bad weather hits.

We proactively contact our most at-risk customers

through emails and text messages, directing them to

our dedicated online weather information hub. We

also make calls to customers who may be older or

vulnerable.”

Stephen adds, “On top of all of this, we’re working to

install prevention and resilience measures in customers’

homes through schemes like Flood Re’s Build Back

Better. While prevention is ultimately the goal, this

scheme is all about building back eligible properties in a

more sustainable, flood-resilient way.”

Which? Money recently reported a rise

in rejected Home & Property claims data.

What factors lie behind this rise, and what

actions might be taken moving forward in

order to improve consumer confidence in the

insurance industry?

“There is a big disparity between uphold rates in motor

and home insurance claims,” says Dr Matthew Connell,

Director, Policy and Public Affairs at the Chartered

Insurance Institute (CII). “Recent data implies that

this sits at 63% for home insurance, 76% for contents

insurance and 99% for motor insurance, and this is true

within brands as well. For example, one well-known

brand has an uphold rate of 70-75% for home insurance

and an uphold rate of 95-100% for motor insurance.”

“This is because with motor insurance, almost all claims

involve some kind of physical damage,” Matthew

explains, “which means there is more empirical evidence

to suggest that a claim should be paid. The only

question lies around the value of a claim. Meanwhile,

there are more grey areas with home insurance. For

buildings, there is the question of whether damage

is the result of poor maintenance – something which

cannot be covered because of the moral hazard of

rewarding people for not looking after their house

– or unexpected, external factors, such as storms or

subsidence. With contents insurance, there is also the

question of whether the damage is accidental – which is

only covered if consumers choose add-on cover – or if it

is the result of an unexpected external factor, such as a

faulty electrical appliance causing a fire. With the

cost-of-living crisis, consumers may well have been

making claims for ‘grey area’ issues that they would not

have claimed for in times when household budgets are

under less pressure.”

So, what actions could be taken to combat this?

“Feedback from the consumer trust index tells us

that consumers feel they have all the information

they need about products and coverage,” Matthew

states. “However, they don’t feel like they have enough

information about claims and complaints processes.

Adding more detail around what is and isn’t covered

won’t make much difference in product information,

because rightly or wrongly, consumers already feel they

have a pretty good handle on this when they are buying

or renewing a product.”

“Too often, customers find out too late that they

are not covered for specific events, or that their

claim doesn’t meet the required criteria. This is

eroding trust and confidence in insurance”

16 | MODERN INSURANCE


INTERVIEWS

“Whether it’s partnering on key market projects with

other bodies, hosting events to connect professionals

or advocating for the profession with regulators, the

focus is on developing partnerships that bring real

value to members and the wider claims community”

“Instead, we might try putting across key information

about scope of coverage, framing a worked example

of whether a certain claim gets paid for storm damage,

for example. This approach may bring the information

about coverage to life for the customer. Another

solution could be to add extra questions just before the

point of buying. For example, I renewed my insurance

recently and chose a well-known brand through a

comparison website. Just before I clicked to buy, the

insurer asked me to confirm the amount I had declared

as the rebuild cost (which had been pre-populated in

the application form from information based on the

BCIS database). The question prompted me to look

at a survey we had done when we moved into the

house, and for various reasons, the rebuild cost was

significantly higher on our survey than on the generic

estimate. So, just as some elements of the process can

be designed to make application forms easier to fill out

(such as pre-populating fields), the process can also

be designed to slow things down, and put people in a

position where they are ‘thinking slow’ and in a more

rational, deliberate way.”

It’s great to see many such innovations being

implemented at Aviva. “Providing good customer

outcomes has always been a focus for us,” says Laura,

“and we will always pay valid claims. We continually

strive to ensure our products provide fair value, using

customer insight and feedback to improve the policies

and services we offer.”

“For example, we recently made enhancements to our

direct home insurance product to increase limits for

many elements of contents cover, including personal

belongings, valuables, garden contents and alternative

accommodation. We offer a range of policies to suit

different customer needs, and it’s important to note

the data supplied to the FCA for its Value Measures

includes contents policies across all Aviva product tiers

and brands, which offer varying levels of cover and

policy limits. As such, claims acceptance rates for these

products will vary accordingly.”

She concludes, “Our claims acceptance data also

includes queries from customers who may contact us

to check if their policy provides cover for an incident

that has already happened. In line with FCA guidance,

if there is no cover, these queries are recorded as

a declined claim even though a claim has not been

made.”

we’ve spoken to have pointed out that many of their

rejected claims result from customers not having

bought adequate levels of cover - accidental damage

or personal possessions cover, for example - which are

usually optional add-ons,” Sam states. “Some of the rise

in claims rejections might therefore be influenced by

customers selecting cheaper options where the costs of

cover have risen. However, the fact that many seem to

be discovering the shortfalls in their policies at the point

of claim suggests that insurers need to be clearer about

the limitations of their policies at the point of sale,

especially when it comes to their budget options.

Sam continues, “It’s also concerning that large numbers

of customers with rejected insurance claims don’t

know why they were turned down. When we looked

into consumer harm during the insurance claims

process, 24% of customers who’d had a car, home,

travel or pet insurance policy rejected or only partially

paid said they weren’t given a reason why. The FCA

is currently looking into how well insurers handle

claims, and we would expect the review to include an

investigation into how transparent firms are at the point

of sale, too.”

Matt Scott, Co-Founder at Insurance DataLab, has

also seen a large increase in complaints around home

insurance, especially when it comes to making claims.

“Around 80% of home insurance complaints that get

referred to the FOS relate to the claims experience,” he

states. “This shows that people don’t fully understand

what their policies cover. Too often, customers find out

too late that they are not covered for specific events, or

that their claim doesn’t meet the required criteria. This

is eroding trust and confidence in insurance.”

By way of a solution, Matt also believes that the industry

needs to focus on clearer communication from the

outset, clearly explaining coverage and exclusions at

the point of quote. “Insurers often want to make the

quotation process as quick as possible,” he says, “but

sometimes we need to slow things down a bit if we’re

going to explain these complicated details properly. If

insurance companies fail to do this, then the industry’s

reputation will continue to suffer, and with the regulator

having a much greater focus on customer outcomes

since the introduction of Consumer Duty, bad actors

could also be running the risk of regulatory scrutiny

further down the line.”

Meanwhile, Sam Richardson, Deputy Editor at Which?

Money, acknowledges the distinct quality of insurance

as a product that most customers buy in the hope

that they’ll never have to use it. “Some insurers

MODERN INSURANCE | 17


INTERVIEWS

Does more need to be done to simplify

products for customers? How can the

industry work better together to address the

expectation gap?

Matt believes that simplifying products is essential if

the industry is to efficiently close the expectation gap

and rebuild trust in insurance. “Many customers find

insurance jargon and policy structures confusing,”

he says “and this often leads to misunderstandings

about what their policies actually cover. This confusion

ultimately results in more claims getting declined and

worse overall outcomes for customers.”

The solution? “Insurers need to take time to really

assess their policy wording and make sure it’s easy

to understand. They also need to do a better job of

explaining exclusions clearly and in plain English. The

more straightforward we can make this, the better it will

be for everyone!”

On the one hand, Sam agrees. “Insurers need to take

some responsibility for customers’ access to clear

information about the benefits and limitations of the

cover they’re buying,” he says, “and they need to be

realistic about how people make decisions and compare

cover in the real world.”

However, he also acknowledges that insurers have to

cater to a wide and diverse audience. “Home insurance

has to cover lots of different eventualities,” he states,

“so it follows that it’s a complicated product, and

‘simplifying’ it probably isn’t going to make it better

fit customers’ needs. This includes considering the

reasonable expectations of customers in the firm’s

target market.”

Matthew counters by offering some suggestions for

how the market can simplify home insurance products

effectively. “One way to simplify products would be

to have the same cover for everyone. For example,

we could have accidental cover included in all home

contents policies as standard, or ban accidental cover

from all home contents policies entirely. However, that

would reduce choice for consumers, and it would mean

that not everyone was getting a suitable level of cover.”

“In our research for the CII Trust Index, statements

implied some poor common practice across the board.

However, insurers avoiding a payout or a customer

being frustrated by being asked needless questions

seem to be lower down the list of issues. Instead,

concerns like being able to get in touch with their

insurer quickly sat higher up the list, suggesting that

the best way to tackle the issue isn’t at the product

design stage, but at the claims stage. This can be easily

addressed by making sure we have skilled people

available to explain the process and offer a speedy

decision in a compassionate way.”

How are you managing industry relationships

and harnessing collaboration to build and

maintain outstanding partnerships within the

industry?

The value of maintaining open dialogue throughout

the supply chain is clearly a priority for our panellists.

“Ensuring [our suppliers] understand what we stand for

as a business, as well as the direction we’re travelling

in, has been fundamental to our success,” Stephen says.

“We also take ESG into account when selecting and

renewing suppliers now, so this alignment has become

even stronger.”

“We recently held a conference for our supply chain

partners in household claims, where we had the

opportunity to talk to them about our latest business

strategy and how they play an important role in helping

us deliver on our ambitions. It was also a chance for us to

hear about some of the challenges they see face-to-face,

and the innovative ways they continue to support our

customers in their time of need.”

Stephen continues; “We’re always looking at fresh

collaborations to help solve problems for our customers.

For example, we’ve recently partnered with flooding

experts to create a series of videos and guides to help

our customers understand how they can protect their

homes. By working with passionate partners who share

the values that lie at the core of our business, we’re able

to provide value to our customers and great service in

those moments that really matter.”

The same approach can be said of LV=. “As a business,

we’re massive advocates for creating outstanding

partnerships with our supply chain,” Kelly says. “We’ve

found this approach has worked very well when it comes

to creating collaborative relationships, driving new

ways of working and delivering great outcomes for our

customers.”

The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA) is also

dedicated to building strong industry relationships

through open communication and meaningful

collaboration. “Whether it’s partnering on key market

projects with other bodies, hosting events to connect

“We always need to be

considering how the right

technology can add value

and be used to drive the

right claim outcomes for our

customers”

18 | MODERN INSURANCE


INTERVIEWS

professionals, or advocating for the profession with

regulators, the focus is on developing partnerships

that bring real value to members and the wider claims

community,” Helena says.

Aviva’s collaboration with industry bodies also speaks to

the success of this approach. “We work closely with our

network of approved repairers to manage claims for our

customers,” Laura says, “collaborating closely with other

industry bodies, including the Association of British

Insurers (ABI) and Flood Re. For example, we’ll discuss

and address the impact of the skills shortage on the

market, and the effect this can have on the availability

of tradespeople during extreme weather events.”

What about technology? How have you

been harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI)

to anticipate surge events, support the

management of claims and streamline your

processes?

It’s clear that technology across the industry is evolving

daily. “We always need to be considering how the right

technology can add value and be used to drive the right

claim outcomes for our customers,” Kelly says. “Across

our business, we are using approaches like Machine

Learning to draw out key information that improves the

journey. We continually review our models to ensure

they are fully optimised, seeking out new opportunities

on a regular basis.”

Stephen is also forthcoming with the use of similar

technologies at Ageas. “As well as enabling us to

anticipate which of our customers are most at risk, our

work with WeatherNet’s SurgeCast also involves the

application of deep learning from a detailed study of

historical severe weather events. This not only helps us

to predict the impact of forecast weather; it enables

us to estimate when we may need additional resource

in our claims function and allows us to advise our

suppliers.”

He continues, “Across the claims space, we’re embracing

the opportunities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and

automation to complement human tasks. Our scope

of generative AI tools is extensive, and many are

being used across our claims function to support our

handlers. It’s possible for our handlers to be looking at

the claim for the first time when a customer calls, so

the introduction of our claims summarisation and policy

wording check tools has been a key focus for us. Not

only do these elements reduce customer waiting times,

but they also allow our handlers to understand the claim

quicker and better support our customers. Our intention

is to expand this suite of tools as we continue to invest

significantly in our data and technology capabilities.”

“The Human Touch—

empathy and the ability to

make a tangible difference

in people’s lives—is a

significant draw for young

professionals”

the impact of potential extreme weather events,” she

says. “This helps us to allocate resource to the areas

that need it most and ensure we can help as many

customers as possible. In some cases, we use this data

to proactively contact customers before bad weather

arrives, providing advice about how they can better

protect their property from damage.”

“When storms happen, one of the most common reasons

customers contact us is to check whether certain things

are covered,” she adds. “We can serve that need far

more easily with AI, leaving claims handlers free to assist

customers in need of more urgent support.”

Finally, how are you attracting talent into

this area of the sector and prioritising the

interests of the Next Gen workforce?

“Aviva offer a number of schemes to attract new

talent to the industry,” Laura says, “including access to

apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and professional

qualifications.”

Helena expands by summarising available opportunities

from the perspective of an industry association. “Beyond

evolving qualifications, career development support and

CPD, CILA has recognised the need to refocus on the

wellbeing of newer professionals,” she says.

“We’re seeing a greater emphasis on mental health and

recognising that the role of the Institute goes beyond

providing technical knowledge—it’s about supporting the

holistic needs of our members to ensure a sustainable

and resilient workforce.”

She continues, “The Human Touch—empathy and the

ability to make a tangible difference in people’s lives—is a

significant draw for young professionals. Highlighting the

dual nature of this role will broaden appeal, particularly

to existing or emerging groups of potential talent who

wish to bring their skills, qualifications and expertise to a

more meaningful role.”

Laura has also seen how technology can be used to

provide better outcomes for her customers at Aviva.

“We use our own flood mapping technology, customer

data and external forecasting resources to understand

MODERN INSURANCE | 19


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EDITORIAL BOARD

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Personal

Injury Claims: Risky Business?

“Embracing AI is not just an option, but an

imperative.”

“In a sea of automation, the human touch is the only

lifeline to ensure long-term survival and success.”

Two bold statements that are equally critical in

today’s business world.

Leveraging a harmonious balance between AI and human interaction

is what will differentiate the true greats from the very average. And in

business, being average means you won’t be in business for long.

Achieving this balance requires a deliberate strategy and cultural

transformation across the entire business. But get it right, and

greatness awaits.

AI’s capabilities are reshaping how personal injury claims are

processed. Predictive analytics, automated case management and AIdriven

decision-making systems can enable firms to handle a higher

volume of claims more efficiently. These technologies can identify

patterns, predict outcomes, and streamline documentation, effectively

reducing the burden on resources and minimising the risk of errors.

Despite the undeniable benefits, there is the looming risk that the

personal touch—so critical in our field—may be compromised.

Personal injury cases often involve individuals navigating physical

pain, emotional distress, and financial uncertainties. These customers

need not just legal support, but compassion and understanding,

and relying too heavily on AI can create a sterile and impersonal

experience, potentially alienating customers and damaging trust. So,

what’s the answer?

Unsurprisingly, it’s about working together. Integrating AI to assist,

rather than replace, our colleagues is key, and allowing our legal

professionals to leverage AI for routine tasks unlocks huge potential,

offering more time to build and maintain personalised, meaningful

relationships.

At Carpenters Group, our in-house development team has been

exploring how we can use AI to improve processes for our handlers,

and the experience for our customers. We are extremely pleased with

the progress that our team has made.

The key point is that AI works for our lawyers. Our people remain the

most crucial part of the process through speaking to our customers,

reviewing findings, advising and making recommendations, and

helping our customers through these difficult times. Our aim is

simple: elevate service through AI.

Like many, we are still scratching the surface of what is possible with

AI. The opportunity is exponential though; let’s not forget, whilst AI

has the scope to process data better than any human, it cannot (yet)

replicate the nuanced understanding and emotional intelligence of

people. Balance them both, and greatness awaits.

Darren Hall,

Chief Operating Officer, Carpenters Group

Managing Risk Through Effective

Processes and Procedures

In the insurance sector, our work centres on

protecting assets and lives, so managing risk is

an inherent part of every decision. For brokers,

insurance companies, and Managing General Agents

(MGAs), the ability to assess, manage, and mitigate

risk effectively is a critical component of staying

competitive in an environment where new threats

emerge daily.

At ParaCode, we help our customers to create and distribute insurance

products quickly, easily, and affordably, all while providing robust

support for financial operations, claims handling, and reporting.

Managing risk is deeply integrated into these activities—not just through

reliance on high-tech solutions, but by embedding thoughtful processes

and procedures at every stage.

Risk Assessment: Building a Structured Approach

Assessing risk is most effective when guided by clear, consistent

processes. For our customers, we advocate for:

Thorough Product Development Procedures. Before launching new

insurance products, we encourage structured risk assessments that

consider market trends, potential claim scenarios, and underwriting

guidelines. This ensures the product is viable and aligned with market

needs.

Regular Audits and Reviews. Risk factors change over time, making

periodic evaluations essential. By embedding regular audits into their

workflows, our customers can identify emerging threats and adjust

strategies accordingly.

Stakeholder Collaboration. Effective assessment processes involve input

from multiple stakeholders, including underwriters, claims handlers, and

compliance teams. This ensures a comprehensive view of potential risks.

Risk Management: Embedding Resilience in Operations

Managing risk also requires processes that are robust and adaptable to

change. At ParaCode, our customers benefit from:

Streamlined Product Lifecycle Management. We help our clients

establish clear protocols for bringing products to market, from initial

concept through to distribution. This minimises bottlenecks and

reduces the chance of operational errors.

Claims Handling Guidelines. Efficient claims management is key to

controlling loss ratios. By implementing standardised procedures

for assessing claims, investigating disputes, and approving payouts,

insurers can ensure consistency and fairness.

Financial Oversight. Strong financial controls and reporting mechanisms

are integral to managing operational risks. Our software enables

customers to establish processes that ensure transparency and

accountability, reducing exposure to financial missteps.

By focusing on procedural discipline, we’re proud to help customers

build resilience into their operations, making them better equipped to

handle unforeseen challenges.

Will Prest,

Product Manager, ParaCode

MODERN INSURANCE | 21


Market-Leading Outsourced Claims Services

Our in-house experts leverage cutting-edge

technology and Artificial Intelligence, combined

with a personal touch, to enhance our claims

handling and deliver better outcomes for clients.

Find out more: www.carpentersgroup.co.uk


EDITORIAL BOARD

Assessing, Managing and Mitigating

Risk in Recovery Rescue

A focus on risk, and the skill set required to

navigate this turbulent area of the business, is

dependent on each and every staff member within

the company playing their part.

CMG continually review processes and practices in each area of

the business. Something like a severe weather event can create a

requirement for change to employees’ PPE or work equipment,

processes and risk appetite. Even simpler weather events can produce

increased work volumes, compounded by increased levels of danger

for our roadside teams. Changes in vehicle design, such as the

development of hybrid and EV technology, necessitate changes to

recovery vehicles, storage facilities and vehicle handling - including

staff training. Those are just the very basic, practical elements of

actually doing the job on the front line.

However, this same approach must be adopted across all departments

within the business. Each area represents numerous risks, which all

need a detailed matrix to ensure each and every perceived risk is

adequately addressed. Our industry is reactive, so part of our inhouse

training is based around preparing our teams to identify and deal

with risk concerns proactively. Managing the needs of vulnerable

customers is a daily occurrence, for example, so our staff are trained

to thoroughly support the needs of these individuals, whatever may

come their way.

Meanwhile, our vehicles are designed and equipped to deal with

numerous eventualities, including vehicles which travel across Europe;

ensuring we meet legislative requirements in each country whilst

mitigating weather events and providing specialist equipment to

assist vehicle movements in extreme weather conditions.

We must also manage our internal IT systems to support a secure

cyber network, working with our insurer partners to maintain

satisfaction with this level of data security performance. Moreover,

navigating employee skills becomes more complex as customer

needs evolve. Roadside teams need to be capable drivers, vehicle

technicians, recovery technicians, incident managers, road and risk

assessment managers all in one package if they are to complete a

safe vehicle roadside collection.

Going into 2025, CMG’s risk appetite will be no different to previous

years. We’ll do what we need to do to ensure that we remain one of

the leading lights in the Recovery Rescue industry, continually setting

the example for others to follow. Each year brings an enhanced

approach to risk for all involved.

Jason Brice,

Managing Director, CMG

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EDITORIAL BOARD

Total Loss Takes Emotional Toll

A recent survey in the US suggested that 49% of

claimants felt ‘sad’ at the loss of their vehicle, a

feeling that was compounded by a perceived failure

of insurers to communicate properly. More than

55% reported that they could have been kept better

informed, and 60% of respondents stated that they

had to deal with two, three, or even four different

people during the claim.

Of course, this is the US and the UK may be different. But I doubt

it. Many of the structures within the total loss sector echo those

of the US, and ‘hand offs’ between exports and functionalities are

commonplace. For a simple fault claim, we can expect contact with

the First Notification Centre (increasingly digital), engineer, salvage

agent, and maybe a recovery company. After the event, there may

be further communication regarding personal effects and other

associated matters.

And that’s all before we get the non-fault claim, when insurers will

often bring in additional agencies to secure the flow of funds from

hire, repair, the total loss itself, and maybe even other activities.

At each stage there is the distinct possibility of error, and it’s not

difficult to see how things go wrong. But to me, it seems that there

are better solutions available.

The Personal Claims Handler

The real experts in total loss claims management are the salvage

agents who collect and dispose of customer vehicles. They will know

what is happening at any stage of the post notification process,

and it is they who are best placed to manage the entire claim on an

outsourced basis – customer communications, valuation, settlement,

collections, non-fault liaison, and any other aspect.

Naturally, this will mean some retraining of salvage agents’ staff, and

there will need to be comprehensive IT integration. However, it seems

to me that the possibilities are endless. Customers will be speaking

directly with the people actively managing the vehicle/claim, and

with suitable Delegated Authority arrangements, it should also be

possible for insurers to legally avoid VAT on any fees payable. The

salvage agent will have access to sophisticated parts databases, and

they will also know exactly what is happening if the vehicle is being

resold on an auction site. All of this may be invaluable information to

the customer, and communications can be tailored accordingly.

What’s Not to Like?

With customers increasingly using digital tools, it will be possible for

the agile and proactive total loss management company to manage

this channel on behalf of the insurer. Changes within the smaller

and more agile supplier can happen very quickly, leaving customers

feeling much better about the whole experience.

This type of vertically integrated operation does not yet fully exist

in the UK market, but we are not far away. Here at e2e, we relish

the opportunities that this new environment will create. Customers

will still be ‘sad’ at the loss of their vehicle, yes, but at least they will

feel that their claim has been handled sensitively and with expert

knowledge, appropriate communications, and speed of settlement.

Mia Constable,

Head of Business Development, e2e Total Loss Solutions

Supporting Vulnerable Customers

Through Catastrophic Claims

Catastrophic events can have devastating effects, leaving

individuals in urgent need of care and support to navigate

the complexities of recovery. Insurers play a vital role

in addressing these needs, but ensuring vulnerable

customers receive the right care often requires specialist

expertise. That’s where RTW Plus comes in.

As specialists in catastrophic case management, we partner with

insurers to ensure their teams are equipped to support vulnerable

customers with confidence and care. We are experts in delivering

rehabilitation services designed to support vulnerable customers,

enabling insurers to provide compassionate, effective assistance

during life-changing moments. Our role is to complement insurers’

claims management processes, focusing exclusively on recovery

outcomes.

So, what makes us different?

Expert Rehabilitation Care

Our team of highly experienced case managers provide tailored

rehabilitation services that address the unique challenges faced by

vulnerable customers following a catastrophic injury. We follow a

bio-psycho-social model, which ensures we consider the physical,

psychological and social aspects of recovery, offering a truly

comprehensive approach to healing and rebuilding lives.

Partnering with Insurers

We act as a trusted partner to insurers, seamlessly integrating our

rehabilitation services into their processes. This collaboration enables

insurers to remain focused on managing claims while knowing the

vulnerable customer is being fully supported.

Goal-Based, Outcome-Measured Recovery

We focus on clear, measurable recovery outcomes, setting goals that

are tailored to the specific needs of each person. Our rehabilitation

services are structured around these goals, ensuring progress

is tracked and the effectiveness of rehabilitation is continuously

evaluated, leading to meaningful and sustained recovery.

Proactive and Timely Intervention

Supporting vulnerable customers requires action at the right time.

We advocate for early intervention and remain responsive throughout

the rehabilitation journey, adapting to changing needs and ensuring

consistent, effective support.

Insightful Data and Outcomes

Our services provide insurers with valuable insights into recovery

progress and outcomes. By understanding the challenges and needs

of vulnerable customers, insurers can refine their support strategies

and deliver exceptional care.

Championing Vulnerable Customers

At RTW Plus, we are committed to making a meaningful difference in

the lives of those affected by catastrophic injury. As an independent

provider of specialist rehabilitation services, we ensure that clients

receive expert care throughout their rehabilitation journey. Our

dedicated team works alongside insurers, offering tailored support to

meet the unique needs of each individual.

Deborah Edwards,

Chief Executive Officer, RTW Plus

MODERN INSURANCE | 25



EDITORIAL BOARD

Our Risk

Landscape

As a critical supplier to insurers and vehicle

manufacturers, Vizion is a data driven SaaS and

services provider, managing diverse client and

consumer requirements in automotive repair and

claims solutions across the UK and Europe.

In this line of work, managing and identifying emerging risks is critical.

Risk aligned to surge events managed through expansive resources,

expert teams, and mature data driven AI provide real time load

balancing. You can never legislate for everything, but maintaining the

highest possible readiness and tested BCP is key.

Cyber security is also a sensitive area. The risk is constant and

ever-changing, requiring high levels of expertise, technology and

awareness. Strong investment in people, infrastructure, training and

monitoring of policies and standards is critical.

Information sharing within industry publications is also vital. Creating

networking opportunities provides a great platform to share, and

whilst social media has a function, it sometimes fails to remain on

topic!

In terms of risk monitoring, we maintain 10 primary categories,

evaluated and reordered quarterly at a minimum. In 2025, we feel

there will be an increasing risk to financial confidence linked to

economic indicators such as inflation and business closures. The ZEV

mandate will drive further and specific consequences for the sector,

but sharing awareness with clients and consumers regarding product

knowledge, propensity, cost, and even weather warning systems is

useful in reducing these risks.

We are unsure about risk or opportunity around emerging legislation

such as Graduated Driver Licensing. Will it have the impact that the

study suggests (doubtful), or will it be almost impossible to enforce

without invasive tracking systems, forcing more cost on policies?

The regulator is unlikely to support this outcome, but what’s the

alternative?

As a business, we sit at the forefront of innovation. Our bleedingto-cutting

edge approach, our size and advanced data driven AI all

provide unique insight to change, risk and opportunities. Our duty to

the client and consumer continues to expand; not everything can or

should be digital. Dedicated trainers across the business ensure we

maintain a respectful and effective approach for all customers, with

specific processes dedicated to those that are vulnerable or in need

of specific help.

Finally, the skills gap remains a concern in our sector. Some vehicles

are more advanced than aircraft, but repair centres are still perceived

as something from under the arches. We really must provide and

maintain funding for apprenticeships; it isn’t sensible to think that

we can attract and retain younger people with the capability and

mindset to operate advanced systems and materials, all for the same

wage as they can earn working in a fast-food restaurant…

Chris McKie,

Managing Director, Vizion Network

Ensuring Vulnerable Customers

are Adequately Supported

At QuestGates, we take customer vulnerability very

seriously and have established a comprehensive

‘Vulnerable Customers Policy’ built on the FCA’s

four key drivers of vulnerability. This helps our

concierge and adjusters to identify and sensitively

address vulnerabilities, ensuring consent is obtained

before recording or sharing any related information.

Through detailed management reporting and regular audits,

vulnerability has become a board-level priority, forming a key part

of our customer experience programme. We utilise our QUBE claims

handling system to flag cases where service adjustments are required.

Vulnerable customer flags ensure all team members are immediately

aware of any special considerations, and these are supplemented

by ‘amber flags’ which provide critical reminders for cases requiring

additional care or attention, such as high-profile or sensitive claims

that may attract media interest.

The nature of our work requires us to seek agreement from customers

around a particular course of action in order to progress a claim

to a speedy conclusion. But how do we know the customer fully

understands what needs to be done, or is sufficiently equipped

to make certain decisions? In light of this, we’ve arranged for our

concierge and loss adjusting teams to become ‘Dementia Friends’.

They attended sessions run by the Alzheimer’s Society to help us

recognise traits of people living with dementia, and to understand the

little changes that we can make to better support them.

We recognise that customers can become vulnerable at any time in

the claim process – the severity of the incident itself may naturally

render the customer vulnerable from the moment we receive the

claim. Equally, personal circumstances may combine to introduce

vulnerability at a later point in the claim process. Some adjusters may

find themselves in a situation where they are speaking to a customer

displaying extreme vulnerability, or even suicidal tendencies, and we

believe a duty is owed to support both the customer and the adjuster

on these rare, but significant occasions.

With this in mind, we engaged The Samaritans to provide training

on ‘Managing Conversations with Vulnerable People’, a session

exceptionally well received by all who have attended. We are in the

process of rolling out this training to our teams more widely, utilising

their advice relating to the provision of emergency assistance and

signposting to additional support mechanisms within our Vulnerable

Customer policy.

At the best of times, any claim is an inconvenience to the

policyholder. We ensure vulnerabilities that may add additional stress

to the process are managed sensitively, ensuring that every customer

receives the thoughtful and tailored support needed throughout their

claim.

Lucy Collett,

Head of Customer Experience, QuestGates

MODERN INSURANCE | 27


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EDITORIAL BOARD

Mitigating Unique Risks

at Lyons Davidson

Cyber risk continues to sit at the top of the industry’s

list of concerns. In response, we are increasingly being

asked to apply our Cyber and ID Theft response services

to our business partner products, assisting customers in

minimising the impact of any cyber incident and working

with suppliers who provide practical assistance to remove

the cyber issue itself.

As a business, we have ramped up our own protection against

Cyber risk following advice and guidance from our Cyber

insurer, and have introduced dual factor authentication to

our customer facing systems. For us, the scariest moment of

2024 involved listening to recording of a hacker demanding a

ransom… even though it was only a test exercise!

Digital security is also a key element of the advice we now

provide through our helpline and consumer services, ensuring

that customers think about their digital assets, online accounts

and passwords in the event of their death or incapacity.

Furthermore, 2025 will see us focus on future reform,

especially in the area of employment protections and landlord

and tenant regulation. We are working with insurers to ensure

that their policies are future-proofed, with updated wording

for new terminology and the corresponding process changes

that will be necessary in response.

We have also seen increased activity where businesses have

been taking pre-emptive action around employee issues,

addressing concerns that future rule changes will result in

additional costs to some employees without the same level

of protection. Inevitably, this has been compounded by

increased taxes introduced in the last UK budget, driving

scope for restructures and redundancies.

In the rental sector throughout 2024, we saw peaks of activity

as some landlords sought to exit the market, or took action

to implement change before the reforms took place. The

urgency of these actions will increase as reform approaches,

especially as any action still faces the pressure of court delays

as a result of the current backlog.

Our response to these developing risks involves supporting

customers through online health checks, prompting a review

and identifying actions to implement in response. Naturally,

all of this feeds back to the issue of Consumer Duty, as well as

the need to recognise advice and effective risk mitigation.

Mark Savill,

Managing Director, Lyons Davidson

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MODERN INSURANCE | 29


Our Innovative

Solutions

At RTW Plus, we pride ourselves in delivering rehabilitation case management and health

and well-being solutions based on cutting-edge research and next-generation

technologies. Our services are available to employers, insurers, the NHS, private

companies and individuals.

CASE MANAGMENT

Our INA services incorporate the traditional face-to-face

model conducted by our nationwide network of experienced

case managers as well as our unique virtual INA+MD

assessment. This includes a multi-disciplinary assessment

by a diverse team of specialist clinicians, whose inputs are

woven into a singular, cohesive INA report and rehabilitation

plan providing a clear and comprehensive roadmap for

recovery.

VOCATIONAL CONSULTANCY

Whilst our case managers keep return to work front and

centre of their rehab planning, where we utilise our team of

specialist vocational consultants who utilise functional

testing methods and evidence-based practices to help

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EDITORIAL BOARD

The Necessity

of Planning Ahead

It always feels out of place when we interrupt

the long balmy days of summer to start resource

planning for the winter ahead. Yet with almost 40

years’ worth of winter accident data to guide us,

and many recovery agents, repairers, suppliers and

systems to coordinate, there’s no such thing as

starting too early.

Many business clients have a busy winter season when vehicle

uptime is paramount, and the number of vehicles off-road must be

limited. Equally, many winter incidents could be prevented, and since

proactive repairs are faster, cheaper and easier to plan, we encourage

policyholders to act upon dashboard warning lights and any known

repair requirements during the summer months, when holidays reduce

car usage and repair centres have optimum capacity.

Once winter arrives, the combination of shorter daylight hours,

extreme weather and difficult driving conditions creates spikes in

accident volumes. However, for our customers, the show must go

on. This is when we reap the rewards of those summer days spent

analysing a wealth of winter incident data. The wheels of industry

simply must keep turning, and we’ve made ‘winter at FMG’ as welloiled

as any weather-dependent machine can be.

This year, we head into winter with more colleagues than ever before;

a talented team of 900 means our incident experts per claim ratio

is higher than ever. So, at times of peak demand, when drivers get

caught out by adverse weather, we can boost the support teams in

our 24/7/365 incident management centre by calling upon multiskilled

colleagues from across the business to provide urgent driver

and vehicle support.

We work closely with our repairers and recovery agent partners

to plan an approach to winter which protects the safety of drivers.

Proactively positioning recovery vehicles at regional blackspot areas

ensures a rapid response for drivers in distress and prevents long

delays for other road users.

We’re also navigating winter with new resources to speed up

the repair process - more than 100 additional repairers on our

independent network, new mobile and rapid repairer options, and

some innovative parts solutions including the use of green parts

recycled from donor vehicles and non-OEM parts, where approved.

Moreover, through ENOL and our self-serve driver platform, FMG

Connect, drivers remain updated and in control at every stage of the

claim.

We’ll manage tens of thousands of incidents over the coming months,

and behind the scenes we’ll constantly monitor, assess and control

those areas within our power in order to deliver the smoothest

experience for policyholders and third parties, whatever challenges

the weather creates.

Robin Lang,

Insurance Services Director, FMG

Collaboration in an

Amplified Risk Landscape

By combining the latest technology, industry

partnerships and a focus on fairness, Digilog UK

is empowering insurers to respond proactively

in today’s fast-paced world while maintaining

operational efficiency and customer trust.

Fraud is an enduring problem, draining millions from the industry

each year. In a rapidly evolving risk environment, we are dedicated

to partnering with the broader insurance industry to address the

challenges of processing and responding to claims in a fair and

efficient manner.

Our clients report that conventional investigative approaches often

fall short, leading to delays in claims processing and dissatisfaction

among policyholders. As a result, we recognise the necessity of

implementing a more effective solution to enhance investigative

processes and aid insurers in identifying potential fraud early in the

claims process.

Over the years, we have collaborated closely and diligently with

both existing and prospective clients to continually innovate and

enhance our solutions. The result: Digital intelligence Voice Analysis

(DiVA) Core technology – our advanced application designed for

risk assessment and information validation in conversational settings,

providing real-time feedback for operators.

DiVA is a plug-and-play solution designed for high-volume call

environments, featuring audible and visual alerts for risk indicators

and seamless integration with call recording systems. Through

collaboration with insurer clients, we are able to embed DiVA within

their digital claims processes, enhancing decision-making capabilities

for adjusters and claims handlers.

This approach enhances evaluation by seamlessly integrating

automated risk detection with human expertise. We want to prioritise

the role of skilled analysts in interpreting data findings and making

informed, nuanced decisions, even in an increasingly automated

world. By integrating human intuition with advanced voice analysis,

together we can tackle key challenges such as fraud detection and

claim accuracy while optimising the claims processing workflow.

This hybrid model enables insurers to effectively navigate a wide

range of claim scenarios, from straightforward cases to highly

complex ones. It excels in identifying genuine claimants and

managing higher-risk or follow-up conversations, complimenting

existing fraud detection frameworks whilst ensuring adaptability and

precision across diverse situations. Consistently impressive outcomes,

including faster processing times and significant fraud reduction,

underscore its effectiveness, with investigation teams reporting

greater confidence in their evaluations.

What’s more, Digilog fosters collaboration across the insurance

sector by working closely with insurers, brokers, and industry bodies.

Through sharing insights on emerging fraud trends, developing best

practices and hosting workshops, we aim to promote collective

learning and strengthen the industry’s ability to combat fraudulent

activities effectively.

As new risks emerge, such as cybercrime and climate-related

claims, we need to ensure solutions are scalable and adaptable. We

continuously endeavour to refine our technology and methodologies

to address these evolving threats, ensuring that insurers are equipped

to handle a dynamic claims environment.

Lior Koskas,

CEO, Digilog UK

MODERN INSURANCE | 31


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ASSOCIATIONS

ASSEMBLE

Welcome to Associations Assemble!

Modern Insurance Magazine is delighted to be joined by some of the leading

names from our industry associations, organisations and institutes!

This issue voices the thoughts of:

Anthony Hughes

Chair & CEO, Credit Hire

Organisation (CHO)

David Punter

President, Institute of Automotive

Engineer Assessors (IAEA)

Sue Brown

Chair, Motor Accident Solicitors Society

(MASS)

Mike Keating

CEO, Managing General Agents’

Association (MGAA)

Shaune Worrall

Deputy Head of General Insurance,

British Insurance Brokers’ Association

(BIBA)

Simon Murray

Technology and Cyber Liabilities

Sector Focus Team, Forum of Insurance

Lawyers (FOIL) and Partner at DWF

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ASSOCIATIONS ASSEMBLE

Anthony Hughes

Title: Chair and CEO

Association: The Credit Hire Organisation

(CHO)

Managing Risk in

Credit Hire

Credit hire companies (CHCs) have a longstanding

relationship with the concept of risk. As a matter

of fact, their business relies on managing risk

effectively. When a customer contacts a CHC

seeking mobility after an accident, claims

professionals must first determine liability – after all,

you cannot recover the cost from an insurer for a

fault claim!

If the accident was clearly the fault of one party, the

case should be capable of settlement quickly and

easily. However, it’s not always clear who is liable for an

accident or incident – and it’s often the case that it is

not always one party’s fault entirely. Liability resolution

technology is now available to assist decision makers,

but in truth, this is often not the most contentious issue.

CHCs have to assess other risk factors when making

a decision to support a customer through the claim.

For example, is the customer able to pay for the cost

of a replacement vehicle without having to make

unreasonable financial sacrifices? Claims agents have to

assess the complex issues of customer impecuniosity,

which is all too often subjective. Moreover, is the

customer telling the truth? The danger is that if the

case ends up in court and the customer is determined

to have been economical with the truth, a judge may

rule in favour of the compensator and leave a CHC

to pick up the costs, both their own and that of the

defendants.

Criminals target CHCs and rental companies to

steal cars, and where vehicles are stolen for parts or

export abroad, the level of criminality is often highly

sophisticated. The costs of crime are significant, so to

de-risk the impact, CHCs use state-of-the-art trackers

as well as teams of investigators to hunt down the

perpetrators and get the vehicles back safely.

Risk is everywhere in business, even in the relatively

straightforward world of motor claims. However, a

combination of human judgment and technology both

help to manage this risk effectively, ensuring a hasslefree

claims journey for the customer while their own

vehicle is off the road.

Dr David Matthew Punter Connell

Title: Director Presidentof Policy and Public Affairs

Association: Chartered Institute of Insurance Automotive Institute Engineer (CII)

Assessors (IAEA)

Risk and Reward

In the world of claims and assessing, we

are clearly moving towards a stronger

reliance on digital imaging and desktop

assessments.

Whilst the systems are there to support this

medium, the risk is undermined by speed to

process and an acceptance that what you are

presented with is factual. Of course, a physical

inspection would leave the subject matter expert

with more audio, sensory and visual input to

review in order to determine the legitimacy of

what is being presented, and whilst Artificial

Intelligence (AI) has its place to assist the human

expert in the initial triage stages, there’s a clear

issue emerging with the potential for fraud. This

is often coupled with a diminished skill set being

applied to an accepted truth on what is being

presented.

Therefore, the risk of exposure for some vehicles

being subject to loss fall foul to the route of a

speedy claims service designed to assist the

genuine customer, with an ease to use an ‘own

repairer’ or even a ‘cash in lieu’ as this process

closes the claim quickly. It is also worth noting

that the possible total loss outcome route will

only then bring a potential check for a previous

total loss history, which may lead to suspicion and

further investigation into fraud.

Utilising a random physical inspection process

from a qualified IAEA member would mitigate

this risk. A vehicle check for previous total loss

information at the review of claim by the engineer

involved would also emphasise concerns over

fraudulent behaviour, therefore triggering a

physical inspection of the vehicle to establish if

the facts presented are indeed fact at all.

Whilst this is a simple task, the majority of claims

are being handled digitally more and more

frequently, which opens the door to risk and

reward for the unscrupulous claimant.

MODERN INSURANCE | 35


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ASSOCIATIONS ASSEMBLE

Sue Brown

Title: Chair

Association: Motor Accident Solicitors Society

(MASS)

Barriers Persist in

Access to Justice

In November, the Lord Chancellor, Shabana

Mahmood, finally published the delayed outcome

for the statutory review of Whiplash Injury

regulations. The outcome was fairly unspectacular

for both claimants and defendants.

The tariff of damages is being uprated by 15% to

account for inflation between 2021 and 2024, with

a small inflation buffer for the next three years until

the next review (anticipated to take place in 2027).

There are no changes to the definitions used, the

minor psychological injury element, or the uplift for

exceptional injuries.

This is a bare minimum increase to account for

inflation, but set on the very low-level baseline

installed by the former UK Government in 2021.

Given the delay in the process, it will also not be

implemented until Spring 2025 at the earliest,

following a period of consultation with the Lady Chief

Justice and a short Parliamentary process. So, this is

a rather stingy four-year settlement rather than three,

which does beg the question whether the review will

occur in 2027, or even 2028…

Whilst we might quibble over a few percentage

points’ increases, the real issue for claimants is that

the tariff as structured is deeply unfair, was set

ridiculously low, under-compensates claimants, and

is a barrier to access to justice. However, for claimants

and compensators alike, the early flagging of a formal

post-implementation review of the whiplash reform

programme and the operation of the Civil Liability

Act 2018 was probably more interesting. Labour, of

course, opposed the reforms (and specifically, the

tariff) during the passage of the Act. This review

will be the real test of the direction this government

wishes to take around access to justice.

Dr Mike Matthew KeatingConnell

Title: Director CEO of Policy and Public Affairs

Association: Chartered Managing General Insurance Agents’ Institute (CII)

Association (MGAA)

Staying Ahead: A Spotlight

on Compliance for MGAs

The UK’s regulatory environment continues to

evolve in ways that demand Managing General

Agents (MGAs) remain vigilant and proactive.

The regulatory spotlight will intensify as we

move further into 2025, with far-reaching

implications for MGAs operating both

domestically and internationally.

Key among these developments is the increasing

scrutiny of capacity arrangements. MGAs underwriting

in the UK, on behalf of foreign insurers without UK

authorisation, risk bringing those insurers “onshore,”

potentially breaching compliance regulations. Without

robust fronting agreements with UK-authorised

entities, these practices could expose MGAs to serious

consequences, from regulatory enforcement to

reputational harm.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s enhanced Consumer

Duty framework adds another layer of responsibility,

requiring firms to actively demonstrate that their

products and practices deliver positive customer

outcomes. This aligns with broader regulatory

themes, including the demand for greater operational

resilience, stricter oversight of broker relationships, and

transparency around non-financial misconduct.

This can increase pressure on profitability for MGAs,

where increasing compliance costs will be recognised

in their financial model. These costs go beyond direct

financial outlays; they include the investment in

resources to meet enhanced governance, oversight,

and reporting requirements. Small and mid-sized MGAs

face particular challenges, as their limited operational

capacity makes it harder to absorb these expenses

without compromising profitability. Subsequently, the

industry needs to strike a delicate balance between

fulfilling its regulatory obligations and maintaining

competitive, customer-focused business models.

The MGAA is instrumental in helping members

navigate these changes, recently addressing the

legal requirements related to non-admitted insurers.

Through our comprehensive insights program and

advocacy, we provide the tools MGAs need to stay

ahead and be operationally cost-effective in the face

of these important regulatory

requirements.

MODERN INSURANCE | 37


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achieve growth and profitability through the active application of innovation

and technology to achieve great customer outcomes.

Kinetic’25 promises to be bigger and will again showcase the

industries finest suppliers, partners and innovators.

Kinetic’25 represents the next stage in the evolution of our

highly successful live events, who’s fundemental aim is to

showcase innovation, improve communication and improve

processes. Moving forward together through collaboration

providing with infinite possibilites.

Kinetic offers a unique opportunity to be part of a leading

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promote your company.

If you are interested in attending, getting involved, booking

a stand or talking to the Kinetic team about exhibiting or

sponsorship options please get in touch or visit the site

below. Let’s move forward together, again.

www.kinetic25.com

kinetic@vizionnetwork.co.uk


ASSOCIATIONS ASSEMBLE

Shaune Worrall

Title: Deputy Head of General Insurance

Association: British Insurance Brokers’

Association (BIBA)

Ransomware

Resistance in the

Insurance Community

The 2024 Sophos annual review, The State of

Ransomware, suggests 59% of organisations across

14 countries were hit by ransomware attacks in

2023. 47% of victims were broadly SMEs. According

to cyber insurer, CFC Underwriting, 96% of all cyberattacks

are directed at small and medium-sized

businesses.

This is why BIBA has for some time helped brokers,

their clients and stakeholders to engage with cyber

insurance for their own financial resilience and for

the wider economic security of the country. Cyber

insurance is now regularly referred to as a ‘service’;

providing proactive threat monitoring protection

and 24/7 forensic incident response as well as loss

indemnification.

In May 2024, BIBA and the National Cyber Security

Centre (NCSC) launched Ransomware Payment

Guidance at their respective annual conferences in

collaboration with the ABI and IUA. Its aims are clear; to

minimise the overall impact of a ransomware incident

on an organisation through mitigating disruption and

cost, all with the effect of reducing the number of

ransoms paid by UK ransomware victims. Of course,

until more organisations recognise their vulnerability

to criminal cyber-attacks, there is still much work to be

done around awareness. There’s an IT language barrier

and perhaps the added risk of feeling foolish if you

don’t have the jargon, which might be holding back

engagement. Here, information and guidance from the

Government and wider insurance industry is always

helpful.

From a broker point of view, a BIBA member recently

recounted a conversation with a client. “How many fires

or thefts affected your business last year?” Happily,

the answer was none. But ask how many times cyber

criminals tried to extort money from them, and the

answer amounted to “regularly”. This conversation

helps highlight the high probability of cyber hackers

disrupting everyday businesses, prompting brokers

and clients to have a

deeper conversation about

proactive cyber insurance

protection.

Simon Murray

Title: Technology and Cyber Liabilities Sector Focus Team

Association: Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) and

Partner, DWF

AI in 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to make

even more significant strides in 2025 than it

did in 2024. But what might we expect from

this revolutionary technology over the next

12 months?

Advancements in AI Models

Google recently released Gemini 2.0, which is aimed

squarely at tasks (including those requiring reasoning)

that are currently being undertaken by humans. We’ve

also seen Amazon and OpenAI unveil Nova and ChatGPT

Pro, concluding a year of regular advancement by all

the ‘frontier’ model players. We can expect new releases

to continue apace in 2025, with Operator from OpenAI,

Nova Premier from Amazon, and Llama 4 from Meta all

expected.

Whereas most 2024 releases have been characterised

as ‘useful interns’, industry commentators have likened

the models coming in 2025 to PhD students, which

intuitively feels like a big leap in capability if it proves to

be an accurate characterisation.

AI Agents

If you follow the technology press, you will have

struggled to avoid talk of ‘agentic AI’ over the past

year. Agentic AI has the ability to perform complex,

multi-stage tasks with no (or minimal) human input.

This is at odds with traditional AI models which need

explicit instructions for each task. The applicability of

this technology to lower complexity claims handling,

diagnostic elements of healthcare and customer support

tasks is plain to see.

The adoption of AI agents will unquestionably rise,

with forecasts indicating that 25% of enterprises using

generative AI will deploy AI agents in 2025, growing to

50% by 2027. I consider the latter forecast to be at the

conservative end of the spectrum.

In summary, 2025 is set to witness AI’s deeper

integration into daily life and business operations. In my

opinion, this will be the year that widespread application

of AI to a vast array of business tasks becomes not only

desirable, but also commercially essential.

MODERN INSURANCE | 39


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THE

FRAUD

BOARD

The theme of ‘risk’ permeates this month’s publication. Insurance

fraud presents an ongoing, systemic risk that corrodes trust in

society and threatens our economic integrity and prosperity.

In response, the general insurance sector has built its counter fraud strategy on

collaboration, cooperation and partnership working between insurers and the

utilities; the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) and the Insurance Fraud Enforcement

Department (IFED). Partnership working is also very much the approach that is

being taken by the Government. Nowhere is this better illustrated than through the

sector charters that underpin the UK fraud strategy.

I was delighted that the Insurance Fraud Charter was launched at the Joint Fraud

Taskforce on 24 October. Our Charter contains a series of private and public

commitments that will help to manage risk and make our sector more resilient

to insurance fraud. In short, it addresses issues that will allow us to counter the

mobility and sophistication of fraudsters and adapt our strategy to ensure it

remains fit for purpose.

In 2024, this publication looked at ‘people’ issues. Our Charter will continue to raise

consumer awareness of insurance fraud. I’ve previously written about the ABI’s

recent online scams campaign; the industry will embark upon further campaigns

in 2025. Victim support underpins many other sector charters, and we will support

the victims of insurance fraud by signposting them to advice that promotes better

protection, repairs damaged credit histories, and reports fraud.

Modern Insurance Magazine has also focused on the impact of technology. This

is a theme that runs through several Charter commitments. We will extend our

counter fraud strategy beyond general insurance, including implementing data

sharing measures with other parts of the insurance sector to ensure we have

robust defences against fraud across the market. We will also explore information

sharing opportunities with aggregators to tackle application fraud, as well as look

to identify online platforms facilitating insurance fraud.

But insurance fraud is a complex and dynamic issue that requires a multi-faceted

whole system response. So, we welcome government Charter commitments to

help tackle the threat posed by professional enablers and work with the industry

to understand the benefits of broader information sharing.

We now look forward to continuing our work with other industry signatories and

the Home Office to drive implementation of the Charter commitments forward.

The real hard work starts now.

Mark

Mark Allen,

Assistant Director, Head of Fraud and Financial

Crime, Association of British Insurers (ABI)

MODERN INSURANCE | 41


Digital Media Forensics

Detecting image and document fraud early and

accelerating claim processing.

• Exposes pixel manipulation

• Finds metadata inconsistencies

• Identify images reused or copied from online

• Early fraud detection

• Efficient claims process

Get in touch to arrange

your demonstration

ClaimsUK@verisk.com


THE FRAUD BOARD

IASIU:

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025

As we move into 2025, the International Association of

Special Investigation Units (IASIU) continues to grow as

a leader in fostering professionalism, networking, and

education in the field of insurance fraud investigations.

With members spanning across the globe, IASIU’s mission

remains steadfast: to promote the highest standards of

ethics, education, and training for professionals engaged in

combating insurance fraud.

Over the last year, IASIU has significantly increased its online

learning offerings, reaffirming our commitment to providing flexible,

accessible education for our members. Our publication, SIU Today,

and our bi-monthly webinars will continue to focus on emerging

trends such as cyber fraud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in fraud

detection. Additionally, our CIFI and CIFA Certifications provide

professional recognition throughout the industry, inspiring public

confidence in the integrity, objectivity and professionalism of

insurance investigators.

In January, we welcome the Insurance Fraud Investigators Group

(IFIG) as our newest IASIU Chapter! This partnership is set to boost

collaboration and resource sharing among fraud investigators,

enhancing their ability to tackle insurance fraud. Members are looking

forward to professional development and networking opportunities

within the global IASIU community.

IASIU’s annual conference (scheduled for August 24-27, 2025 at

the Gaylord Rockies in Denver, Colorado) promises to be our most

comprehensive yet. This event will bring top experts together

from across the industry to address cutting-edge issues in fraud

detection and prevention. Sessions will cover a range of topics, from

global fraud trends to innovations in technology that are reshaping

investigations.

As we look ahead to another year of progress, IASIU invites all

members and potential members to get involved, whether through

attending the annual conference, enrolling in a new certification

course, or becoming active in their local chapters. Together, we can

shape the future of insurance fraud investigations and continue to

uphold the highest standards in the industry. As we move into 2025

and beyond, IASIU will continue to be a powerful advocate for the

industry and a central hub for global collaboration, learning and

innovation in the fight against fraud.

Aimee Stidham,

Vice President, International Association of Special Investigation

Units (IASIU)

MARSHMALLOW:

TACKLING FRAUD AND

BUILDING TRUST FOR

UNDERSERVED MARKETS

At Marshmallow, our mission is simple: to solve real-world

problems by offering distinctive products to underserved

market segments, most notably those moving to a new

country. One of the biggest challenges we face—shared by

many insurers—is providing affordable insurance to those

who need it most. Unfortunately, this same goal is also

shared and exploited by ghost brokers, who expose insurers

to risk and prey on vulnerable individuals by selling invalid

policies, leaving customers unprotected.

We understand that newcomers to the UK, our primary customer

base, are often targeted by ghost brokers. This awareness drives our

comprehensive fraud prevention strategy, which prioritises protecting

honest customers. However, fraud prevention doesn’t begin when a

customer lands on our website or requests a quote—it starts much

earlier.

In a crowded market, where consumers have a choice of hundreds

of brands within seconds, identifying the most suitable legitimate

product can be overwhelming. For those unfamiliar with UK insurance,

the problem worsens when bogus intermediaries promise solutions

but blur the line between legitimate and fraudulent providers. This

underscores the need for trusted brands that inspire confidence,

ensuring customers never need to turn to illegitimate options.

Since launching in 2016, Marshmallow has grown to become the

go-to insurer for those new to the UK. Over the past year, our brand

awareness and preference has grown significantly, and direct sales

now account for a larger share of new business than ever before. This

growth reflects the strength of our brand and the trust we’ve built with

our customers.

Upon becoming a Marshmallow customer, we continue to prioritise

our relationship of trust. We’ve designed user journeys that seamlessly

integrate fraud prevention with exceptional customer experiences.

Furthermore, education plays a vital role in our approach. We provide

tools and guidance to navigate the insurance process confidently;

educating customers on claims procedures, recognising potential

risks, and capturing critical information if they should encounter fraud.

By empowering our customers, we reinforce their trust in us while

safeguarding them from exploitation.

However, fraud is not just an issue for individual insurers; it’s a challenge

that affects the entire industry and erodes consumer confidence.

Tackling this issue requires collaboration across insurers, regulators and

partners, and together, we must establish clearer distinctions between

legitimate and illegitimate providers, share best practice and promote

transparency. By reducing the opportunities available to fraudsters, we

can create a safer and more reliable insurance ecosystem.

At Marshmallow, we are committed to leading this effort. However,

lasting change will depend on an industry-wide commitment to

rebuilding trust and setting a standard for reliability and transparency

as the norm.

Ash Jackson,

Head of Fraud, Marshmallow

MODERN INSURANCE | 43



THE FRAUD BOARD

KEEPING UP WITH

THE FRAUDSTERS

Keeping up with the fast-moving

fraudster requires first class management

information.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around

once in a while, you could miss it.” So said Ferris Bueller.

We all know, unconstrained by rules and regulations, that

fraudsters are embracing new technology and pushing

the boundaries when it comes to creating ways to extract

money from insurers. For the Counter Fraud Manager, having

access to tip-top management information - and stopping

to look around every once in a while - is critical in the race to

keep up with them.

Having access to live real-time information about both

detection rates and investigation progress and outcomes

aids performance forecasting and how you manage risk of

fraud on the front line. Take, for example, fraud typologies

that are more prevalent in one region than another. You

might be thinking, I don’t need to worry about that. AI will

spot that pattern and raise the alert for me, and it will be

from known patterns. But what about variations to a theme?

Fraudsters will change their approach, and this is where it is

vital to have humans in the loop to be informed and aware

of what they might need to look out for. Managing that risk

requires joined up communication between underwriting,

claims, and the fraud team.

Let’s take a claim surge event by way of an example. We all

know that fraudsters take advantage of the opportunities to

hide among the crowd following a significant storm event,

such as Storm Darragh back in December 2024. Accurate MI

means you can plan and prepare a risk managed approach

to such events. This might conflict with a zero-tolerance

approach to fraud, but as the vast majority of customers

are genuine, prioritising them is always the first objective.

Having a pre-planned tactical approach to rapidly amend

your detection criteria can help; such an approach would

alter the risk scoring for facets of your detection criteria

that, whilst valuable, have a higher false positive rate - all

the while maintaining defences for the most predictive

indicators. This means that the workload for both the claims

and fraud team can be managed, and most importantly,

genuine customers are not inconvenienced.

Post event analysis must also take place to ensure that if a

claim has triggered a referral, it is reviewed as a whole. This

guarantees that the surge protocol is updated, and ensures

any relevant lessons are learned.

Storms and surge events happen once in a while, but

stopping and looking around at what is really going on

should be a constant exercise in your fraud mitigation

strategy.

CURIOSITY KILLED

THE FRAUDSTER

At a time when risks are changing and

evolving so quickly, one size most

definitely does not fit all.

Frauds once seemed simpler. The lines were clearer between

organised and opportunistic fraud, and cybercrime was a

different beast entirely - although, it’s hard to know whether

this was just a perception that arose because we didn’t truly

understand the nature of what we were dealing with. The

truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

However, the genie is now well and truly out of the bottle.

We live in a hyper-connected world, where if you’re thinking

about committing fraud, there are a range of tools at your

fingertips. The dark web, GenAI and a host of ways to

connect with like-minded individuals, anonymously and

anywhere in the world, are all available in real time.

We see new fraud typologies and evolutions every day. This

may involve fraudsters testing our controls and adapting our

models to circumvent them, as well as our responses to new

products being launched or reacting to new regulation.

Any counter fraud strategy should be intelligence-led, with

methodologies to collate data, assess and understand where

those new frauds may arise in order to create controls that

protect your business. Equally, however, we must recognise

that it is impossible to truly predict every new fraud that will

emerge at a granular level.

By their very nature, fraudsters don’t have the same legal,

regulatory, governance and reputational risks that we do

in business. They can be agile as a result, and our response

must create a multi-layered control environment. Information

can be provided in various forms, so we need to be able to

collate and analyse all of these.

Frauds will have indicators. Identifying those indicators and

building them into your future detection and prediction

models is important, and this sophistication should have

quite a broad range. Predictive models such as Machine

Learning give us a scalability and reach that can’t be

achieved manually, and in an industry with complex

distribution, supply, and partnerships, we must not forget

the need to prepare our people when it comes to knowing

what to look for.

Finally, we need to look for things that we don’t yet know

are frauds. That may sound strange, but there are plenty of

methodologies and tools out there that can help us look for

outliers. Those outliers may just be the next fraud, and so

one of the most important aspects of tackling this rapidly

changing risk environment is to prevent complacency and

remain curious.

Martyn Griffiths,

Sales Manager UK&I, FRISS

Ben Fletcher,

Head of Financial Crime, LV= General

Insurance

MODERN INSURANCE | 45


Specialist

Investigation

Services

Innovative solutions

to help validate claims &

combat insurance fraud

Charles Taylor Specialist Investigation Services (CTSIS) works

collaboratively with the insurance industry to provide market

leading global claims validation and counter fraud services.

Our full suite of claims validation solutions includes

Fraud Keeper, our proprietary Automated Fraud

Detection software, our multi award winning social

media and open source intelligence tool, Discovery by

Charles Taylor, both of which are supported by internal

and external counter fraud professionals.

GET IN TOUCH

Bobby Gracey

Group Head of Fraud

Find out more

+44 7557 774 577

bobby.gracey@charlestaylor.com

Simon Cook

Director of Investigation Services – UK

+44 7834 098 648

simon.cook@charlestaylor.com


THE FRAUD BOARD

DOCUMENT VALIDATION TECH TURNS

THE TABLES ON FRAUDSTERS

Claims handlers trust images of a physical loss, as well as

paperwork that proves the ownership and value of the items

involved. After all, such documentation is a strong indicator

of a genuine claim, isn’t it?

Well, not always. In a growing number of cases, fraudsters have

edited original documents or used artificial intelligence to create

them from scratch. Either way, it’s difficult to detect these fakes with

the naked eye, and claims processing systems often don’t flag them

up as suspicious.

Detecting fake documents

To get on top of this issue, the adjusting teams at Charles Taylor have

teamed up with a leading technology provider in this space to help

insurers spot fake and edited documents before marking them for

investigation. Offered by Charles Taylor, the ‘Detect’ software solution

enables claims teams to either use the technology to scan a specified

batch of documents or to embed it in their processes and examine

every inbound and outbound attachment. Operating in real time, the

software inspects the metadata of each file and determines if it was

altered in any way from its original state. The system verifies data

in relation to the policyholder’s address and/or loss location, as well

as checking if documents have been through suspicious software

or editing programmes. It can analyse the source code of PDF

files to detect those that have been manipulated, and will identify

documents that have been used in other internal or external claims.

The system incorporates a database of more than 60,000 firmware

and device release dates, and validates whether documents could

have been created by the device from which it was sent. For example,

in some instances a document will be in a format that wasn’t available

on the model of device from which it’s purported to have come.

Continually, we hear about the threat posed by fraudsters, their ability

to use technology against insurers and the need for the industry

to play catch-up. This technology is an excellent example of how

insurers can get ahead of the problem and make definitive decisions

on fraud.

And the results are similarly conclusive. One insurer deployed the

technology across its entire claims operations, and it now accounts

for 19% of all its fraud investigations.

New market standard

Now that we can quickly and accurately determine whether or not

documentation is genuine, the modern opportunistic fraudster is

going to find that this avenue of attack quickly runs dry. Applicable

across all lines of business, the ability to flag up counterfeit

documents will increase fraud detection rates and shorten the time

taken to identify suspicious claims. The technology also reduces the

number of false positives generated, thus enabling fraud teams to be

more targeted in their investigations and obtain a better return from

their existing resources.

Bobby Gracey,

Global Head of Counter Fraud, Charles Taylor

YULETIDE LESSONS: SANTA

CLAUS JAILED, BILLIONS LEFT

DISTRAUGHT

Old habits die hard, and the Christmas just gone was no

exception. Within the melee of all things festive, I always try

and catch at least one film live on TV. I know I could stream

it, but there’s always something special about setting aside

a specific time to watch an old classic.

And for me, ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is a family yuletide favourite – a film as

much about white-collar crime and risk as it is about Santa. Not so sure? Well,

consider this comment from Santa himself: “You think I’m a fraud, don’t you?”

(Kris Kringle, 1994).

The film is a timely reminder to consider all forms of risk, especially when

something is seemingly improbable (in this case, the jailing of Santa Claus on

Christmas Eve). And with two film versions from 1947 and 1994, I guess you

could say that the probability of Santa being jailed on Christmas Eve is roughly

a once-in-a-half-century occurrence… rare likelihood, catastrophic impact!

Our challenge in managing fraud risk lies in finding a balance between

addressing known fraud types and preparing for those rarer, but potentially

even more impactful events. Especially when there’s focus on investment in

only fraud controls that tackle threats with short term financial impact, such as

insurance fraud only. This narrow focus can lead to a lack of awareness about

corporate fraud, leaving organisations vulnerable.

As with Kris Kringle’s Christmas, broader fraud risk management can become

‘lost in the shuffle’. A more comprehensive approach to fraud is essential.

Believe indeed; fraud risk management is an established, proven truth. The

challenge lies in how to implement a pragmatic yet robust framework within an

organisation that may already be stretched thin, and where mitigating a ‘onein-

fifty’ event may be de-prioritised.

So here are three top tips for addressing fraud risk.

Adapt the Framework. Implementing a fraud risk framework can be

overwhelming, but it works best when executed incrementally and in an agile

manner. Invest time to understand the approach that suits your organisation,

allowing for accelerated delivery of the most relevant solutions.

Be Mindset-Aware. The essence of successful fraud is that honest people do

not suspect it. The same applies to fraud risk assessments. Carefully choose

your implementation team to ensure a pragmatic identification of fraud risks

and their potential occurrence. Focus on a “yes, if…” mindset rather than “no,

because...”

Ensure Repeatability. A fraud risk programme is not a one-time effort. The

environment is constantly changing, so design your framework to be flexible

and scalable, enabling it to be effectively repeated as circumstances evolve.

A robust fraud risk management approach is a powerful tool against

unforeseen, impactful fraud events. As Kris Kringle might (sort of) say, “Oh,

fraud risk isn’t just an approach; it’s a frame of mind... and that’s what’s been

changing.”

Matt Gilham,

Director, Whitelk

MODERN INSURANCE | 47


DATA PROTECTION

SHOULD ENABLE

INNOVATION

In designing solutions to combat fraud, data

protection teams play a critical role in ensuring

compliance with privacy laws. But all too often,

barriers are presented where there shouldn’t be any,

and this can hold innovation back.

“The data protection team are uncomfortable with that…”

How many times have you heard this feedback? Well, maybe

not too many – it depends on how often you are pushing

innovative new solutions in the direction of insurers, or trying

to deal with public bodies to gather information. In my world,

I hear it quite a bit, and often for inexplicable reasons when

the solutions and ideas are perfectly legal, do not infringe on

data protection laws and remain ethically sound. It can be

frustrating, but it’s something that many of us have come to

accept.

Protecting personal information is extremely important, and

data protection teams play a hugely important role in helping

us do this. However, by design, they tend to err on the side of

caution. The best teams won’t just say no; they will highlight

potential problems, identify solutions, and provide enough

information to enable balanced decisions. It’s essential that

those making decisions based on the guidance are well

trained in data protection. This training ensures they can push

back on any overly cautious responses and challenge their

teams constructively.

In conversations with professionals across the industry, we

have seen examples of great initiatives getting roadblocked

by data protection teams. In the constant and evolving fight

against fraud, it’s imperative that executives and decisionmakers

are in a position to challenge DPOs and not let the tail

wag the dog.

It’s tempting for some teams to veto decisions, avoid risks,

and cite data protection as the reason that something cannot

be done. In our personal lives, we’ve probably all requested

something from an organisation only to receive pushback due

to data protection. And while protecting personal information

is vital, this reasoning shouldn’t become a frequent excuse in

professional settings—especially when insurers must adapt to

evolving technologies used to perpetrate fraud.

So, what can you expect from NetWatch? Well, we will keep

pitching new ideas to tackle fraud, avoid risks, and give you

the intelligence you need – and rest assured that anything we

put in front of you will always be compliant with privacy law!

David Purcell,

Chief Operating Officer, NetWatch Global

Statement

Taking

Tracing

Services

Telephone

Interpreting

Written

Tanslation

Court

Attendance

Affidavits

0151 372 1860

info@witnesswise.co.uk

The Plaza, 100 Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 9QJ


Insurance: A Risky

Business

At the time of writing, the CEO of a major health

insurance company has just been shot dead

in the US. The alleged perpetrator has been

arrested and investigations are underway to

discover the motives and possible grievances

he may have had that pushed him towards this

horrendous act. Has the world gone mad?

Whilst the shooting was bad enough, the social media

commentary has been almost worse. Desktop trolls

have lauded the alleged murderer as something of a

hero; wreaking so-called revenge on the leader of an

insurance company is somehow considered a justifiable

retribution for denied claims and supposed wrongs

committed against policyholders.

No amount of risk management by insurers could have

foreseen this tragedy, because I don’t believe for one

moment that the CEO reigned over a corrupt regime

designed to fleece policyholders. Instead, he and his

colleagues were performing the duties that those same

policyholders asked for – to manage claims in such a

way that legitimately minimises costs and balances the

books.

Here’s the dilemma. When assessing claims, how do we

find the line between being fair and reasonable versus

being unfair, deceitful, or illegal?

Whether it’s US health insurance (an admittedly

difficult and sometimes expensive necessity in the

US) or UK motor claims, stolen goods replacement,

business interruption payments, life assurance, personal

injury, casualty, large loss and many more – the aim of

the insurer is to pay legitimate claims and deny those

where cover does not exist, or where fraud is suspected

and confirmed. Aside from those caveats, the claim

should be paid.

distribution channels that promote them. Too often,

product features will be ‘tweaked’ or omitted altogether

in order to produce a lower quote and reach the top of

the price comparison listings. At the same time, the sales

and marketing machines will look only to the positives,

ignoring the negatives of the chosen policy. The mere

existence of intense competition in sometimes crowded

markets means that ‘price rules OK’, with everything else

going out of the window.

Competition has the hugely beneficial effect of driving

innovation and development, but it can also lead to less

than fulsome explanations of what is being hidden. It

can, of course, also lead to sharp practice, and regulators

are right to erect safeguards around Consumer Duty,

Vulnerable Customers and Fair Treatment in order to

ensure orderly behaviours.

What Does it all Mean?

I see many an institution proudly displaying their socalled

customer-centric credentials, but in truth, they

are no such thing. Instead, they play the game the same

as many others and hope that no-one notices. But

policyholders are not stupid. They will take note, talk

negatively about our industry and decry our efforts to be

seen as legitimate guardians of policyholder premiums.

They may vote with their feet and go elsewhere, they

may take the risk and abandon insurance altogether, or

they could even seek financial revenge and exaggerate a

claim to get a return on their premiums.

Or, they may shoot and kill the CEO, if that is indeed the

motive of the alleged perpetrator in the US.

Let us hope that this last experience is not one that will

cross the Atlantic and be repeated in the UK.

Missing the Point

The core problem, it seems to me, is that policyholders

often don’t understand the cover that they have. At the

time of critical need, when the hoped-for insured event

happens, there is massive disappointment, frustration

and anger at any negative decision being made.

The responsibility for effectively communicating the

levels and types of cover being purchased must lie

with those who design the policies, as well as the

Eddie Longworth,

Director, JEL Consulting

Claims and Supply Chain Development

MODERN INSURANCE | 49


Driving towards

safe, secure,

and sustainable

motoring

thatcham.org


Driving Change: Navigating

Modern Motor Insurance Risk

Until relatively recently, motor

insurers could rely on historical

data and driver behaviour

to determine premiums

with reasonable accuracy. A

predictable blend of driver

experience, claims history

and basic vehicle attributes

provided a reliable foundation

for risk assessment. However, the

rapid advancement of vehicle

technology has disrupted this

traditional model.

Today's vehicles represent a complex

interplay of software, sensors, advanced

materials and powertrains that alter risk

profiles in ways traditional assessment

methods struggle to capture. This isn't

merely a matter of different components

– it represents a fundamental shift in how

vehicles are constructed, powered, repaired,

and maintained.

The emergence of software-defined vehicles

presents particularly novel challenges.

When a vehicle's core capabilities can be

enhanced or modified through over-the-air

updates, how do we accurately assess its

risk profile? A vehicle's performance, safety

features and driver assistance capabilities

might be significantly different postpurchase,

yet traditional risk assessment

models weren't designed to account for

such dynamic changes.

Moreover, the integration of Advanced

Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is

reshaping the vehicle repair sector. While

these technologies promise enhanced

safety, they also introduce new complexities

in repair processes and costs. The

calibration of sensors and cameras after

even minor collisions can significantly

impact repair times and expenses, creating

a new dimension of risk.

This evolution isn't just affecting premium

calculations – it's changing the relationship

between manufacturers, insurers, and

consumers. As vehicles become increasingly

sophisticated, the traditional boundaries

between each stakeholder become

increasingly blurred. So, how do we price

the risk of these modern vehicles? This is

the question that Thatcham Research's

automotive risk intelligence aims to address.

The Evolution in Risk Assessment

The Group Rating system, a Thatcham

Research invention, has been the bedrock

of vehicle risk assessment in the UK for

over 25 years, providing insurers with

a standardised framework to evaluate

vehicle risk on a scale of 1-50. This system

has formed the DNA of vehicle insurance,

informing decisions made by brokers, price

comparison websites, and insurers alike.

However, much like trying to describe a 4K

video with a black and white photograph,

the Group Rating system is increasingly

unable to capture the nuanced risk profiles

of modern vehicles.

Furthermore, the Group Rating system's

static nature fails to account for modern

vehicles' dynamic characteristics. When

a manufacturer pushes an over-the-air

update that modifies vehicle performance

or enhances safety features, the current

Group Rating remains unchanged, despite

potentially significant alterations to the

vehicle's risk profile. In today's fast-paced

automotive environment, where vehicle

capabilities can evolve post-purchase, this

static approach is increasingly inadequate.

The Five Assessments of Vehicle Risk

In response to these challenges, Thatcham

Research developed a new framework

called Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR)

[introduced in September 2024] that

fundamentally reimagines how vehicle

risk is evaluated. In contrast to the Group

Rating system, the VRR system is built on

five interconnected risk assessments, each

measured on a scale from 1 to 99.

This configuration dramatically expands

the range of potential outcomes, resulting

in 9,502,071,469 unique combinations of

scores. By comparison, the new system

offers an extraordinary increase in

granularity, over 190 million times greater

than Group Rating’s 1-50 scoring system.

The five assessments - performance,

damageability, repairability, safety, and

security - provide far more precise

differentiation between risk measurements,

enabling finer distinctions and a more

nuanced representation of risk.

‘Performance’ evaluates vehicle driving

characteristics, including the impact

of acceleration, top speed, and vehicle

dynamics. ‘Damageability’ assesses how

vehicle design, materials, and construction

techniques affect damage severity

from common incidents. ‘Repairability’

examines the availability of transparent

and accessible repair strategies, including

parts costs and repair processes. ‘Safety’

provides a comprehensive analysis of

passive and active safety systems, whilst

‘Security’ leverages Thatcham Research’s

New Vehicle Security Assessment expertise

to evaluate both physical and digital

security measures.

These assessments work together to

provide a holistic view of vehicle risk that

was previously impossible under the Group

Rating system.

Data-Driven Decision Making

The development of the VRR system

represents one of the most comprehensive

studies of vehicle risk assessments ever

undertaken in the UK insurance industry.

The resulting framework has been validated

against real-world claims data, ensuring

that theoretical models align with realworld

outcomes.

Additionally, the VRR system is dynamic. It

can evolve as new data becomes available,

allowing it to capture emerging trends

and risks in real-time. This adaptability is

crucial in an era where vehicle capabilities

can change through software updates, and

new technologies can introduce unforeseen

risks.

Car owners and drivers ultimately benefit

the most from VRR through more accurate

insurance premiums and vehicles designed

for longevity. Thatcham Research's central

role allows it to use the VRR framework

to drive change across the industry.

By providing objective, data-driven

assessments of vehicle risk, Thatcham

Research helps align the interests of

insurers, manufacturers, repairers, and

consumers toward a more sustainable

automotive future.

Jonathan Hewett,

Chief Executive,

Thatcham Research

MODERN INSURANCE | 51


Welcoming…

QMel, welcome to Modern Insurance Magazine’s

Editorial Board!

Tell me about Auxillis. What do you do, and how does

your role factor into this picture?

AThank you for having me. I’ve been in this sector for

many years with most of my early career primarily

focused on credit hire, evolving then into Claims

Operations, Leadership and Non-Executive Director roles

over the last 15 years.

Throughout my career, Auxillis has always been a market

leader in the industry and a provider of the highest quality

accident management services. With this in mind, I was

thrilled to be appointed Managing Director in February

2024. Bringing my knowledge and firsthand experience

from both sides of the table – insurer and credit hire

provider – means I’m well positioned to understand the

challenges that insurers face.

QWhat are your primary areas of focus for the

business at the moment?

AHere at Auxillis, we have an outstanding level of

customer service thanks to the efforts of our team

members who deliver our high-quality products

and services. I’ve been blown away by the knowledge,

dedication and genuine care for our customers that our

colleagues display every day, and it’s this aspect of our

business that I believe can further help our insurer and

broker partners leverage their brands and achieve their

objectives.

Historically, Auxillis has primarily been known as a credit

hire supplier, but over 50% of our rentals are now noncredit

hire and part of our total mobility offering. As we

aren’t distracted by retail and corporate services, we can

have a laser focus on providing tailored offerings based on

the individual needs of our insurer, broker and automotive

partners.

QWhich industry challenges have you been affected

by most recently, and how have these hurdles

been overcome?

AHaving worked in the insurance and credit hire

industry since the early 90s, I have encountered and

embraced all types of challenges, be it regulatory,

economic uncertainty, retaining talent or repair costs!

I’m encouraged by the fact that this industry always

finds a way forward. I’ve been particularly impressed and

reassured by the industry’s focus on Consumer Duty lately,

ensuring that customer needs remain a priority and sit

at the core of every business – which is certainly true of

Auxillis.

QLooking to 2025 and beyond, what are your

priorities for Auxillis, and how might these goals

be realised?

AI’m really excited by our current IT development

road map, which is enhancing our self-serve online

portals for both our customers and fleet colleagues.

Alongside this, we are continually increasing our omnichannel

capabilities in recognition of our partner and

customer requirements. Although we’re fully embracing

technology to make our services more accessible and

convenient, we haven’t lost our focus on supporting

vulnerable customers. Our contact centre team are always

available at the other end of the phone, providing the

human interaction that cannot be underestimated.

Mel Bebbington,

Managing Director, Auxillis

52 | MODERN INSURANCE


Welcoming…

Witness Wise

QHey Gilly, a very warm welcome to the Modern

Insurance Magazine Editorial Board!

Let’s start by talking about Witness Wise. What services

do you provide, and how do these services support the

insurance sector?

AThank you!

Witness Wise provide a professional witness

statement taking service, both in English and in the client’s

first language. Our services are mainly used by solicitors,

but we also work directly with insurers too in relation to

their due diligence checks and validating claims. We also

offer People Tracing services wherever a firm might need

to get in touch with existing clients or regain contact,

alongside a number of translation and interpreting

services!

QYour People Tracing service is particularly

fascinating. Can you tell us more about how this

works?

AWe’re experienced in reconnecting our work

providers with clients, or providing them with

updated contact details so they’re not losing

touch. The industry has been affected by clients who’ve

moved house or changed their personal contact details

without thinking to update insurers, solicitors or claims

management companies; of course, clients aren’t likely

to have these interactions on a day-to-day basis, so it’s

frequently overlooked. However, if we’re not careful, those

contacts can easily slip off radar.

QWould you say a unique set of skills are required

to deliver your services effectively?

AAbsolutely, our services demand the skills and

experience of people who have worked in this field

for many years. We’re not able to hire just anyone

to fulfil these roles; the ability to deliver our services is a

learnt skill which comes from years of dedication, working

across multiple scenarios and handling encounters with

clients in order to know how to deal with them.

QWhat challenges have you seen lately in your

corner of the industry, and how are you working

with others to address those challenges?

AI would say that primarily, our role is less about

identifying challenges and more about finding

solutions. There are already enough challenges in

the claims sector at the moment, and I think it’s incredibly

important to start working together as an industry if we’re

going to resolve them.

Our recent partnership with ISAGI in the credit hire space

is another great example of how we’re working together

and teaming up with the wider network of industry

professionals. It’s so fulfilling to identify where our services

can complement others, joining forces to support the

industry instead of exacerbating challenges by working

against it.

We have also introduced a new service to our offering

recently, having been approached by a firm who were in

need of assistance with their client contact department.

This wasn’t a service we offered initially, but we are always

open to having conversations in order to see how our

business can improve the existing operations of other firms.

QWhat are your goals for Witness Wise in 2025?

AThe development of the business through 2024

was amazing, and I’m really proud of the industry’s

response and the way we’ve been continually

recognised for our expertise. 2025 will see us continue

to work hard and build brand awareness – my goal is for

people across the industry to know what we do without

having to ask, and I think we’re well on the way towards

achieving that!

Gilly Daniels,

Managing Director, Witness Wise

I’d say that it’s also contingent on personality. You really

have to possess the right qualities in order to successfully

do the job that we do; you’ve got to be empathetic and

curious, with a talent for building rapport. You’ll really

struggle to deliver the right service if you’re not a people

person, as this will impact the client’s confidence and

ability to feel relaxed and open in your presence.

MODERN INSURANCE | 53


ILC

Built for claims professionals,

by claims professionals

Upcoming events

To find out more about ILC's

activity calendar for 2025 contact

rachael@iloveclaims.com

iloveclaims.com


Navigating Risk in a

Changing World

In today’s rapidly changing landscape, managing risk is arguably one of the greatest issues facing

insurers. Fair and accurate underwriting depends on understanding not only the present-day risks,

but those coming in the future, too. When it comes to developing pricing strategies, historic data

has been largely rendered obsolete by the rapid rate of change.

Climate Change

Extreme weather is just one area where this is being

borne out. According to figures released by the

Association of British Insurers (ABI), UK insurers

paid out a staggering £1.4bn to homeowners and

businesses in the second quarter of 2024 alone.

This represented an increase of five per cent on the

previous three months, and the highest quarterly

figure recorded since the ABI began tracking

property claims payouts in 2017.

Another £1.3bn was paid out in the third quarter,

bringing the annual bill to £4.1bn – 15% higher

than the first nine months of 2023. And it’s not

just property insurers feeling the brunt of extreme

weather; flooding is also the number one cause

of vehicle damage, with 70% of flooded vehicles

declared unrepairable and 20% of all vehicle writeoffs

now the result of floods.

According to the ABI, the second most common

cause of vehicle damage is strong wind. Extreme

weather events are only going to accelerate, with

the Global Risks Report 2024 - published by the

World Economic Forum - citing it as the number one

risk for 66% of insurers. This was backed up by the

AXA Risks Report 2024, which revealed that 77% of

experts believe climate change is the biggest risk.

But it’s not the only one!

Geopolitics

Geopolitics today is as unpredictable as the weather,

with regional conflicts having a severe impact

on supply chains and prices. The UK automotive

industry has already felt the effects of this, with

prices soaring as a result.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s victory in America and

Labour’s win in the UK are also likely to impact

the sector. Trump has promised 10% tariffs on all

imported vehicles, an announcement that saw share

prices of European vehicle manufacturers tumble by

up to seven per cent, while Labour’s commitment to

net zero is casting doubt on UK investment and jobs.

As such, manufacturers are driving EV sales with huge

discounts while suppressing the sale of ICE models.

However, this accelerated path to electrification has

left both repair skills and methods behind, meaning

the repairability of many new models is uncertain.

The situation is likely to be exacerbated further as

Chinese models flood the UK market, with the UK

not following the US and EU by imposing tariffs on

Chinese vehicle manufacturers. Speaking at ILC’s

Exclusive Motor Claims Conference, John Gibson,

Client Relationship Manager at Kennedys, said that

brand-new Chinese vehicles priced under £20,000

are flooding the market, warning of spiralling writeoffs

and repair challenges if the industry does not

prepare for this influx.

To mitigate these risks, Thatcham Research

introduced the Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) framework

back in September. The VRR assesses models based

on performance, damageability, repairability, safety

and security, and is intended to offer greater insights

into a vehicle’s insurability.

Technology

In addition to climate change, geopolitics and

the changing nature of the car parc, the rapid

advancement of technology adds further complexity

to risk management. But while the pros and cons of

Artificial Intelligence (AI) are well-discussed, what

other innovations do insurers need to be aware of?

Robotics is perhaps the area where most

development is taking place. The Tesla Optimus robot

can now catch tennis balls and will be ‘working’ in

factories by the end of 2026. And this is just the start;

Elon Musk predicts the humanoid population will

swell to more than 10 billion within 20 years. If he’s

right, then there will be more robot people on earth

than real people by 2045.

Facing a backlash from vehicle manufacturers, the

UK Government is now consulting around the ZEV

Mandate… but insists the 2030 deadline for the ban

on new petrol and diesel cars will remain.

MODERN INSURANCE | 55


The Global Insurtech Awards were launched for the first time

in 2024 to recognise and celebrate creativity and innovation

within the ever-growing global insurtech community. As exciting

products and services reshape our insurance landscape, we

wanted to honour those who have challenged tradition and

recognised a need for progression in insurance technology around

the world.

Without further ado, the team at Modern Insurance Magazine are

delighted to declare our worthy award winners, bolstered by the

valued support of our exclusive event sponsor, Digilog UK.

To register your interest in the Global Insurtech Awards 2025,

please go to www.globalinsurtechawards.com

56 | MODERN INSURANCE


Insurtech of the Year

Winner: Simfuni

Highly Commended: Compulsory Insurance Bureau of Azerbaijan

A word from Shaun Quincey, CEO, Simfuni:

“Winning the global ‘Insurtech of the Year’ Award is a proud moment that

highlights Simfuni's commitment to driving innovation and efficiency in the

insurance industry. Amid rising expectations on insurers for more efficient

business performance and modern customer experiences, this win further

validates our dedication to providing a streamlined insurance premium

management solution.”

Best Claims Processing Software

Winner: Digilog UK

Highly Commended: Wisedocs Inc.

A word from Lior Koskas, CEO, Digilog UK:

“Winning the Best Claims Processing Software Award affirms Digilog UK's

commitment to innovation and excellence. Our latest DiVA technology

enhances fraud detection, speeds up claims processing, and improves customer

experience, reinforcing our reputation in advanced claims technology and

inspiring our team to push boundaries for insurers and claimants alike.”

Best B2B Insurtech

(Business to Business)

Winner: FullCircl

Highly Commended: Robbie Restoration Technologies

A word from FullCircl:

“Winning this award is a fantastic endorsement of the work we’ve done to

ensure our customers are positioned at the forefront of innovation. We believe

brokers, insurers and MGAs are better with data, and the team at FullCircl do

everything we can to make data enrichment more accessible. To have this belief

validated by a panel of industry experts means everything.”

Best Underwriting Technology

Winner: DigitalOwl

Highly Commended: Cortical.io

A word from Yuval Man, CEO, DigitalOwl:

“Winning the Best Underwriting Technology Award affirms DigitalOwl's

leadership in transforming the insurance landscape. It highlights our

commitment to enhancing underwriting processes through innovation,

reflecting our dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions that streamline

data analysis and decision-making in the insurance industry.”

MODERN INSURANCE | 57


Best Cloud-Based

Solution

Winner: InsuredHQ

Highly Commended: Wisedocs Inc.

A word from InsuredHQ:

“Winning the Best Cloud-Based Solution Award validates our global ambitions

and commitment to simplifying insurance administration, underscoring our

role in driving digital transformation. We’re thrilled to continue innovating and

providing impactful, accessible technology that empowers our clients to deliver

customer-centric, efficient solutions.”

Most Promising Start Up

Winner: Simfuni

Highly Commended: Irys Insurtech

A word from Shaun Quincey, CEO, Simfuni:

“Being awarded Most Promising Start Up is a strong affirmation of Simfuni’s

mission to revolutionise insurance premium management. It underscores our

team’s dedication and innovation, and, importantly, reflects the belief and

confidence that our investors have in our vision. This recognition strengthens

our momentum in driving impactful change within the industry.”

Insurtech Influencer

of the Year

Winner: Irys Insurtech - Margeaux Giles

Highly Commended: Epam- Eric Fenton

A word from Margeaux Giles, CEO, Irys Insurtech:

"Winning this award affirms IRYS’s mission to break barriers and redefine what’s

possible in enterprise technology. It’s a testament to the belief that industries

can—and should—demand better. This recognition fuels our drive to empower

businesses with transformative tools, paving the way for a more transparent,

efficient, and liberated future."

Best Use of Machine Learning

Winner: DigitalOwl

Highly Commended: DeNexus

A word from Yuval Man, CEO, DigitalOwl:

“Winning the Best Use of Machine Learning Award underscores DigitalOwl's

forefront position in using cutting-edge AI in insurance. This accolade

celebrates our success in leveraging Machine Learning to revolutionize

how insurers interpret complex data, significantly improving accuracy and

operational efficiency in the sector.”

58 | MODERN INSURANCE


Best Data Solutions Provider

Winner: Sapiens

Highly Commended: FullCircl

A word from Sapiens:

“It’s an honour to be recognized as the Best Data Solutions Provider at the

Global Insurtech Awards. We are dedicated to empowering insurers with

innovative, impactful data solutions that drive transformation, and this award

reflects the trust our clients place in us to help them navigate a complex,

evolving landscape.”

Best InsuranceManagement System

(Agency Management System)

Winner: INSTANDA

Highly Commended: Irys Insurtech

A word from Tim Hardcastle, CEO and Co-Founder, INSTANDA:

"INSTANDA empowers insurers to rapidly adapt to market dynamics and deliver

tailored solutions to diverse customer segments, all while drastically cutting

technology costs. Our acknowledgment at 2024’s Global Insurtech Awards

underscores our pioneering spirit! We proudly extend our congratulations to

our esteemed clients, valued partners, and the dedicated team.”

Best Payment Solutions Provider

Winner: Simfuni

Highly Commended: Majesco

A word from Shaun Quincey, CEO, Simfuni:

“Simfuni set out initially to modernise the slow, manual, and fragmented

insurance premium payment processes within the industry. Our software

empowers insurers to deliver efficient, personalised, digital payment

experiences that reduce the cost to serve, helping them to build lasting

relationships with more clients. We’re absolutely honoured to be recognised as

the ‘Best Payment Solutions Provider’ at the Global Insurtech Awards 2024.”

Most Outstanding Entrepreneur

in Insurtech

Winner: Wisedocs Inc.

Highly Commended: Agentech

A word from Connor Atchison, Co-Founder & CEO, Wisedocs:

“Being recognized as the Most Outstanding Entrepreneur in Insurtech is an

incredible honor, and a testament to our mission to address critical gaps in t

he insurtech and claims industry. Our commitment to constantly

innovate has allowed us to identify and build streamlined, AI-driven solutions

in claims processing, bringing efficiency, accuracy and support to insurers and

claimants alike.”

MODERN INSURANCE | 59


Best Parametric Insurance Product

Winner: Blink Parametric

Joint Highly Commended: Ven and Exante

A word from Sid Mouncey, CEO, Blink Parametric:

“This win is a sensational team achievement. Being judged by industry experts

to be leaders within the global insurtech community is a great honour, carrying

with it widespread recognition and brand awareness that is of immense

marketable value - which we fully intend to optimise as we go forward.

Thank you!”

Embedded Insurance Provider

Winner: INZMO

Highly Cpmmended: Compulsory Insurance Bureau of Azerbaijan

A word from INZMO:

“Winning the Best Embedded Insurance Provider award highlights our team’s

dedication to innovation in insurance. This recognition fuels our mission to make

insurance a natural, effortless part of everyday life, inspiring us to continue

creating meaningful, customer-focused solutions in the insurance space.”

Best Customer Engagement Software

Winner: Compulsory Insurance Bureau

of Azerbaijan

Highly Commended: Simplifai

A word from the Compulsory Insurance Bureau of Azerbaijan:

“Receiving these honors at the Global Insurtech Awards 2024 underscores

the Compulsory Insurance Bureau of Azerbaijan's dedication to innovation

and customer focus. These achievements highlight our efforts to enhance

transparency, accessibility, and efficiency in insurance while fostering strong

collaboration with insurers through advanced technology and user-friendly

solutions.”

THE GLOBAL INSURTECH AWARDS 2024, KINDLY SPONSORED BY DIGILOG UK!

MEDIA PARTNERS

60 | MODERN INSURANCE


Best Counter-Fraud

Insurance Technology

Winner: Clearspeed

Highly Commended: Verisk

A word from Manjit Rana, EVP - U.K., EMEA & APAC, Clearspeed

"Winning this award is a great honour, validating Clearspeed's innovative

approach to fighting fraud globally. This prestigious recognition showcases

the power of our AI-enabled voice analytics platform to deliver substantial

ROI, reduce handling time, significantly increase fraud loss savings, enhance

customer satisfaction and build a more trustworthy future."

Best Global Insurance

& Insurtech Collaboration

Winner: InsurTech Israel

Highly Commended: Simplifai

A word from InsurTech Israel:

“InsurTech Israel is at the forefront of the thriving Israeli InsurTech ecosystem,

home to nearly 250 startups. We invest in promising startups and run a soughtafter

accelerator program to connect startups with industry leaders, potential

investors, and strategic partners from all over the world.

We foster collaboration through a dedicated business development hub,

and our media arm keeps the industry informed about the latest trends and

promising startups. By bridging the gap between Israeli InsurTech startups

and the global insurance market, we empower both sides to form valuable

partnerships. With our network of 22 partner companies and industry leaders

from around the globe, we are totally committed to driving innovation and

accelerating growth in the InsurTech industry.”

THE GLOBAL INSURTECH AWARDS 2024 WINNERS!


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minutes with...

Hein Hemke

Managing Director, BELFOR UK

What is your most memorable career achievement?

Q

During my time at BELFOR, there have been many

memorable moments, from winning awards to launching

Aour training centre. But one project that truly stands out is

the work we did after Storm Babet.

The Eden family, already facing their daughter Emily’s terminal

cancer, saw their home devastated by the storm’s floodwaters.

With five feet of contaminated water flooding the property, the

entire ground floor and outbuildings were severely damaged.

Initially, the family’s insurance company informed them that the

restoration would take at least six months, meaning they couldn’t

return home for their last Christmas together.

That’s when we stepped in. Our team was on-site within 24

hours, working tirelessly for nine weeks to complete a full

restoration and reinstatement. Thanks to their dedication, the

family was able to move back a day earlier than expected on

December 22 2023, and celebrate Christmas in the home where

Emily had grown up.

To me, this project embodies what the restoration industry is all

about. It’s not just about restoring buildings; it’s about making

a real difference in people’s lives and easing their burden in

difficult times. It was an honour to help the Eden family get

home for Christmas.

What has been the most valuable piece of advice

you’ve received?

Q

On a personal level, I was once told “At the edge of the

cliff is where you get the most beautiful view”. Sometimes

Adifficult situations enable you to find new ways of thinking

or doing something. It’s the chance to turn a challenge into an

opportunity.

I was once advised to “hire people better than you,” and I think

that’s key. You shouldn’t feel threatened by the talent of others.

Surrounding yourself with exceptional people gives you the

support to excel, and we can always learn from others.

What has been the key positive and/or negative impact

of change in your area of the market?

Q

A

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent,

placing increasing pressure on the insurance and

restoration industry during surge events. We must be

ready to respond quickly, requiring a workforce prepared to

act immediately. At the same time, business-as-usual work is

slowing, creating a challenge with resourcing. This means we

often have too many colleagues and not enough work to sustain

them. The question is, how do we retain our talent during slower

periods?

On a positive note, it’s encouraging to see a growing recognition

for the need to attract new talent to the restoration industry.

While the sector offers meaningful career opportunities, we

need to better communicate this. Many firms are now offering

places to apprentices and investing in L&D to support career

growth. At BELFOR, we’ve opened a training facility in Luton to

equip individuals with the skills needed for disaster recovery. Our

programme combines theory with hands-on experience, bridging

the gap between classroom learning and real-world application.

If you were not in your current position, what would you

like to be doing?

Q

A

In my spare time I love to perform in musicals, so perhaps

I would be on the stage or embracing my other passion

– mountaineering. I have climbed many of the biggest

peaks in Europe and South America, including Mount Elbrus, but

Mount Vinson is still on my bucket list.

Which three items would you put on display in a

museum of your life, and why?

Q

A

I was born with a club foot and spent many of my

younger years in a brace. I would display this to show that

with real discipline, you can go on to achieve your goals –

for me, climbing mountains.

I grew up on our family farm in the Netherlands, watching

my father milk the cows and pour the milk into a 50L can for

collection. I still have one of those cans, with a picture of our

farm, reminding me of a happy childhood filled with freedom

and a deep appreciation for the land and where our food comes

from.

I would also include an award for being a founding member of

the Living Wage Recognised Service Provider Scheme. As a

long-time advocate for the Living Wage and tackling in-work

poverty, it was a privilege to help establish the scheme, ensuring

all directly employed staff are paid the real Living Wage.

What three guests would you invite to a dinner party,

and why?

Q

A comedian like Michael McIntyre would have to

be there, because I think it’s important to have

A laughter at a dinner party. I would also invite Heston

Blumenthal, because I’m intrigued as to the mindset of

such a high-profile chef. Such a role requires creativity,

perfection, and consistency to deliver innovative, quality

food again and again. I’d love to know how they handle

this pressure. Finally, I would pick Mikel Arteta, manager of

Arsenal, to find out how he managed to change the culture

and foster real teamwork.

Hein Hemke,

Managing Director, BELFOR UK

MODERN INSURANCE | 63


INSUR.

TECH.

TALK


INSURTECH

WELCOME

Greetings, and welcome

to Insur.Tech.Talk!

Dear readers,

Happy New Year to you all, and welcome to the Distribution Revolution!

Technology is transforming the distribution ecosystem at a rapid pace,

and truthfully, we don’t see that slowing down anytime soon…

In this special issue, I had the privilege of sitting down with Garrett

Droege, Director of Innovation and Digital Risk Practice Leader, IMA

Financial Group, Inc., where he shares his insights on the difference

between 2023 and 2024 as it relates to GenAI. Garrett shares his view

that 2023 was mostly ‘hype and sizzle,’ whereas 2024 AI matured into

a tool that will have a profound impact on our industry–but not a total

disrupter and disintermediator. The technology won’t replace agents and

brokers, but organizations need to become ‘people ready’ to accelerate

its adoption. Let’s check in with Garrett to see how this plays out as we

get further into 2025…

In a combined interview, James Berrocal Sizemore, Chief Strategist,

Insurance at Informatica, and Margeaux Giles, CEO of IRYS Insurtech,

share their respective views on Master Data Management and blockbuster

new technologies (such as GenAI and Web3) that continue to transform

the distribution landscape.

Finally, turn to page 70 to catch up with the wonderful Lisa Wardlaw, as

we review some of the highlights from Season 5 of her industry-leading

podcast, ‘Insurance Unplugged’.

Enjoy reading!

Megan

Megan Kuczynski,

Senior Strategic Advisor, Insurtech Insights

Founder & CEO, ClimateTech Connect

MODERN INSURANCE | 65


INSURTECH

Irys Insurtech

x Informatica

QJames, congratulations on Informatica’s impressive

Q3 results and the historic milestone of surpassing 101

trillion processed cloud transactions per month! Can

you share Informatica’s goal of being “the Switzerland of

Data & AI”?

AJames: Sure!

I think the results you mentioned validate Informatica’s

value proposition and reflect our deep commitment to

customer-centric product innovation. Businesses need

modern, AI-powered data management capabilities to deliver

modern products and services to their customers – capabilities

designed to maximize the value of data assets across their

massive, heterogeneous, hybrid-cloud, multi-cloud data

estates.

Informatica is “the Switzerland of Data & AI” because we

have responded to this need by creating a new category of

software that connects, manages and unifies data across

environments – the Intelligent Data Management Cloud

(IDMC) platform.

Informatica’s IDMC is an AI-powered, end-to-end data

management platform that empowers our customers to

deliver data that’s fit for business use – from anywhere in the

data estate, to everywhere they need it across the insurance

value chain.

QMargeaux, you’ve had an amazing journey so far…17

years ‘in the chair’ as an agent-broker, through

to agency owner and now Founder & CEO of a SaaS

company, IRYS Insurtech. You often speak of your obsession

with data & analytics. What is the role of AI in improving

data quality, and how do those working in distribution

separate hype from reality?

AMargeaux: As someone who’s lived through it, one

of the most painful lessons I learned as an agency

executive was just how bad internal data could be—or

worse, how often it didn’t exist at all. This really hit home

during acquisitions. I’d look at target agencies and struggle

to assess their true value because their internal data was

scattered, buried in inaccessible formats like PDFs and emails,

or just missing completely. Post-acquisition, it only got worse;

reconciling revenue and managing operations across multiple,

disconnected systems was impossible.

Like everyone else, I thought the answer was a data lake. Just

dump everything in one place, and voilà! Problem solved,

right? Wrong. I quickly learned that without ongoing data

integrity and real-time management, all you have is a digital

landfill. Data needs to be alive—flowing, updated, and accurate

24/7.

Unfortunately, the distribution side of insurance has lagged

dangerously behind in adopting these kinds of tools. Much

of that is because legacy systems simply aren’t compatible

with real-time data streaming or modern AI applications. The

role of AI isn’t just to analyze data after the fact; it’s to clean,

validate, and manage it in real-time so businesses can trust

the insights they’re using. The challenge isn’t the tech—it’s

convincing the industry to rethink how they approach data as

an asset, not an afterthought.

QSo, can you define Master Data Management for our

readers, and explain why data quality is a must-have

in insurance and distribution? How does IRYS

Insurtech provide data quality as a service?

AMargeaux: Master Data Management, or MDM, is about

creating one unified, reliable version of your company’s

data. Think of it as making sure everyone in your

organization is singing from the same sheet of music—whether

it’s client details, policies, claims, or financials.

For insurance distribution—where businesses often handle

multiple systems or grow through acquisitions—MDM is critical.

Without it, you end up with duplicate versions of records and

missing information. That kind of chaos doesn’t just slow you

down; it costs money and creates risks.

We were unwavering in our objective for Irys to make MDM

practical and accessible by offering Data Quality as a Service.

Instead of leaving the heavy lifting to your IT team, we’ve built

tools that clean, harmonize, and maintain your data in real

time. Whether you’re merging systems after an acquisition or

trying to pull accurate reports, we ensure your data is always

audit-ready and actionable.

QInformatica just announced the availability of GenAI

blueprints that make it faster and easier for customers

to build enterprise-grade GenAI applications on

six industry-leading cloud platforms. How will this big

news be applied to the insurance and distribution sectors

specifically?

AJames: Informatica’s GenAI blueprints are designed

to help insurers and intermediaries shape the future

of insurance distribution. This will better appeal to

today’s more demanding customers, offering robust GenAI

applications built on AI-ready architecture, infrastructure and

data.

These GenAI blueprints for AWS, Azure, Databricks, Google

Cloud, Oracle Cloud and Snowflake are comprehensive,

prebuilt and easy-to-follow ecosystem-specific ‘recipes’ that

carriers and producers can use to streamline delivery of

GenAI applications at scale. They can do this by addressing

common insurance data and metadata challenges, including

data discovery, data integration, access control and policy

enforcement, data governance, and Master Data Management

(MDM).

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QMargeaux, congratulations on the partnership recently

formed with Informatica. Can you share how IRYS

Insurtech is leveraging Informatica’s AI-powered data

management tools? What sort of transformational impact could

this have on insurance distribution?

AMargeaux: Master Data Management (MDM) is the

backbone of what makes IRYS so transformative for

insurance distribution. For us, it’s not just about cleaning

up data; it’s about creating a single, verifiable version of a person,

business, or asset that every process and decision can rely on.

This is what powers some of our most innovative tools, like

relationship mapping and our AI-driven ROI analysis. This is what

helps uncover gaps in coverage, identifying opportunities and

streamlining offerings for clients.

With Informatica underpinnings, we can ensure real-time data

integrity, eliminate duplicates across multiple data sources,

and provide the confidence to transact with 100% trust. This

capability underpins our Web3 constructs, such as notarized

proofs and immutable data lineage, where every interaction

and transaction has an auditable, tamper-proof record. It also

allows Irys to mesh over multiple legacy systems, simultaneously

eliminating the need to deprecate old tech infrastructure until

the business has stabilized the new tech. The outcome is a

fundamental shift in how insurance companies can operate.

QJames, why are partnerships such as this one invaluable

to the distribution value chain?

AJames: As I understand it, IRYS aims to unify, streamline

and elevate the fragmented and complex insurance

distribution landscape to new levels of integration,

collaboration and understanding by helping intermediaries

consolidate essential insurance operations data into a unique and

unified workbench experience.

Informatica is the Gartner Magic Quadrant and Forrester Wave

leader for Master Data Management, and the IDC #1 ranked MDM

company in the world. As such, we are thrilled to power this

core capability of the IRYS platform, which allows users to map

relationships, manage risks and identify cross-sell and up-sell

opportunities by deeply understanding the complex relationships

between policyholders, their family members, their assets, and

their policies.

between carriers and brokers without the need for back-andforth

emails or PDFs. That’s the promise of Web3, and it’s why

we’ve built these principles directly into Irys.

James: I’m not an internet expert, but it’s reasonable to think

Web3 will influence the shape of insurance distribution by

enabling capabilities like decentralized event streaming,

dynamic multi-part collaboration, and improved data sharing

between insurers and intermediaries – capabilities that can

empower distributors to differentiate themselves across the

insurance value chain by turning the customer experience into

a competitive advantage.

QMargeaux, any 2025 industry predictions to share

with our readers?

A

Margeaux: Absolutely!

1. AI will go from buzzword to backbone. The focus will shift

from isolated AI tools to fully embedded systems.

2. Data quality will become non-negotiable. As AI adoption

increases, expect a surge in investments around data quality

solutions.

3. Web3 will make practical gains. While still in its early stages,

blockchain technology will start being applied in tangible

ways, like notarized proofs for compliance and dynamic data

sharing between stakeholders.

4. M&A activity will drive tech consolidation. With more

agencies scaling through acquisitions, the demand for

platforms that can unify data and processes across entities

will skyrocket.

5. Talent wars will shift toward tech-savvy leaders. Companies

will need executives who can bridge the gap between

traditional insurance expertise and modern technology

adoption.

QSo, how will Web 3 disrupt traditional distribution

models?

AMargeaux: Web3 is already challenging how we think

about trust, transparency, and control. For traditional

insurance distribution models, which rely heavily on

intermediaries and manual processes, this is a wake-up call.

At its core, Web3 is about decentralization—empowering

stakeholders to own their data and enabling secure, real-time

collaboration without relying on a central authority. For insurance,

this means brokers, carriers, and even insureds can work together

more efficiently. Key transactions and communications can be

recorded on an immutable blockchain, ensuring transparency and

eliminating disputes.

Imagine a world where E&O documentation is no longer a

burden; every interaction or policy update is automatically

verified and stored on-chain, whilst data flows seamlessly

Margeaux Giles,

Founder & CEO, IRYS Insurtech

James Berrocal Sizemore,

Chief Strategist – Insurance,

Informatica

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INSURTECH

Garrett

Droege

QGarrett, so great to catch up recently! I have

read some of your recent reflections on AI. You

wrote that the difference between 2023 and 2024

is that 2023 was “all hype and sizzle”, and 2024 was

about AI maturing into a tool that will have a profound

impact on our industry… but not a total disruptor and

disintermediator. Can you expand on this further? What

might this mean for the future of distribution?

AWhen ChatGPT first came out, the predictions of

AI’s imminent takeover were greatly exaggerated. It

is absolutely the most powerful technological tool

humans have ever devised, but it has its limitations and

will not immediately replace jobs and people as was once

predicted. Now that most of us have had time to experiment

with various generative AI models, we can see that it will

have a profound impact on certain job functions within the

insurance industry. The manual data entry/extraction function

can almost be entirely performed by AI, so there are obvious,

immediate benefits. But I don’t see it replacing the role of

agents and brokers or underwriters; not completely, anyway.

QHow are retail and wholesale brokers using AI today,

and where do you see it going?

A

We use AI for a number of workflows today, and I can

see that growing each and every week. We built our

own internal LLM for querying internal documents.

Accessing information in real-time without searching for the

original document is a huge time saver. We also use it for

data extraction and structuring; probably the single-most

important function that GenAI can perform today, providing

immediate benefits for all users.

We are also running various POCs with AI insurtechs that

have trained their models to perform more complex tasks like

policy review, claims analysis, etc. That’s where I see AI taking

us in the next few months and years. Very complex analysis

of insurance documents used to take hours, sometimes days.

On the other hand, these can be done in minutes with AI. I’ve

spent 20+ years developing my insurance knowledge and

skillsets, and AI can come very close to my own performance.

Very soon, it will far surpass it.

Q

‘Ask IMA’ is now in beta for 2024. Can you share

how it’s going? Any lessons learned along the way?

AAskIMA is our internal LLM that we have been

training on proprietary IMA documents. Users can

get immediate answers to their questions without

searching SharePoint for the document. It’s a very powerful

deliverable that our beta users love.

We’ve learned that users will find far more use cases than

we’d ever anticipated. So, start small and keep track of how

people are using the AI. You’ll need to create governance

and guardrails along the way to ensure that users are being

mindful of all legal and regulatory grey areas that exist with

AI.

QHow is data readiness transforming the insurance

distribution landscape, and what competitive

advantage does it provide to insurers? Also, what

emerging trends do you anticipate in data readiness

relative to insurance distribution, and how should

companies prepare for them?

AData readiness is absolutely the thing. You can’t

harness the power of AI if you have incomplete or

error-filled data. So, the brokers that are investing

in data integrity are the ones that will be most ready

to trade with carriers when they modernize their core

systems. And, it seems like everyone has recognized that

a modern core policy administration system is going to be

a superpower going forward. You’ll be able to plug into all

of these emerging tools and technology platforms more

easily, creating more value for your users and clients. As a

consequence, you’ll be more competitive and lower the cost

of client acquisition.

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QLet’s talk about customer centricity. In what ways can

data readiness enhance the customer experience and

service personalization through improved distribution

channels?

AThis is my favorite topic! The insurance customer

experience is so bad for 95% of the industry. So much so

that any improvement tends to set you apart, no matter

how incremental. Think of a claim. Most brokers’ customer service

response is a contact page on their website! That’s an incredibly

poor experience and a low bar for us to improve upon.

If you have a system that is smart enough to authenticate the

user, it can easily find their carrier and take the information to be

delivered based on the nature of the claim. Lemonade is a great

example of this. The claims process is a chatbot that is friendly

(more so than many human CSRs) and processes the claim

efficiently. It also usually pays the claim automatically without a

lengthy delay, or even any delay at all.

QNow let’s move on to discuss ‘people readiness’ as it

relates to AI in distribution workflows. In the early days

of insurtech, it inspired fear that agents and brokers

would be replaced by technology. Of course, that didn’t happen!

Instead, AI is making distribution workflows more efficient.

So, how can companies adopt a culture that can embrace the

transformative potential of AI and assuage the fear that it is

going to replace humans?

AI actually think insurtech did some damage in the early

days. First, it was a threat. “Insurtech is going to disrupt,

disintermediate.” Then, when insurtech realized the

insurance industry is incredibly complicated from a legal and

regulatory standpoint, they became ‘partners’ and ‘enablers’.

statements of value, COPE data… imagine if these were

accessible and trustworthy to all of us. Include the fact that

AI that can help navigate the blockchain ecosystem, and you

have a massive leap forward.

QFinally, have you any industry predictions to share

going into 2025?

AI think we will see more carriers and brokers

discussing their core technology stacks. Many carriers

still have mainframe computers running actuarial

models, which is bad if you want to harness the power of

AI. So, modernizing the core will become essential for all of

us. Upgrading legacy technology will make it easier to plug

into APIs, which will drive efficiency and productivity. That

will create a competitive advantage for those that make the

decision to go down this road.

I think AI will prove that it can supplement nearly every

role. Having internal AI teams will help non-technical users

develop new workflows using AI that will save enormous

amounts of time. We’ll start to see prompt engineering as a

skillset that is in high demand.

We’ll also start to see a lot more automation thanks to AI.

Moving from AI bots to AI agents, we will see certain tasks

performed entirely by AI, which will free up service/support

teams to focus on the more complex and rewarding aspects

of their roles.

But it also created a world in which our associates have to

interface with a dozen or more platforms to complete a single

workflow. That’s also a bad user experience, so many associates

today will deny further technology as a consequence. You have to

find a way to simplify the experience and integrate the platforms

to remove the friction.

But my message on AI replacing people is pretty simple: AI will

replace aspects of every role in every industry. The good news is

that AI is best suited for taking on the data extraction/data entry

functions that most people loathe. So, take the worst parts of your

job. AI will replace the parts you hate, and that’s a key message

for change management.

Q

In what ways can Web 3 and blockchain enhance

customer trust and transparency?

AMany people think blockchain died in 2022 along with the

metaverse. That’s quite false, and both have never been

more prevalent. I think blockchain will become a critical

aspect of AI in that it can be a way to fact check and restore

faith in a world of deepfakes and spoofs. At its core, blockchain

technology is a way to store information that is transparent,

verifiable, secure, and tamper-proof. There are a million use

cases for the insurance industry. We have to verify and validate

information every day. Things like certificates of insurance,

Garrett Droege,

Head of Innovation, Digital Risk Practice

Lead, IMA Financial Group

MODERN INSURANCE | 69


INSURTECH

REDEFINING DISTRIBUTION

WITH LISA WARDLAW:

INSIGHTS FROM ‘INSURANCE

UNPLUGGED’ SEASON 5

In the process of pulling this issue together,

we turned to one of the most transformative

voices in the industry: Lisa Wardlaw. Her podcast,

Insurance Unplugged, isn’t just a conversation—it’s

a catalyst for change.

In Season 5, Lisa focused on AI in Distribution,

assembling some of the boldest thinkers and

innovators to explore how technology is reshaping

the insurance industry. The series wasn’t just

prolific—it was a masterclass in reimagining the

future of insurance distribution.

QLisa, what was the inspiration for Season 5 of your

podcast, Insurance Unplugged?

A2024 was a year of breakthroughs. The insurance

industry has moved beyond merely adopting new

technologies to redefining how we operate,

connect, and innovate.

With Insurance Unplugged, I wanted to create a space

that challenged the status quo while driving meaningful

conversations. This series became a platform to highlight

the work of those who are pushing boundaries, a

showcase of visionary ideas alongside some of the

more practical applications which continue to transform

distribution. From decentralized systems to actionable AI,

it’s about celebrating the intersection of bold thinking and

operational execution.

Q

What technological trends are shaping 2025?

AThe trends emerging in 2025 reflect years of

transformative thinking and innovation. Key shifts

include:

Dynamic Systems Over Static Processes. Real-time,

dynamic AI-powered workflows that eliminate traditional

processing hurdles.

Decentralized Data as the Backbone. Systems that

enable secure, real-time connections between brokers,

carriers, and reinsurers without friction.

Actionable AI. Embedding decision-making intelligence

into every layer of the value chain for agility and

scalability.

Data-Driven Trust. Leveraging cryptographic systems

to ensure tamper-proof data architectures that inspire

confidence.

These aren’t just technological advancements; they’re

foundational shifts driving the next era of insurance

distribution—where trust, transparency, and scalability

converge.

Q

Can you share some of your highlights and key

learnings from this latest season of Insurance

Unplugged?

AWhat stood out to me across these

conversations was not just the innovation but

the courage to rethink what’s possible. Each

guest brought a unique perspective, and together they

painted a compelling vision of an industry poised for

transformation. Here are some fantastic examples…

Florian Graillot - “Generative AI as a Growth Engine”

Florian shared how generative AI enables hyperpersonalized

customer journeys and automates

workflows, creating new opportunities for scalability.

Key Takeaway: Generative AI reframes the value chain,

making it adaptive, scalable, and deeply customercentric.

Margeaux Giles - “Strategic Vision Meets Operational

Execution”

Margeaux emphasized the importance of aligning

technological innovation with enterprise strategy,

bridging bold vision with operational realities.

Key Takeaway: Success lies in balancing transformative

vision with practical execution.

Scott Dykstra - “Decentralization and the Trust

Economy”

Scott explored how decentralized architectures —

including distributed ledgers — redefine trust, enhance

transparency, and streamline workflows.

Key Takeaway: Decentralized systems secure data and

enable scalable, frictionless solutions.

Austin Przybysz - “Enabling Scalability Through

Distributed Systems”

Austin discussed how distributed systems

empower brokers and agents by enabling realtime,

decentralized data flow. These systems unlock

scalability and reduce operational bottlenecks.

Key Takeaway: Distributed systems drive scalability,

agility, and operational efficiency across the insurance

ecosystem.

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Bhaskar Kalita - “LLMs Unlocking the Potential of

Generative AI for Distribution”

Bhaskar explored how large language models (LLMs)

are transforming insurance distribution by enabling

generative AI applications tailored for brokers

and carriers. He highlighted real-world use cases

where LLMs enhance document automation, improve

customer engagement, and streamline

decision-making processes.

Key Takeaway: LLMs enable insurers to harness the full

potential of generative AI, unlocking efficiencies and

driving personalized, intelligent interactions across the

distribution ecosystem.

Lindsey Strong - “The Power of Data Quality in AI”

Lindsey demonstrated how dynamic data governance,

through Irys’s Data Quality as a Service (DQaaS),

ensures trust and operational efficiency for AI-driven

systems.

Key Takeaway: High-quality, real-time data is nonnegotiable

for successful AI.

Tammy Coley - “Accounting at the Speed of

Innovation”

Tammy illustrated how tools like Blackline and

real-time transaction matching eliminate financial

bottlenecks. By automating reconciliation, insurers

achieve continuous, transparent accounting.

Key Takeaway: Continuous accounting powered by

transaction match ensures scalable, error-free financial

operations.

Gary Hoberman - “Data-Centric Architectures for

Workflow Transformation”

James Sizemore - “Master Data as the Foundation for

AI”

James emphasized the importance of Master Data

Management (MDM) as the foundation for AI success.

Key Takeaway: Without mastered data, AI initiatives

cannot deliver reliable or scalable results.

Brendan Mulcahy - “Invisible AI: Embedding

Intelligence Seamlessly”

Brendan showcased the power of ‘invisible AI’ —

technology that works behind the scenes to enhance

underwriting and customer experiences.

Key Takeaway: Embedded intelligence drives intuitive,

seamless transformations.

Q

Lisa, every year you pick one word to describe

our evolving industry. What is your word for

2025?

AFor 2025, my word is ‘Edge.’

‘The edge’ is where transformation happens. It’s

where bold thinking, innovative technology and human

ingenuity converge to redefine what’s possible. As we

step into 2025, the edge represents a space of action—

where the insurance industry must lead, create, and

thrive. This isn’t just a future vision; it’s the reality we’re

building today.

Insurance is no longer about adapting to change; it’s

about leading it. At Insurance Unplugged, we’re not

just exploring the future—we’re building it. My hope

is that this issue inspires others to join us in creating

what’s next for distribution.

Gary highlighted how data-centric no-code platforms,

like Unqork, accelerate transformation while

simplifying complexity across distribution workflows.

Key Takeaway: Data-centric systems enable agility,

speed, and precision in insurance operations.

Tamara Milne - “Empathy-Driven AI for Better

Customer Experiences”

Tamara explored how AI enhances trust by enabling

empathetic, customer-centric workflows.

Key Takeaway: AI must prioritize trust and empathy to

succeed in distribution ecosystems.

Bryan Davis - “Scaling AI: From Concept to Execution”

Bryan discussed how to overcome the challenges of

scaling AI, from navigating legacy systems to aligning

initiatives with enterprise goals.

Key Takeaway: Thoughtful, phased execution is key to

scaling AI and unlocking its full potential.

Lisa Wardlaw,

President / Founder,

360 Digital Immersion

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EDITORIAL

BOARD

WELCOME to the Insur.Tech.Talk

Editorial Board.

Modern Insurance Magazine’s board of insurtech experts come together once again in this

latest issue, showcasing the very best thought leadership insights from the heart of the

insurtech marketplace.

This issue voices the thoughts of...

Simon James,

Executive Chairman and

Founder, Percayso Inform

Ron Rock,

Managing Director – Financial

Services, JobsOhio

Manjit Rana,

EVP Insurance, UK, EMEA &

APAC, Clearspeed

Ed Halsey,

VP of Marketing, Genasys

Rick de Jager,

Head of Business

Development, MavenBlue

Andy Cohen,

President, Snapsheet

Denise Garth,

Chief Strategy Officer,

Majesco

Tim Hardcastle,

CEO & Co-Founder,

INSTANDA

MODERN INSURANCE | 73


INSURTECH

Mind the (Data) Gap

Personal lines insurers have made huge strides

in their use of data over the past decade.

Credit bureau enrichment, combined with

checks against the Claims and Underwriting

Exchange (CUE) and SIRA, is now standard

practice for assessing risk and reducing fraud.

The results speak for themselves: better

business, improved loss ratios, and more

accurate pricing.

Yet a critical data gap remains, and insurers are

still missing opportunities to attract and retain

the best customers. The issue lies in how address

data is captured. For example, when applying for

motor insurance, customers are asked where their

vehicle is kept overnight, not where they live or have

lived over the past six years. This subtle distinction

limits enrichment, despite credit bureaus holding

information on previous names and addresses,

because this only tracks addresses linked to credit

activity. For recent movers, students, or individuals

with multiple addresses, critical information is easily

missed.

The solution lies in historic quotation data. While

current tools focus on detecting quote manipulation

over the typical 30-day shopping period, a full

six-year quote history search unlocks far deeper

insights. This data reveals names and addresses

used on quotes but not on credit applications –

details credit bureaus will therefore miss – and also

reveals phone numbers, emails, and driving licenses

previously submitted. Some of this information may

connect to known fraud cases, significantly shifting

the understanding of risk. But its value doesn’t end

there.

into further checks such as CUE, SIRA, or another

bureau query. This looping process, repeated in

milliseconds, ensures that no stone is left unturned –

yet the customer experience remains seamless and

immediate.

Crucially, this isn’t just about finding new data.

Often, it’s about the absence of suspicious signals.

Thorough, multi-layered checks allow insurers to

identify and discount verified ‘clean’ risks – those

with no signs of fraud or manipulation. This can

deliver greater pricing impact than uncovering a

handful of concealed rogues, significantly improving

the book’s overall performance.

For insurers willing to act, the path to closing this

data gap is neither complex nor disruptive. With

the right intelligence provider, historic quotation

data can be seamlessly integrated into existing

workflows. Insurers who move first will gain a

decisive advantage: sharper pricing decisions, better

customer acquisition, and significantly improved loss

ratios.

The industry has made impressive progress, but the

work isn’t done. Historic quotation data holds the

key to a deeper understanding of risk, bridging the

data gap that has long held insurers back. Those

who unlock its full potential will not only win better

business – they will lead the market.

To achieve the best results, enrichment sources

must work in concert, not in isolation. Credit bureau

data can inform the search for historic quotations,

while discoveries from that search can feed back

Simon James

Executive Chairman and Founder,

Percayso Inform

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INSURTECH

Artificial Intelligence

Needs Sheriffs

Ron Rock

Managing Director

Financial Services, JobsOhio

Every business needs to manage some sort of risk, but insurance companies

tend to be exposed to many more types. From operational and reputational

to regulatory and underwriting, the risk exposure is immense.

There’s a whole new threat in town and its name is

Artificial Intelligence (AI).

I’ve discussed the human element before,

but as insurance companies are beginning to

adopt AI, it’s becoming extremely important to

monitor inputs and outputs. What AI can do to

streamline processes, manual tasks, and assist

with underwriting and claims is amazing; the

opportunities to utilize emerging technologies

futurizes the industry and in response to this, the

number of partnerships has scaled up considerably.

The result is a need to assess and manage versions

of risk, old and new.

At the core, insurance companies need to manage

underwriting risk, catastrophic risk and regulatory

risk, all of which could lead to a negative impact on

their bottom line. If the underwriting team doesn’t

properly evaluate policyholders and extends

coverage, we could see an increase in claims

payments as a result. Being in the wrong market

could lead to undue catastrophic losses, and by

not complying with state regulations, the company

could face hefty penalties and fines.

As insurance companies have evolved, so have the

types of risks they need to manage and be aware

of. Cybersecurity is a mainstay due to the added

risk of data breaches, and with the availability of

data and integration of AI, incumbents can adopt

new and innovative ways to operate, underwrite

and evaluate claims… with caution.

Hyper-personalization should be the way of

the future. From the first interaction of getting

underwritten to a policyholder possibly filing a

claim, the process should be seamless and fair;

something which is especially important in the

healthcare space where the most precious loss

could be the loss of life. Insurance companies,

doctors and policyholders must be in lockstep

to ensure the best care possible without being

frivolous. No blanket decisions should be made,

and each case should be evaluated carefully.

Transparency is also a necessity, and operating in a

black box should be forbidden.

My point is this: AI is not going to solve every

problem and be perfect the first, or even hundredth

iteration. Insurance companies can certainly

leverage AI, but they shouldn’t rely on it. The

strongest asset will always be the people. Finding

new (or upskilling existing) talent will allow for

appropriate use of innovation. Incumbents looking

to partner with insurtechs, or build technologies

within, can’t lose sight of what’s most important –

indemnifying the policyholders at the moment of

truth. Losing trust in the company you’re putting

money and faith into leads to a fairly expensive risk,

too – reputational.

MODERN INSURANCE | 75



INSURTECH

Stop Using Yesterday’s Solutions

to Solve Today’s Problems

While much of the conversation over recent

years has been around innovation, should

we step back and ask: have we really been

innovating fast enough?

Defrauding an Insurance Company 101

Whilst insurers invested over £200m to detect over £1b in

fraudulent claims in 2023, the ABI estimates that a similar amount

still goes undetected. Insurers are grappling with several key

factors that are influencing the need for fundamental changes to

current fraud detection systems.

The first is competition with bad actors. Simply put, our industry

is not yet built to identify fraud at the speed with which bad

actors can commit it using advanced technology. In that vein,

less effort is required to commit fraud because of those very

tech advancements. Compounding this is the rise of speculative

or opportunistic fraud, where we’re seeing good actors become

bad actors in a hardening economy. What’s more, today’s fraud

detection approaches aren’t built to detect opportunistic fraud

effectively.

The trade-off between speed of settlement and fraud detection

is also pervasive. Insurers all want to move faster - particularly

with pressure from consumer expectations and the introduction

of Consumer Duty - but with current systems, the downside of

moving faster is that more fraud gets through undetected.

Without making fundamental changes, the insurance industry

will always be behind - meaning not truly innovating, relying on

digitising yesterday’s processes, continuing to raise premiums to

offset the cost of fraud, living with lowered customer retention,

and customer mistrust.

The Downside of Going Digital

The broad strokes conversations we’ve been having as an industry

focus on ‘going digital’ to meet customers where they are and

keep up with the pace of change. Yes, customers are used to

the likes of Amazon, Netflix, Deliveroo, Uber - consumerised

experiences which are served up immediately and on-demand.

But simply digitising the current experience isn’t the answer.

The online retail space suffered over £2.3b in fraud in the UK

during the pandemic. You can’t solve the problems of today and

tomorrow with solutions based on yesterday’s technology and

approach.

Building for Tomorrow

Insurers can either continue investing in tools that, for example,

can help to identify manipulated images, or leverage AI for

automation - but that’s really just fixing the problem at this

moment in time. Buying point solutions to play catch up isn’t a

long-term strategy.

The one thing that won’t change, however, is the human, who

will always be the source of potential fraud. With this in mind,

the solution lies in building a two-way street of trust between

insurer and consumer. How do you get your customers to trust

you through a positive and accelerated experience, without every

customer being treated as a potential bad actor, so they’ll reward

you with their loyalty and satisfaction? And how can insurers get

into a position where they can trust their customers faster, and at

scale?

Building the two-way street of trust starts with bringing

technology innovation together with human expertise. At

Clearspeed, we’ve reframed how we’re approaching risk

assessment. If human risk doesn’t change, you’re most effective if

you can detect it at source. Our voice analytics technology allows

insurers to go straight to the source, by integrating anywhere in

the policy lifecycle and asking the customer a few simple yes/

no questions. Individuals who score as low-risk can be processed

faster; their claims can be paid more quickly and their experience

is smoother. Insurers can then focus their resources and human

expertise on claims that require more attention or focused follow

up.

Technology and digital experiences won’t replace the expertise

of your underwriters or claims handlers, but they can elevate

and differentiate your offering. Don’t chase technology for

technology’s sake - focus on the outcome you want to achieve,

and leverage technology strategically to get there.

Whilst consumers can access and utilise new technologies the

instant they hear about them, insurers have to go through rigorous

and time consuming processes in order to simply evaluate them. In

order to be able to defend itself effectively, the insurance industry

needs to take a different, more innovative approach to technology

adoption - one that will ultimately enable them to deliver an

elevated experience for their honest customers and better

compete in today’s complex market.

Follow the link in the QR code below to watch a supporting video.

There is clearly a downside to going digital. Therefore, I challenge

you to consider what you may lose by going fully digital, and

think about the moments in your insurance lifecycle that truly and

strategically benefit from a digital touchpoint.

Going fully digital creates the potential for losing the human

touch - that intangible aspect of the customer experience that

builds trust and affinity, and draws upon human knowledge

and expertise to deliver value for the customer. Reliance on

technology alone - particularly as we consider the onslaught of

Gen AI tools up for consideration in the insurance ecosystem - can

also introduce and contribute to bias, in a system that already

largely relies on historical data and demographic patterns.

Manjit Rana

EVP Insurance, UK,

EMEA & APAC, Clearspeed

MODERN INSURANCE | 77



INSURTECH

Developing Exceptional Risk

Management Capabilities

Through the Latest Technology

With rising claims costs, customer dissatisfaction at increased premiums and decimated

global supply chains, risk management feels more important than ever before. Yet, shifting

customer expectations demand insurers move beyond traditional models to deliver proactive

and personalised solutions. Fortunately, technological advancements are providing a pathway

to achieve this transformation.

AI: Revolutionising Accuracy and Efficiency

Artificial Intelligence is already reshaping the insurance

industry. McKinsey estimates AI could contribute up to £1.1

trillion in annual global value, enhancing predictive analytics,

automating processes and refining claims assessment.

Insurers using AI report a 25% increase in risk prediction

accuracy and a 90% reduction in assessment times. Far

from replacing underwriters, AI is transforming their role—

empowering them with digital twins and predictive tools to

make faster, more informed decisions.

IoT: A Missed Opportunity?

Despite its potential, the Internet of Things (IoT) has seen

slow adoption in insurance. Real-time data from telematics,

smart homes and wearables offers insurers the chance

to shift from reactive claims handling to proactive risk

prevention. For instance, telematics adoption in personal

lines remains at a modest 2-3%, despite its potential to

reduce premiums and improve risk assessments. Meanwhile,

solutions like smart leak detectors could address the £1.8m

that insurers pay daily for water damage claims.

From Risk Managers to Risk Mitigators

Preventing claims before they occur is the ultimate goal

for insurers. By leveraging these technologies, insurers

can proactively protect assets, deliver hyper-personalised

services, and rebuild trust with customers. This shift promises

not only greater profitability but also a stronger customercentric

approach that fosters loyalty.

The tools are here, and the opportunities are vast. Now we

just need to tap into them to redefine risk management,

ensuring both their future success and the peace of mind of

their customers.

Big Data and Analytics: The Key to Personalisation

Insurance has always relied on data, but the explosion of

big data offers unparalleled insights for risk modelling and

customer personalisation. With the market expected to

double to £2.8 billion by 2027, advanced analytics will allow

insurers to assess risks with greater accuracy, speed, and

depth, while tailoring policies to individual needs.

Automation: Enhancing Operational Efficiency

Robotic Process Automation (RPA), especially when

augmented by AI, is streamlining administrative tasks,

reducing costs, and freeing human resources for high-value

activities. Intelligent process automation ensures not only

lower operational expenses but also faster, more accurate

responses to customer needs.

Ed Halsey

VP of Marketing, Genasys

MODERN INSURANCE | 79


Enterprise Pricing

Management

A New Approach To Price Management And Integration

For Insurers

Enables simplified integration into core systems through the new

concept of rating artefacts

Unifies the pricing cycle through data integration and automation

Consumes external modelling formats

Enables same day rate recalibration and dynamic pricing

www.mavenblue.com


INSURTECH

Re-engineering Pricing

Operations for Increased

Accuracy of Risk Models

It’s time to address some of the

operational realities of building and

maintaining risk/pricing models.

This core function is often plagued by outdated core systems that do

not lend to the dynamism and flexibility required to build accurate

models. There’s a growing gap between large insurance companies

that utilize complex systems to automate the deployment of pricing

models, and small-to-medium sized insurers that still deploy their

models in a hard coded fashion.

This is a problem due to ‘anti-selection’. Certain insurers automate

the deployment of risk/pricing models to make these processes

more accurate, which means that ‘good risks’ are priced correctly

by competitors and consequently receive a lower price. As a

consequence, those risks that claim less frequently go to the

competitor. However, the ‘bad risks’, or those which claim more

frequently, go to your portfolio because they were priced too low.

The core aspect of this problem is simple. To embed pricing models

within a ‘classic’ rating engine, teams have to translate models to a

combination of rating factors. Each combination is hard coded as

a price rule, often requiring thousands of pricing rules to be coded.

These also have to be tested and recalibrated to achieve the desired

outcome, a process which can take months and ultimately results in

very infrequent changes.

In other words, translating existing models to machine readable code

means pricing operations can develop new forms of automation,

turning month-long processes into minutes. In turn, this can also

unlock new possibilities, especially when pricing and product teams

no longer spend large quantities of their time on operationalizing and

testing new/updated tariffs.

Time can also be reinvested into understanding the underwriting

performance of products. Teams can develop more accurate views

of risk; for example, they can update pricing models more frequently,

add additional rating factors and improve quote conversions

through A/B testing. While sometimes perceived negatively, price

optimization can also be used to increase the size of the insurance

pool and the spread of risk. Moreover, live pricing can be a powerful

tool to automate the recalibration of pricing models based on the

underwriting performance of the portfolio.

The future of product and pricing teams is one where they operate

independently from IT. They will spend significantly less time on

the operationalization of models and will reinvest their time into

understanding and enhancing the performance of the products in

their portfolio. And while taking this step, they will lay the foundation

for a more dynamic approach to modelling - one which can support

emerging new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

There are many companies that would like to recommend product

and pricing teams to employ new technologies like Artificial

Intelligence, but in reality, the necessary systems are just not there to

deal with the requirements of these new methods.

An Alternative Approach to Model Deployment

However, there is a new way; an alternative approach which remains

fully open to existing modelling standards like R, Python, and other

well-known platforms. This is important because when building

risk models, it’s easy to find individuals with experiences in these

modelling standards. This new approach negates the requirement to

build pricing rules; the models themselves are embedded within the

systems that deliver a price to a customer, underwriter, or broker.

For MavenBlue, this path meant developing a calculation engine

which can translate existing risk/pricing models to compile-able

code, like JAVA. This is a key distinction because compiling a tariff in

something like JAVA delivers unparalleled efficiency in computational

execution. It means that the code can be packaged in different

ways to suit different systems, and the execution of a new tariff is

spread over many different underwriting systems (as opposed to

centralized). This improves robustness and redundancy of the system,

while lowering costs.

Rick de Jager

Head of Business Development, MavenBlue

MODERN INSURANCE | 81



INSURTECH

Three Key Insurance Trends

and Predictions for 2025

Every new year presents new opportunities

and challenges in the global risk and

insurance landscape, and 2025 trends

will prove to actively shape the ways

insurers grow, manage risk, and service

policyholders in an evolving market.

The following three key predictions will

profoundly influence and impact how

insurers navigate this complex market in

the forthcoming year.

The Big Will Get Bigger

Several years of rate actions and margin improvement/

expansion have created the conditions for a significant

shift toward consolidation in 2025 as rate increases

temper in the coming year. 2025 is primed for the start

of a multi-year M&A cycle considering high book values

and the softening rate environment in commercial

lines. A mega-brand acquisition of AssuredPartners by

Gallagher kicked off December, and the expectation

is more will come throughout 2025. We will likely see

large Japanese and European insurers pursuing bigger

plays in the US market to build scale and diversify their

portfolios.

This increased consolidation activity will accelerate new

partnerships and collaborations, resulting in fewer but

larger companies with the resources and scalability to

drive innovation and industry-wide change. Smaller

mutual insurers, particularly those concentrated in

storm-prone geographies, will be challenged to build

new alliances or exit opportunities.

processes and other expense areas. Insurers’ focus will

be on the optimization of workforces, workflows, and

work processes with technology to maintain efficiency

while managing loss costs.

Strategic Outsourcing and Cost Containment Will

Grow

Cost containment remains critical as the industry faces

margin pressures, particularly with heightened claims

frequency and lessened ability to take the easy path

of raising pricing. Insurers will increasingly turn to

strategic outsourcing in non-customer-facing claims and

administration activities.

Outsourcing can help insurers streamline processes

and reduce overhead costs while focusing resources on

improving core capabilities like underwriting and claims

management. Technology will continue to advance,

enabling insurers to scale and grow strategically

while still meeting stakeholder expectations. Strategic

outsourcing and cost management will prove to be

pivotal growth strategies for many insurers in 2025.

Embrace 2025 Trends to Drive Growth

The trends shaping 2025 present challenges and

opportunities for insurers to differentiate themselves in

a competitive market while driving sustainable growth.

M&A activity will fuel innovation, and a resurgence in

claims frequency will change how insurers operate.

Strategic outsourcing can help insurers lower costs

while improving efficiency, and embracing these trends

in 2025 can lead to greater growth, sustainability, and

resilience in a dynamic market.

The Return of Claims Frequency

Aggregate non-CAT claim frequency has remained

relatively low in recent years, partly due to higher pricing

and increased deductibles in personal lines. However,

2025 should see a return of claims frequency, especially

in personal lines, as rate and re-underwriting actions of

2023 and 2024 slow down and the broader market shifts

to PIF growth.

A snapback in claims frequency will test operating

models established for more benign attritional loss

levels, requiring insurers to refocus scarce resources on

loss mitigation strategies and find efficiency gains in

Andy Cohen

President, Snapsheet

MODERN INSURANCE | 83



INSURTECH

New Era of Risk Demands

New Thinking and Solutions

Without the insurance industry, the economy would grind to a halt. Businesses and individuals

would be challenged to invest in their business or future. But risk is growing and becoming

more complex. Types of risk are interrelated. They are unpredictable and more frequent. New

risk layers such as climate, societal and technology add complexity to the task of keeping the

world insured.

Hurricane Helene uncovered layers of risk. Besides loss of

property, there was significant loss of life, businesses, and

work. Its improbability has triggered a renewed rethinking of

risk assessment. It has fueled our desire to better understand

and prepare for climate change and catastrophes to minimize

or avoid loss and ensure economic and risk resilience.

Uninsured losses, plus insured losses that don’t cover the

actual loss, reflect a massive societal risk that governments,

taxpayers and insureds are burdened with. This creates

protection gaps and increased insurance prices. Increased

prices impel customers to make decisions like not buying or

switching insurance, or increasing deductibles — exacerbating

protection gaps and diminishing loyalty.

Loss control is an example of this. Historically, loss control

was used for high-value/high-risk properties due to the cost

of ‘boots on the ground,’ where large portfolio segments

were at risk. Today’s next-gen loss control uses digital selfsurveys,

videos and analytics to cost effectively assess a

broader set of risks. Risk assessments identify proactive

measures to reduce or eliminate risk and cost while creating

customer engagement opportunities, enhancing trust and

loyalty through risk resilience.

Investing in risk resilience and technology is more important

than ever to make insurance more transparent, reliable,

accessible, affordable, and resilient. Our customers and

society depend on insurance to do so.

This makes risk resilience, including risk assessment,

mitigation, and prevention, more important than ever.

Insurer legacy methods and technologies for assessing and

managing risks must change to focus on assessment and

recommendation as a part of the product. New risk resilient

business processes and technologies assess, recommend,

communicate, and educate prevention and mitigation

strategies.

The 2024 World Economic Forum report, Innovation and

Adaptation in the Climate Crisis: Technology for the New

Normal, assessed four data-driven and digital technologies

for climate risk, including risk analytics, climate-proofing

supply chains, risk event responses, and R&D investment in

new technologies.

Currently, the banking industry is rethinking how they

measure the impact of climate change and catastrophic

events on their financing portfolios – homes and businesses

with loans — recognizing they have underestimated their risk

exposure. But so have property insurers. This convergence

within banking and insurance will drive change.

We need new thinking, technology, data and analytics to

redefine business fundamentals and adapt to a new era of

risk. Proactive risk assessment, prevention and mitigation

using data, analytics and technology will empower customer

communication and engagement.

Denise Garth

Chief Strategy Officer, Majesco

MODERN INSURANCE | 85


INSURTECH

From Recovery to Prevention:

The Tech-Driven Future of Insurance

For centuries, insurance has played an enormously vital role in protecting peoples’ lives, assets

and livelihoods at the most perilous of times. But today, the industry stands at an inflection

point — a crossroads marking an opportunity to reimagine this traditional role.

The last couple of years have seen a new wave of insurers

launching preventative products; empowering customers to avoid

risks before they materialise. This shift is not a fleeting trend, but

a movement driven by technological advances, evolving customer

expectations, and the desire to deliver better outcomes.

Customers are Ready for Change

By moving into pre-emptive loss prevention, insurers are

transforming the relationship they have with their customers. At

INSTANDA, we see this change every day.

Customers are actively seeking more personalised, proactive

services, particularly younger generations. An INSTANDAcommissioned

survey earlier this year revealed that 31% of

18-24-year-olds and 29% of 25-34-year-olds actively prioritise

prevention-focused policies. Additionally, 54% of all respondents

said they’re willing to share personal data via wearables or the

Internet of Things (IoTs) to reduce premiums. This spotlights the

rising demand for policies that go beyond compensation to deliver

proactive value to the customer.

Technology as a Catalyst

Customers are willing to engage in prevention if the value

proposition is clear and immediate. The role of insurers, therefore,

is to embed meaningful, easy-to-use technologies into their

offerings that reduce risk.

Take connected home systems. By embedding IoTs, insurance

providers can monitor and mitigate risks such as water leaks,

fire and theft before they cause significant damage. One of

INSTANDA’s clients in North America exemplifies this forwardthinking

approach. Their protection plan includes homeowner

insurance, a 10-point smart home kit, and an interactive app that

gives customers the tools to prevent risks.

Similarly, data analytics and real-time monitoring systems are

game changers for managing catastrophic risks. For example,

one of INSTANDA’s clients leverages over a thousand data points

to assess and mitigate wildfire and flood risks. By combining

advanced technology with proactive customer education, they’re

empowering communities to safeguard their assets and protect

lives.

Overcoming Industry Hurdles

Clearly, it’s an opportune time for insurers looking to forge closer,

more empowered customer relationships. However, preventionfocused

insurance is challenging for insurers whose operating

models are holding them back. Their existing systems were never

designed for modern day interoperability, data exchange and realtime

monitoring.

This is why core modernisation, a layered approach to

rearchitecting systems using cloud-native no-code solutions like

INSTANDA, is becoming critically important. With INSTANDA,

insurers can transform a segment of their operating model,

enabling them to:

• Rapidly build, launch and adapt digital insurance products to

address emerging risks – without retiring existing systems.

• Leverage real-time data and advanced rule configurations to

quickly set and adjust pricing models to reflect evolving risk

factors.

• Use real-time customer data to provide tailored

recommendations and preventative measures, helping customers

understand and mitigate risks.

• Seamlessly integrate with AI solutions, IoT devices, health apps

and telematics to help prevent incidents.

Curious to learn more about how

you could leverage INSTANDA

to bring innovative products to

market quickly and effectively?

Reach out at instanda.com to

explore how we can help you grow

your business.

Tim Hardcastle

CEO & Co-Founder, INSTANDA

86 | MODERN INSURANCE


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