

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

Jul 11, 2021 • 36min
Gethin Jones, Skyline Partners & Calum Williams, AEGIS London: The parametric platform delivering new insurance solutions (146)
Skyline Partners and AEGIS London have launched a new parametric product to provide US small and medium business owners with cover in the event of a shooting.
The Active Assailant policy uses police department data to define when an event has taken place, triggering a non-damage business interruption cover payment of up to $50,000. An initial launch is taking place in Dallas, Texas with the aim of scaling the policy out to other states across the US.
Skyline Partners Co-founder Gethin Jones and Calum Williams from AEGIS London join Matthew to discuss the product’s development and how parametric insurance can help fill the protection gap left by traditional policies.
Talking points include:
How insurers can work with tech companies
Using data to create parametric triggers
Selling insurance products through a broker network
Launching and scaling a business
Skyline’s experience of working in the Lloyd’s Lab
Skyline Partners is featured in our ‘Parametric insurance: 2021 outlook and the companies to watch’ report, which is available to download from our website and free for InsTech London members.
More information on the Active Assailant insurance product is available on the AEGIS London website.
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 what parametric insurance is
Recognise why an active assailant product was developed and how it is offered
Realise some of the legal and regulatory hurdles that parametric insurance can encounter
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 146 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.

Jul 4, 2021 • 36min
Hemant Shah: Co-founder & CEO, Archipelago: Moving upstream - digitising and standardising customer data at source (145)
Archipelago is aiming to improve the data shared between insurers and their corporate clients related to property risks.
Archipelago is going directly to the original data sources - upstream from insurers to the risk manager and building owners. This is then collated and shared on a platform with brokers and selected insurers.
Co-founder and CEO Hemant Shah, previously founder of catastrophe modelling company RMS, joins Matthew to discuss how Archipelago is improving risk reduction and better access to reliable insights between all parties.
Talking points include:
Finding the right problem to solve
Building trust and sourcing data directly from customers
Replacing spreadsheets and emails with technology
The benefits of the network effect and collaborating with partners across the full value chain
Launching a company remotely
Archipelago was named as one of the companies to watch in our Location Intelligence 2021 report, which is available to download from our website.
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 property data can be sourced and updated
Realise how data can benefit the insurer and insured alike
Recognise some of the ways underwriters can utilise property 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 145 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.

Jun 27, 2021 • 43min
Robin Merttens & Simon Torrance: Insurance - to Embed, or not to Embed (144)
The attraction and vast potential for ‘embedding’ insurance products has made it one of the hottest topics of 2021.
Robin Merttens chats to Simon Torrance on Podcast 144 about the opportunities offered by embedded insurance and insights from the InsTech London report, Insurance: to Embed or not to Embed.
Talking points include:
The definition of embedded insurance
Embedded success stories from around the world
Why customers like embedded solutions
Third-party distributors and platform business models
The challenges facing incumbents
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.
Insurance: to Embed or not to Embed will be available to download on the InsTech London website from 9am on Thursday 1 July. The report takes an in-depth look at what embedded means in practice, the emerging opportunities, and the companies who are making it work.
Join Robin at 12pm on 1 July as he discusses the findings from the report in a Live Chat with Franck Pivert, Chief Revenue Officer, Wakam; Jean-Charles Velge, Co-Founder, Qover; Louisa Murray, Chief Operating Officer (UK & Europe), Railsbank.
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 what embedded insurance is and how it differs from some pre-existing solutions
Realise some of the opportunities embedded insurance offers and its value in the future
Recognise how incumbents could benefit from embedded insurance and what is holding them back
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 144 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.

Jun 20, 2021 • 33min
Marine Utgé-Royo: Chief Strategy Officer, Tesselo: Geospatial intelligence for forestry risk (143)
Tesselo is one of the companies looking to help its clients manage the impact of climate change, using satellite data and remote sensing to monitor tree and crop health and support forest owners and farmers in mitigating risks.
The company, based in Lisbon, is now exploring insurance applications for its data and analytics and was recently selected to join Cohort 6 of the Lloyd’s Lab.
Matthew talks to Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder Marine Utgé-Royo on Podcast 143 to discuss how Tesselo’s technology is tracking changes in forests and how it can help with compliance to environmental regulation.
Talking points include:
Measuring forest health and carbon sequestration bonds
Building High Definition vegetation models and risk maps from satellite data
Closing the insurance protection gap
What Tesselo's clients think about insurance
Parametric solutions for fire and flood risk
The advantages and opportunities provided by the Lloyd’s Lab
More information on the companies and technology helping insurers to identify and manage climate change risks is available in our Location Intelligence 2021 report, which is free to InsTech London members.
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:
Comprehend some of the different types of data associated with the environment and how they're sourced
Realise the actionable insights that can come from environmental data
Understand how data can help manage climate change and its value in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and ESG
To continue learning about the intersection of insurance and climate change, read our insight Regulation – the next innovation super-charger for climate change risk assessment?
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 143 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.

Jun 13, 2021 • 30min
Building a successful technology enabled MGA (142)
The Managing General Agent (MGA) business model, by which companies can underwrite risks without retaining capital, has proved popular among insurtechs looking to use new technology to improve underwriting.
So how do you set up a successful MGA? Matthew was joined by leading figures from tech-enabled MGAs when he hosted a panel at the 2021 Virtual KBW European Financials & Insurtech Conference.
The panelists were Elizabeth Jenkin (Chief Commercial Officer at Nimbla), Graham Elliott (CEO of Azur), Alastair Speare-Cole (President of Insurance at QOMPLX) and Jonathan Spry (CEO of Envelop Risk).
Talking points include:
Why to set up an MGA
How to make better use of data
Innovating vs investing in innovators
Data sharing
The future of MGAs
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:
Comprehend how data can be utilised by modern MGAs
Realise some of the benefits of innovating for MGAs and why it is necessary for the future of the insurance industry
Understand how to set up an MGA and what makes them unique
To continue learning about the benefits of MGAs, read our insight MGAs: the fast track to insurance innovation?
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 142 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.

Jun 6, 2021 • 22min
Elizabeth Marston: Co-founder, Sotera Heritage: Old meets new - using the latest technology to insure antiquities (141)
Robin steps back in as host this week to find out more about Sotera Heritage from co-founder Elizabeth Marston.
Sotera is using AI and machine learning to create irrevocable digital identities for ancient antiquities, helping insurers to accurately verify objects and provide tools for law enforcement agencies in the fight against the illicit sale of stolen artefacts.
Talking points include:
Digital fingerprints for antiquities
Creating patterns through image recognition
Tracking high-value objects in real-time
Building a solution for insurers
Crowdsourcing data through partnerships
The conversation also covers a shared love of wine as they discuss Elizabeth’s role at the Marston Family Vineyard in Napa Valley and the impact of last year’s devastating California wildfires.
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.
To claim 0.5 hours for this podcast, go to the Episode 141 page of the InsTech London website, or email cpd@instech.london.

May 30, 2021 • 21min
Richard Garry: Chief Commercial Officer, Gamma Location Intelligence: Build vs buy - getting the best location intelligence information (140)
Gamma Location Intelligence helps insurers to understand property-based risks by providing accurate location data to support underwriting decisions.
The company combines its own data sets with information from partners and third parties to provide a clearer view to clients on risks including flooding, subsidence, fire and crime.
Chief Commercial Officer Richard Garry joins Matthew to discuss Gamma’s approach, its technology solutions and how clients are making use of its data.
Talking points include:
Pinpointing risks through geocoding
Automating declines and referrals
Using maps vs risk and accumulation scoring
Working with data partners
Identifying new data sources
Gamma Location Intelligence was named as one of the companies to watch in our Location Intelligence 2021 report, which is available to download from our website.
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.
To claim 0.5 hours for this podcast, go to the Episode 140 page of the InsTech London website, or email cpd@instech.london.

May 23, 2021 • 36min
Henri Winand: Co-founder and CEO, AkinovA: The e-placing platform driving new insurance solutions (139)
The accelerated shift to digital over the past twelve months has raised the profile and importance of pricing platforms in insurance.
AkinovA is one of the companies finding success in the space, with its digital marketplace allowing buyers and sellers to carry out transactions wherever they are in the world.
Matthew talks to Co-founder and CEO Henri Winand on Podcast 139 about how the platform helps in the creation of new insurance products and gives the owners of the risk a better way to optimise their capital.
Talking points include:
Matching brokers with the right investors
Meeting the challenges posed by intangible assets
The importance of standards
Creating parametric insurance products
Improving business interruption cover post-Covid
AkinovA is one of the featured companies in our report, ‘E-Trading Platforms: Challenges, Opportunities and Imperative’, which is available to download for free.
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.
To claim 0.5 hours for this podcast, go to the Episode 139 page of our website, or email cpd@instech.london.

May 16, 2021 • 34min
Evan Glassman: Co-founder, New Paradigm Underwriters: Parametric insurance - delivering US hurricane & quake cover since 2013 (138)
Insurance policies may leave businesses exposed to uninsured economic loss in the event of a hurricane or earthquake, because of excess, deductibles and exclusions.
New Paradigm Underwriters offers parametric insurance products which use the wind speed of hurricanes and shake intensity of earthquakes to determine payouts to their clients in North America.
Co-founder Evan Glassman joins Matthew on Podcast 138 to discuss New Paradigm’s technology and how to build parametric products.
Talking points include:
Measuring hurricane-force wind speeds
Basis risk in traditional and parametric insurance
The parametric insurance community
The benefits of parametric products to protection sellers
Educating brokers and buyers about parametric
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.
To claim 0.5 hours for this podcast, go to the Episode 138 page of the InsTech London website, or email cpd@instech.london.

May 9, 2021 • 26min
Dr Anushka Patchava: Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Vitality: Where clinical meets digital - insights from health insurance (137)
Covid-19 caused an overnight demand for digital primary healthcare services accelerating major improvements in how we all access and interact with providers.
Dr Anushka Patchava, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Vitality, joins Robin on Podcast 137 to discuss what that digital shift has meant for life & health insurers over the past 12 months, and the challenges that still lie ahead to achieve true digital engagement and improve access to health data.
The conversation also covers Anushka’s experience of moving from a medical career into insurance and her role as an Expert Advisor to the United Nations.
Talking points include:
How healthcare providers reacted to Covid-19
What life & health insurers can learn from home and motor products
Incentivising customers to share health data
How legacy technology impedes digital delivery
Using blockchain for healthcare
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.
To claim 0.5 hours for this podcast, go to the Episode 137 page of the InsTech London website, or email cpd@instech.london.