Elephants are strong, wise, and noble. In some cultures they also are a source of good fortune. However, they generally are not flexible, lithe, or quick.
My Insuretech Connect experience last week reinforces a central Celent hypothesis about insurtech: that its most significant value lies in enabling insurers to become faster, cheaper, and better able to serve their customers. In other words, to teach elephants to dance.
A new agreement between Progressive Insurance and Slice Labs is an example of marrying insurer power and startup innovation. Later this month, Progressive Homeshare by Slice Labs will launch. Progressive prospects will use the Slice homesharing platform to apply for coverage and obtain policies. The combination of Progressive’s marketing might and the unique Slice product will be interesting to track and may represent a new model for insurtech startups and insurers to partner. (For more on insurtech partnerships, see the Celent report Insurer-Startup Partnerships: How to Maximize Insurtech Investments).
The market will have the ultimate say in the outcome. Meanwhile, strike up the band and let the dancing begin!
Allstate Corp. will end its years-long pause on underwriting in California as soon as the state regulator adopts proposed regulatory changes to make it easier for insurers to raise rates, according to a company spokesperson.
The Net Zero Insurance Alliance will instead be replaced by the Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero (FIT), convened and led by the United Nations Environment Programme, according to a statement on Thursday.
The Jackson, Mississippi, company will use proceeds from the sale of its Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance unit to restructure its investment portfolio, moving $1.6 billion of low-yield securities off the balance sheet.