Chris Eberly, Insurance Practice Lead: Datos Insights: From ratios to risk ops: what the next chapter means for insurers (370)

In this special edition of the InsTech podcast, Robin introduces listeners to new colleague Chris Eberly, Insurance Practice Lead at Datos Insights, following Datos’ recent acquisition of InsTech. Chris brings more than 30 years of carrier experience and a unique practitioner’s perspective on the forces shaping insurance today.

Together they explore what this new chapter means for InsTech members, the wider insurance ecosystem, and why Datos’ blend of advisory, research and community makes a timely fit. Along the way, Chris shares why operational efficiency is top of the agenda, how underinsurance is being tackled, and why AI is no longer just hype but a genuine driver of transformation.

This conversation is part industry briefing, part fireside chat. Listeners will come away with a clearer view of the challenges and opportunities ahead — from regulatory pressure to CIO priorities — and hear how InsTech and Datos plan to deliver value together.

Robin also uncovers Chris’s surprising background outside insurance, including his lifelong passion for the carillon (a rare bell-tower instrument) and what raising six children and seventeen grandchildren has taught him about navigating complexity.

Key themes discussed include:

• What Datos Insights does and how it complements InsTech’s mission
• Why carriers are focusing on risk operations and decision speed
• The scale of underinsurance and how data and property insights can help
• What’s really happening with AI adoption inside carriers
• The evolving role and pressure of the CIO
• Why combining advisory, research and community is so powerful
• Chris’s personal story: carillons, family and a passion for making insurance better

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens on LinkedIn. You can also contact Chris Eberly on LinkedIn to start a conversation!

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Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

• Measure the significance of operational efficiency (“risk ops”) in improving underwriting performance and decision speed.
• Specify the ways AI is being applied pragmatically in insurance operations, beyond the hype.
• Explain why CIOs face increasing pressure to balance legacy systems with rapid technology adoption.

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 370 page of the InsTech website or email cpd@instech.co to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.