In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Dr Thomas Kuhnt (HDI Global SE), Ed Ackerman (Qover) and Vincent De Ponthaud (AXA) for a rare C-suite perspective on Agentic AI — what it is, how it's being deployed and why senior leaders are walking a tightrope between bold innovation and operational risk. Agentic AI promises transformative value, but …

In this episode, Claire Souch is joined by Tom Philp, CEO of Maximum Information; James Lay, AVP of Product Management at Verisk; and Stephen Martin, Head of Catastrophe Modelling at Westfield Specialty, for a timely discussion on the future of catastrophe model evaluation, and why it's no longer enough to simply trust what’s in the black box. As n…

In this episode, Brian Owens is joined by Dana Foley (Head of Catastrophe Research at Chaucer), Joss Matthewman (Chief Revenue Officer at Reask) and Olivia Sloan (Head of Catastrophe Products at Fathom) to explore the growing influence of specialist model vendors in catastrophe risk modelling and why they’re anything but “niche”. With decades of co…

Introduction In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Jack Miller, CEO and Co-founder of nettle, to explore how generative AI is being applied to one of insurance’s most complex and resource-constrained challenges: risk engineering. Jack shares how his work at McKinsey, leading AI transformations for insurers, exposed him to the inefficiencies …

In this episode, Richard Gunn, President & CRO at hyperexponential, joins host Matthew Grant to share the inside story of hyperexponential's expansion journey from the UK to the US, and how the company is reshaping pricing and underwriting in the insurance sector. Richard reflects on seven years at hyperexponential, starting as the first non-engine…

In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Tim Hardcastle, CEO and Co-founder of INSTANDA, to reflect on what it takes to turn a contrarian vision into a global insurtech platform and what the next decade of innovation might look like. Tim left a senior role at Hiscox to build a no-code platform for insurers at a time when most said it couldn’t b…

In this episode, Robin Merttens sits down with Haris Khan and Arved Pohlabeln, co-founders of Novee, to unpack what’s broken in specialty underwriting — and how AI is finally in a position to fix it. Having met as consultants at Deloitte, Haris and Arved kept encountering the same themes: overworked underwriters, inconsistent submissions, and trans…

In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Jonathan Rake, CEO of Risk Data Solutions at Swiss Re, to explore how a major reinsurer is building data and analytics as core capabilities beyond traditional risk‑transfer. Jonathan explains why the shift matters, how analytics are being embedded in real‑time workflows, and what insurers and corporates…

Catastrophe models have come a long way - but are decision-makers keeping up? In this panel from InsTech’s The future of catastrophe risk: where science meets reality, Alice Kaye (Inigo), Caroline McMullan (Verisk) and host Dickie Whitaker (Oasis LMF) confront the challenges of turning sophisticated risk models into clear, actionable decisions. Tog…

In this special episode of the podcast, originally hosted by Indico Data’s Unstructured Unlocked, Matthew Grant, CEO of InsTech, joins Tom Wilde and Michelle Gouveia to discuss how insurers are harnessing third-party data and AI to make more informed, efficient underwriting decisions. With over 25 years in catastrophe modelling and analytics, Matth…

What are we still missing in catastrophe modelling and how can we close the gap? As part of InsTech’s The Future of Catastrophe Risk: Where Science Meets Reality event, this expert panel explored the limitations of current catastrophe models and how the insurance industry can evolve its approach to risk. Hosted by Ludovico Nicotina (Inigo), with in…

In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Julian Schoemig, CEO and Co-founder of Diesta, to explore why payments and settlements remain one of the insurance industry’s biggest unsolved problems, and what it will take to fix them. From his early days selling boxing machines to Munich pubs to underwriting aviation at Munich Re, Julian’s career has…

What would happen if the next hurricane wasn’t just stronger but completely off the scale? Are we prepared for a Category 6 event, and would it even show up in our models? In this panel discussion from InsTech’s July evening event The future of catastrophe risk: where science meets reality, supported by Inigo, Ruth Petrie leads a conversation on ho…

In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Matthew Eagle, Head of Global Model Solutions and Advisory at Guy Carpenter, to explore how one of the industry's most respected voices sees the future of modelling, capital management and advisory in reinsurance. With three decades of experience, Matthew reflects on what’s changed — and what hasn’t — i…

In this episode, Matthew is joined once again by Richard Hartley to reflect on a major milestone in Cytora’s journey: its acquisition by US-based Applied Systems. But as Richard makes clear, this isn’t the end of the road. It’s a platform for scale. Listeners will hear how Cytora evolved from tackling political risk to transforming how risk flows t…

Jonathan Spry, CEO and co-founder of Envelop Risk, joins Robin Merttens for a deep dive into how data science, AI and portfolio-level modelling are transforming cyber reinsurance. As one of the earliest voices in the industry championing machine learning and systemic risk analysis, Jonathan shares what he's learned over nine years of building Envel…

What happens when a major US insurance tech player sets its sights on Europe? This week, Robin Merttens speaks with Chris Quirk, VP and General Manager at Insurity, to unpack the drivers behind the company’s international expansion and what it signals for the wider market. Chris brings a unique cross-market perspective, working with carriers, MGAs …

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 explor…

What will the specialty insurance market look like a decade from now? Will we still be talking about legacy systems and manual processes, or will the model itself have changed? In this panel discussion from InsTech’s Outpace. Outprice. Outperform event, Robin Merttens leads a conversation with four senior experts on the future of the market and the…

In this milestone edition of Partners Chat, Robin and Matthew sit down for their first episode since InsTech's transition to new ownership. With nearly 11 years of leadership behind them, they reflect candidly on founding and growing the business, navigating a sales process and what lies ahead under Datos Insights. Listeners will get rare insights …

If you want a masterclass in how to build a business, sell it well and stay hungry for the next idea, listen to Bob Frady. In this episode, Matthew Grant catches up with Bob, CEO and Co-founder of PropertyLens and former CEO and founder of Hazard Hub, to hear what he’s learned across three startups, why he’s building again post-exit and how he’s tu…

Insurers have had fair warning: the hard market is softening, and those still relying on legacy tech may soon feel the chill. So what does it take to stay competitive as conditions turn? In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined once again by Dani Katz, Co-founder and Director of Optalitix, for a sharp analysis of what’s changed since their last co…

At its best, parametric insurance delivers clarity when volatility strikes. But scaling that promise takes more than models: it takes real claims data, market feedback and the ability to solve for both reinsurers’ confidence and cedents’ earnings risk. In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks with Matt Coleman, Chief Risk Officer at The Demex Group, a…

What does it take to rebuild after disaster as a business leader, a homeowner and a policyholder? Garret Gray has spent his career trying to improve how insurers and property owners respond to damage. As President of Insurance Solutions at Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) and founder of Next Gear Solutions, he’s been at the centre of building tools fo…

Why has claims innovation taken off in personal lines, but still lags behind in specialty? It’s a question that many in the market have asked and in this episode, a panel of senior experts set out to answer it. Hosted by Andrew Pedler, Vice President at Reserv, this special discussion brings together three experienced voices from across the claims …

What does it take to build an MGA that not only launches but lasts? Tim Quayle has spent the past decade answering that question, not in theory, but in practice. As CEO of OneAdvent, a London-based MGA incubator and service platform, he’s helped launch and scale more than 15 underwriting businesses and seen plenty more that didn’t make it. In this …

Enhanced underwriting has become one of the most talked-about shifts in the London Market, but it’s also one of the least clearly defined. In this episode, we share a live panel discussion from our Enhanced Underwriting event, featuring: Colum D’Auria, Canopius Rob Jarvis, Tokio Marine Kiln Tessa Wardle, QBE The conversation begins with a basic que…

At its core, insurance underwriting is about judgment: making sense of messy information, pricing for uncertainty and doing it at speed. Technology and AI should make that easier, but is it really the answer to underwriting’s most persistent challenges? In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks to Guillaume Bonnissent, CEO and founder of Quotech, a pl…

At its best, insurance is about clarity in uncertain times. Pricing that reflects reality. Promises that hold up when things go wrong. In this episode, I speak with Todd Rissel, CEO and co-founder of e2Value, an independent company that has spent the last 25 years helping insurers and homeowners understand the real cost of rebuilding property, and …

Underwriting is undergoing a fundamental shift. As technology matures and data becomes more accessible, insurers and brokers are rethinking how they deploy capital, manage risk and respond to client needs in real time. In this special episode of the InsTech podcast, recorded live at our event “The growth of Enhanced Underwriting — the opportunity a…

With generative AI, engineering excellence and legacy system resilience all under one remit, what does it take to lead digital transformation at one of the world’s largest reinsurers? In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Pravina Ladva, Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Swiss Re, to explore what it means to drive impact through i…

What happens when one of the world’s largest brokers and a digital-first underwriting platform team up to rethink risk trading? In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Sasa Brcerevic, Head of Portfolio and Delegated Strategy at Aon, and Ed Howkins, Chief Growth Officer at Artificial Labs. Together, they explore the evolving dynamics of wholesa…

How can insurers make accurate loss estimates before adjusters are on the ground, and why does it matter? In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks with Will Bonner, Chief Operating Officer at McKenzie Intelligence Services (MIS), about how the company uses satellite data, open-source intelligence and human expertise to deliver early insights on catast…

What if underwriters could instantly triage submissions and reduce time spent on repetitive admin, without changing how they work? Matthew Grant speaks with Matt McGrillis, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Send, to explore how the company’s underwriting workbench is embedding AI into core workflows to help underwriters write more business, m…

Attracting and retaining talent in the London Market is an evolving concern, with the PwC CEO Survey revealing that 93% of respondents either recognise the need to change or are already adapting their strategies to address it. Let’s discuss how! In this special podcast episode done in partnership with PwC, we invited Anna Craston, Senior Manager, t…

The ultimate insurtech podcast crossover. In this episode, Matthew Grant is joined by Rob Beller and Lee Boyd, co-hosts of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, for a cross-continental conversation on what they’ve learned after more than 300 episodes spotlighting insurance innovation. Rob and Lee share insights from their day jobs at Alacrity Solutions and …

Where tariffs bring chaos, ChAI brings cover. In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Tristan Fletcher, co-founder and CEO of ChAI, about how his team is using financial market techniques and AI to build insurance products that protect manufacturers from volatile input costs. What began in the world of hedge funds and speculative trading is now…

What does it take to build a wildfire prediction model that not only outperforms physics-based approaches but also fits seamlessly into underwriting? In this episode, Matthew Grant is joined by Sarah Russell, General Manager at Bellwether – a climate-focused moonshot from Google X – to explore why wildfires are the ideal proving ground for next-gen…

What does it take to fundamentally rethink how specialty insurance is traded, structured and scaled? In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Jeff Radke, co-founder and CEO of Accelerant, for a deep dive into the mechanics of a rapidly growing risk exchange that’s quietly reshaping the MGA and MGU landscape. It has been three years since Jeff j…

From our Exponential Risk breakout session, to joining us on InsTech podcast - this week we are spotlighting Neena Saith’s valuable discussion on the science of resilience. Resilience is a familiar term in insurance, often associated with mitigating risk and protecting against natural disasters. But what about resilience at a personal level? How ca…

The insurance industry is at an inflection point—legacy processes are still widespread, yet AI and automation are enabling smarter, more efficient workflows. But how do insurers cut through the noise and apply technology in a way that truly transforms their operations? In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Nigel Walsh, newly appointed at Se…

The automotive industry is undergoing a transformation—electrification, changing ownership models and evolving customer expectations are reshaping the market. But how does insurance fit into this shift? In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Nimeshh Patel, CEO of Wrisk, about how the company is helping major automotive brands embed insurance s…

Agentic AI - the buzzword of 2025. But what is it and how can it help claims? The insurance industry has long struggled with manual, time-consuming claims processes that create bottlenecks and put pressure on adjusters. Now, Agentic AI is emerging as a solution: automating administrative tasks and enabling claims teams to work faster and more effic…

Traditional underwriting is evolving, and AI-powered platforms are leading the charge. In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Will Ross, CEO and Co-founder of Federato, about how their RiskOps platform is helping insurers make smarter, faster underwriting decisions. Federato enables underwriters to triage submissions, prioritise in-appetite ri…

AI-driven automation is transforming how insurers process data, streamline workflows and improve decision-making. In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Graeme Asquith, UK Managing Director at mea Platform, about how AI-powered document ingestion is changing the game for underwriting and claims. With advanced machine learning models trained on…

From manual data entry to slow underwriting decisions, inefficiencies in broker management have long been a challenge for the commercial insurance industry. But what if brokers could streamline data collection, enhance risk assessment and seamlessly connect with underwriters in real time? In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks with Alex Cardona, CE…

Satellite imagery is revolutionising the way insurers assess risk, track disasters and provide coverage. In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks with Berend de Jong, Global Insurance & Finance Lead at Planet Labs, about how high-resolution satellite imagery and geospatial data are reshaping the insurance industry. With a fleet of over 200 satellites …

How is generative AI changing the way insurers work—and think? In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Bob Pick, EVP Chief Information Officer at Tokio Marine North American Services and Group Deputy Chief Information Technology Officer for Tokio Marine Group, to explore the real-world impact of generative AI in the insurance industry. From s…

How is technology redefining supply chain insurance and resilience in a changing world? Parsyl is combining innovation, data and ambition to transform the way essential supply chains are insured. Robin Merttens speaks with Alex Haar, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Parsyl, about the company’s impressive growth, their $20M Series C funding a…

In this episode, Matthew Grant sits down with Adrian Coupland from Earnix to explore the findings of its latest industry report, An Industry at a Crossroads. They discuss how insurers are adapting to modern challenges, from navigating compliance to leveraging real-time analytics. With a focus on modernisation and competition, Adrian shares insights…