Reinsurance News
InsurTech news
Insurance and reinsurance technology related news, focused on the wave of interest in InsurTech start-ups, investing in insurance technology initiatives, as well as reinsurance tech start-ups or ReinsurTech.
Munich Re’s HSB Ventures leads $29mn Next Insurance capital raise
5th May 2017
Munich Re's venture capital subsidiary, HSB Ventures, has led a $29 million Series A round of funding for Next Insurance, an online insurance platform designed for small to medium sized businesses. Reinsurance giant Munich Re's HSB Ventures led the capital raise alongside Markel, Nationwide, and other existing investors, says Next Insurance. "The small ... Read the full article
Risk managers not up-to-par on disruptive technologies: Marsh/RIMS
3rd May 2017
Risk management professionals show an "alarming" lack of understanding and preparation to assess risks from disruptive technologies, including telematics, sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), smart buildings, and robotics, said insurance broker Marsh in a joint report with the Risk Management Society (RIMS). 60% of respondants surveyed said they don't conduct ... Read the full article
InsurTech start-ups partnering with small insurers could take the lead in digital innovation: Willis
3rd May 2017
Small insurance businesses could be the front-runners of the digital transformation revolution, with 25% of their total premium digitally underwritten by 2020, Willis Towers Watson and CB Insights said in a dual Q1 report on InsurTech industry trends. In the innovation game, small insurers could have an edge over their larger ... Read the full article
The 2017 technological trends set to disrupt re/insurance business as usual
27th April 2017
Technology Vision has released its 2017 report on emerging technology trends with the most potential to disrupt the re/insurance industry; the analysis revealed that re/insurance experts' top priority for getting technology right is more about having the right ecosystems and distribution platforms than in grabbing hold of the latest gizmos ... Read the full article
Barbican launches online automated quote and bind system
24th April 2017
Barbican Insurance Group, which underwrites re/insurance predominantly through its Lloyd's syndicates, has launched a new technology platform that will automate quoting and binding of new business through certain distribution channels. With the launch of 'The Hub', as the platform is named, Barbican hopes the online, automated quote and bind system will ... Read the full article
IT spending by global re/insurers to reach $184.8 billion by end of 2017
20th April 2017
Analysis from research and advisory firm Celent shows that global insurance and reinsurance industry IT spending is expected to reach $184.8 billion by the end of this year. Celent estimates IT spending, on software technology and infrastructure as a percentage of premium and says that digitalisation, data analytics, and legacy and ... Read the full article
Berkshire Hathaway’s Gen Re reveals growing predictive analytics uptake
20th April 2017
Berkshire Hathaway’s Gen Re - a leading life/health and property/casualty reinsurer - released results from its first global predictive analytics survey for life and health insurers, revealing low but growing levels of analytics uptake within a sector still struggling to innovate. The report surveyed 136 insurance carriers across 23 countries, and ... Read the full article
Ex-Goldman analyst Nannizzi Joins W. R. Berkley to focus on insurtech investments
19th April 2017
Michael Nannizzi, who was previously the lead equity analyst covering insurance at Goldman, Sachs & Co., is joining insurance and reinsurance group W. R. Berkley Corporation to take on a role focusing on evaluating investments in insurtech start-ups. Reflecting the importance of emerging insurance technology companies in the re/insurance industry, Nannizzi ... Read the full article
Hiscox appoints new Chief Information Officer
19th April 2017
Insurance and reinsurance group Hiscox has appointed a new Chief Information Officer (CIO), naming Ian Penny, previously CTO of Barclays in the role. At Hiscox, Penny will be in charge of the Group's IT, with a team of 300 under his leadership and will report directly to CEO Bronek Masojada. Penny replaces ... Read the full article
Technology – shifting global awareness and perception of re/insurance: Swiss Re
13th April 2017
Swiss Re’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Reinsurance, Moses Ojeisekhoba, has pointed to “encouraging” signs that technology is shifting global perception and awareness of insurance, as it simultaneously transforms the industry’s products into shorter-term, bite-size, and more cost-efficient solutions. Ojeisekhoba suggested people’s perceptions of insurance and its use is the “most important thing ... Read the full article
R3 and ACORD launch centre of excellence for distributed ledger tech
12th April 2017
R3, the financial technology, distributed ledger and blockchain consortium, have joined forces with ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) to launch a Centre of Excellence for distributed ledger technology (DLT) for the global insurance industry. R3 has major insurers including MetLife, AIA and Suncorp Group, as well as other ... Read the full article
Conning forecasts record levels of M&A activity in 2017
10th April 2017
A record number of M&A transactions in the distribution end of the market, with tech-driven service providers and equity brokers at the forefront of the transaction boom, is predicted for 2017 in investment management firm, Conning’s, annual global insurance M&A study. Insurance brokers and private equity sponsors have been leading the ... Read the full article
Munich Re and Sompo become major investors in insurtech start-up Trov
7th April 2017
Munich Re’s venture capital subsidairy, HSB Ventures, has led a $45 million investment in technology start-up Trov, that will see the reinsurer act as investor and underwriting partner as the start-up expands into Europe, Asia and South Africa, Reuters reported. Japanese insurer Sompo Holdings has joined forces with the German reinsurance ... Read the full article
Big data enables re/insurers to develop new products & models: Insurance Europe
30th March 2017
Technological advances and the rise of big data in the global risk transfer industry enables insurers and reinsurers to develop new solutions and adapt their business models to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world, which should benefit consumers, says Insurance Europe. In response to the European Supervisory Authorities’ (ESAs) joint discussion paper on ... Read the full article
Harnessing big-data essential for re/insurers
17th March 2017
Learning to harness big-data to their benefit is essential for insurers and reinsurers looking to maintain and increase their market shares and profitability, according to Fitch Ratings. The rating agency explains in a new report that those failing to keep pace with technological change and innovation, such as how to leverage ... Read the full article