

InsTech - insurance & innovation with Matthew Grant & Robin Merttens
InsTech
Bringing together the best technology and innovation for insurance and risk management together from around the world. Podcast hosted by Matthew Grant.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 16, 2022 • 35min
Bryan Falchuk: Managing Partner, Insurance Evolution Partners: Insurer, start-up, writer, coach, influencer - one life, many roles (173)
Matthew talks to author, coach, and speaker Bryan Falchuk on Podcast 173 about his background in insurance and insurtech, and the innovation challenges for insurers and start-ups in 2022.
Bryan began his career at Liberty Mutual Insurance and worked for Beazley, McKinsey and Hiscox before branching out as an author. His two books titled The Future of Insurance look at the lessons learned by incumbent insurers as they look to innovate and evolve to meet the needs of their customers.
The episode features examples from insurers that have successfully launched innovation projects and why Bryan feels that now is a fascinating time for insurance.
Talking points include:
Innovating in-house - insurer success stories
How start-ups win - why a strong business model beats hype
The growth of embedded insurance and moving beyond acquisitions
Making claims savings - efficiency vs lower indemnity
Going “digital” and how to overcome the challenges facing insurers post-pandemic
Bryan Falchuk is also the host of The Future of Insurance Podcast. You can hear Matthew and Robin talking to Bryan in Season 1, Episode 19.
For more information on Bryan’s The Future of Insurance book series, go to https://bryanfalchuk.com/bookstore.
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Describe how companies, from start-ups to incumbents, can compete in the insurtech space
Identify the possible future of insurtech funding in claims
Summarise some of the ways insurers can overcome the challenges they face from the pandemic and beyond
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 173 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Jan 9, 2022 • 29min
Predictions for Insurance in 2022 (172)
What can the insurance industry expect in 2022? We’ve gathered a panel of 16 innovation experts to give us their predictions for the year ahead.
Podcast 172, sponsored by Fadata, covers topics, themes and opportunities including the insurtech investment scene (valuations and opportunities), increase in mergers & acquisitions activity, ESG and climate change, operational excellence, talent war, cryptocurrency and the Metaverse.
Our panel of innovation experts includes:
Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Anthemis
Charles Burgess, CEO International Distribution, Munich Re Specialty Group
Premal Gohil, Head of Innovation Partnerships & Investments, GRS, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Sasa Brcerevic, Global Head of MGA Strategies, Aon
Ruta Mikiskaite, Head of Client Solutions UK and Ireland, Swiss Re
Jenny Williams, Portfolio Optimisation Director, Convex
Joan Cuscó, Global Head of Transformation, MAPFRE
Paolo Cuomo, Director of Operations, Brit Insurance
Liselotte Munk, CEO, Fadata
Keith Aylwin, Director, Alpha FMC
Daniel Prince, CEO, Rethink Underwriting
Adam Kemmis Betty, UK & Ireland Digital Leader, Marsh
Francois Forge, Head of Strategic Innovation, Wakam
Mark Allan, General Manager for Business and Specialist Products, Bupa
Debbie Smith, Chief Medical Officer, EMEA, Swiss Re
Dr Ali Hasan, Chief Medical and Healthcare Officer, Vitality
Listen to Episode 171 to hear InsTech London Partners Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant reflect on 2021 and share their own predictions for 2022.
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Summarise predictions for the year ahead from industry experts
Describe where insurtech funding may be going in 2022
Explain some of the roles the identified key themes will play in the market
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 172 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Jan 2, 2022 • 34min
Partners’ Chat - New Year Special: Robin Merttens and Matthew Grant (171)
Matthew and Robin wave goodbye to 2021 by reflecting on some of the key insurance, insurtech and innovation themes from the past 12 months.
Their Partners’ Chat - New Year special includes thoughts on a record year for insurtech investment, why now is a good time to be an MGA, and predictions for data and technology developments in 2022.
Talking points include:
Unicorns, angels and securing early-stage funding
The decline of incubators and accelerators
Embedded insurance and educating customers about risk
How data ingestion and extraction became a top business priority
Why brokers remain a key part of the value chain
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. All we are up to www.instech.london
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Understand the challenges around securing early-stage funding
Learn why embedded insurance is becoming attractive to customers
Learn why data ingestion and extraction is important to insurers
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 171 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Dec 26, 2021 • 30min
Allyship, inclusion and the future of work (170)
InsTech London was really pleased to be involved in a panel discussion on Allyship in the workplace hosted by The Camelot Network’s Inclusion & Diversity Think Tank and sponsored by Genasys.
The diverse panel explained what Allyship is, how to action it and the impact it can have in creating a truly inclusive society.
The speakers include:
Rebekah Bostan – Director of Research and Insight, InsTech London
Lethabo Motsoaledi – Co-founder, Creator and CTO, Voyc
Dr Joanna Abeyie MBE – Founder and Director, Blue Moon
Paul Jardine – Chairman, Asta and Chaucer
The discussion was moderated by Miriam Reason, Founder at Reasonful.
Talking points include:
What is Allyship, and why should you care?
Why is Allyship the most powerful thing you can do at work?
Why is the future of work about intersectional inclusion and Allyship?
What do all the relevant terms mean?
For more information on The Camelot Network, go to thecamelotnetwork.com.
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Describe what Allyship is
Summarise why Allyship is an important part of the workplace
Explain how you can action Allyship and the impact it can have
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 170 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Dec 19, 2021 • 25min
George Devereese & Turloch Mooney: IHS Markit: Revealing the risks: inside shipping and containers (169)
The global pandemic and the shutdown of the Suez Canal in March highlighted the importance of the global supply chain and the risks involved in shipping goods around the world.
Tracking what happens at sea is a major challenge, however, innovations in data and technology are now allowing insurers and businesses to track ship and cargo movements from start to finish.
Matthew is joined on Podcast 169 by George Devereese and Turloch Mooney from IHS Markit, a global data provider and the primary source of information on vessels being used for international trade.
The conversation covers how technology is being used in the real-time monitoring of vessels and the data and analytics IHS Markit provides to marine insurers to assist with underwriting, risk allocation, and claims investigation/mitigation.
Talking points include:
The main risks involved in container ship journeys
How sensors are being used to track individual cargo containers
Using data to forecast global supply chain delays
Partnering with insurers and accessing IHS Markit data
The next steps in supply chain and marine insurance innovation
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Describe how maritime shipping data can be used in insurance
Compare some of the possible ways to track containers
Identify some of the additional uses of maritime shipping data
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 169 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Dec 12, 2021 • 22min
Christian Wiens: CEO, Getsafe: Giving a new generation access to insurance (168)
In October 2021, Getsafe extended its Series B funding round to $93 million, including investment from Swiss Re. The start-up is now a fully licensed insurer in Germany and operates as an MGA in the UK, targeting younger generations with personal lines insurance products.
Robin talks to co-founder and CEO Christian Wiens about how Getsafe has scaled since being founded in 2015, the company's plans for expansion, and innovation trends to watch.
Talking points include:
How to sell insurance to first-time customers
The benefits of being a full-stack insurer
Distribution channels for personal lines insurance
Changes in CEO responsibility as start-ups scale
Venture capital trends in Europe and the US
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Describe how a CEO's responsibilities develop as a start-up grows
Identify some of the dynamics of the venture capital market
Explain how the UK and Europe compare to the US when it comes to innovation
To learn more about digital insurance, visit the Getsafe's InsTech London profile page.
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 168 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Dec 5, 2021 • 30min
Near real time hazard data - around us and above us (167)
This week, we’re bringing you the highlights from our recent live event featuring companies providing and using near real time hazard data to speed up claims handling, reduce costs and provide more accurate underwriting.
Data is only any good if it can be easily embedded in the workflow - so we get practical and specific with all our guests to explore real case studies and challenges they have overcome.
Matthew leads off talking to CEO and founder of ICEYE Rafal Modrzewski and Head of Insurance Solutions Lisa Wardlaw.
Extracts follow from:
Forbes McKenzie, CEO, McKenzie Intelligence Services
Alun Jones, Chief Commercial Officer, Addresscloud
Andrew Smith, Chief Operations Officer, Fathom
Jonathon Hopper, Claims Manager, Atrium Underwriters
Colin Masson, Head of First Party Complex Claims, Beazley
Gethin Jones, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Skyline Partners
Talking points include:
Using radar satellite imaging technology to assess flood depths at individual building level
Tracking climate risks and risk movements in near real time
The potential and future role of parametric insurance for property risks
How new data and technology is improving climate change models
Using real time data to make faster claims payments
If you would like to hear more about the companies featured on this episode, click the links above to see additional content on their InsTech London member profiles.
Additional podcast episodes are also available for ICEYE, McKenzie Intelligence Services, Fathom, Atrium Underwriters and Skyline Partners.
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to our newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Understand some of the ways that innovation is changing the claims process for climate risk
Compare sources of hazard data and uncover its importance in the claims process
Learn how better monitoring of hazard data could help improve the customer experience
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 167 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Nov 28, 2021 • 30min
Jeremy Hyams: Chief Executive Officer, Claims Consortium Group: Claims technology - building the single source of truth (166)
When it comes to innovation, claims technology has not always got the level of focus it deserves.
That situation is changing though with several companies, including this week’s podcast guest, providing new technology solutions to speed up and improve claims processes.
Matthew talks to Jeremy Hyams, CEO and founder of Claims Consortium Group, about building a claims service provider, innovating at speed during Covid-19, and how its Synergy Cloud platform is helping the AA to manage home insurance claims in-house.
Talking points include:
Claims handling technology in practice
Building technology for third parties
The growth in remote claims assessments
Linking partners and customers through platforms
Validating claims using real-time weather data
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Explore why only a small proportion of investment by insurers goes into claims
Understand what claims handling technology is
Compare some of the trends around remote claims assessment technology
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 166 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Nov 21, 2021 • 22min
Sébastien Piguet: Co-founder & Head of Underwriting, Descartes Underwriting: Going global - delivering parametric insurance at scale (165)
Descartes Underwriting, founded in 2018, has scaled quickly to provide parametric insurance against climate risks to corporate clients around the world.
Co-founder & Head of Underwriting Sébastien Piguet joins Matthew on Podcast 165 to discuss trends in parametric insurance and Descartes' experiences with its clients.
Talking points include:
Why some corporates are replacing indemnity policies with parametric
Educating brokers and risk managers about parametric
Insuring solar and wind farms
Data sources for natural perils
The potential for parametric cyber insurance
Descartes Underwriting was featured in our report Parametric Insurance - 2021 outlook and the companies to watch, which is available to download for free to InsTech London members.
If you want to keep up-to-date with the latest parametric insurance news and developments, sign up for our Parametric Post newsletter.
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Understand the value of parametric insurance
Explore the role parametric insurance can play in climate change mitigation
Compare some of the data sources for parametric insurance
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 165 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.

Nov 14, 2021 • 19min
Marco Mirabella: Founder & CEO, Ensuro: Crypto capital for insurance start-ups (164)
Start-ups looking to sell insurance products often struggle to secure the insurance capacity from incumbent (re)insurers they need as a managing general agent (MGA).
Ensuro is piloting an alternative source of insurance capital: using cryptocurrency funds from investors, locked in smart contracts on a blockchain, to underwrite risks.
Founder and CEO Marco Mirabella joins InsTech London's Henry Gale on Podcast 164 to discuss the opportunity for cryptocurrency to be used as insurance capital and how Ensuro's technology works.
Talking points include:
The crypto market and decentralised finance (DeFi)
The regulatory landscape for crypto insurance
Applications of parametric insurance
An insurance use case for NFTs (non-fungible tokens)
InsTech London's latest report, Demystifying Crypto: the insurance opportunities and challenges, sets out what the insurance industry should know about crypto in more detail.
To learn more about Ensuro, you can read an insight article we wrote about the company earlier this year, Cryptocurrency - the next capital pool for parametric insurance?
If you like what you're hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use, or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.
Sign up to the InsTech London newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.
Continuing Professional Development - Learning Objectives
InsTech London is accredited by The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening to any InsTech London podcast or reading the accompanying transcript, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards the CII member CPD scheme.
The Learning Objectives for this podcast are:
Understand how crypto can be used as a source of capital in insurance
Explore some of the regulatory landscape around crypto
Identify an example of how NFTs can be used in insurance
If your organisation is a member of InsTech London and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 164 page of the InsTech London website or email cpd@instech.london 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.