The quoted article provides great insight on the realities of the role of technology in insurance, and draws some telling parallels from other sectors.
I have the pleasure of working with a number of exciting and innovative startups that have created something meaningful for society. These #InsurTech entities don't see themselves as disruptive, and in some cases it would be fair to say they don't know enough about insurance to have a real concept of the impact of their innovation. Rather they are trying to exploit technology to the benefit of society - whether through reducing the risk of having a road traffic accident, offering an alternative to saving up for a rental deposit, or providing sufferers of chronic illness with access to healthcare.
What is becoming more clear is they see insurance capital and risk management expertise as offering the tools they need to obtain scale and service a broader customer base. These entrepreneurs are collaborators, but although they may not be trying to undermine the traditional insurance market, they may very well do so...
Technology is shifting the pockets of value. It is eating away at the traditional business model whereby insurers create value from offering loss protection, and is building a new model that focuses on mitigating risk... ...Many insurance companies are investing heavily in technology, though too often they are still aiming for incremental improvements to their business rather than daring to face head on the disruptive innovations afoot. History records hundreds of companies overtaken by such disruption. But so too does it offer shining examples of companies that had the courage to embrace it. Which camp will today’s insurers find themselves in a decade from now?
unknownx500
