InsurTech trends to watch out for this year

4 min read
Aug 20, 2022 4:00:00 PM

For all firms, the need to reform, innovate, and improve in the quickly changing business environment is inescapable. Customer expectations have been drastically altered by mass digitization across all industries, and no sector—not even a well-established one like insurance—can afford to remain stagnant in terms of innovation.

Additionally, the energy revolution, urbanization, and digitalization have had far-reaching, permanent effects on how we function and are quickly creating a more complicated and diversified playing field.

The use of new technology is helping many firms update their processes, and it is expected that the insurtech sector will do the same in 2022. Smaller businesses may use the most current innovations to their advantage over more seasoned competitors in the meantime.

How is the insurance sector adjusting to these modifications?

Here are some crucial insurtech themes that, in our opinion, will still have an impact on the region in 2022:

  • Digitization and Automation

The COVID-19 outbreak thrust digitalization into the insurance sector's spotlight. But this is a tendency that will continue. Online policy purchases, document verification, telemedicine, etc. were essential throughout the epidemic from the perspectives of safety, accessibility, and efficacy. What started as frantic coping strategies in unheard-of circumstances evolved into a race to digitize for consumer pleasure.

Automation, in our opinion, will make way for real-time solutions that will continue to transform the insurance industry, such as micro insurances that can be tailored to a customer's needs and financial limitations.

  • AI and Machine Learning

One of the insurtech innovations that are gaining traction with businesses and customers alike is the touchless claim procedure enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI). We could observe this develop into the industry norm soon. The massive volumes of data that insurers analyze using ML can aid in more accurate underwriting and be used in future models.

With technology controlling the whole claim process, firms may now create goods tailored to individual demands, drastically short claim timescales, etc. Experts can focus their expertise on challenging instances. These not only produce fantastic consumer experiences but also enable cost-effective corporate expansion.

  • Usage-based models

One of the most desired aspects that clients search for when purchasing insurance is hyper-personalization. A successful insurance company would provide customized insurance coverage at the most affordable price.

Insurance is not a one-size-fits-all solution, despite the common misconception. Women opt for add-ons in their medical insurance, such as coverage for maternity care, cervical/vaginal/ovarian cancer, etc. More than ever, it is crucial to separate users and offer insurance plans tailored to their needs.

  • Legacy to Cloud-based storage

The insurance sector has a reputation for being slow to adopt cutting-edge technology. But because technology is advancing so quickly across many industries, insurers understand that cloud computing has been overdue.

The improvement will make it possible to quickly deploy new, tailored insurance products and experiences, which will improve the ability of cloud-first businesses to operate without a hitch. All of this is made possible by cloud computing's enormous mining and storage capacity. The capacity of the hardware and software infrastructure does not need to be planned for by legacy brokers or distributors. Releases and deployments are almost instantaneous and significantly lower GTM.

  • Microinsurance

Many millennials are known for challenging conventional wisdom, and few of them support the insurance industry's rigid structure. Microservices design, which is used to build insurance, offers the flexibility of scaling up and down without adding to expenses. This method's user-friendliness will undoubtedly make insurance distribution easier.

The use of microinsurance extends beyond insurtech trends. They increase the general public's access to and affordability of insurance. Insurance providers with superior customer-centric premium plans are more likely to survive the test of time if they use cutting-edge technologies to gather and evaluate data.

  • Alternate payment methods

Payment methods are increasingly needed as our financial ecosystems develop to make use of products like cryptocurrency. Smaller firms in the insurtech sector are now using instant payment methods that were previously unheard of due to the increase in technology that offers alternative payment methods.

Although there is still a long way to go until the global cryptocurrency market is established, blockchain will continue to open new possibilities that will influence the insurance sector.

  • Internet of Things

Many insurance consumers don't consider the possibility that the standard insurance claim procedure hasn't changed much throughout the years. The weeks wasted in processing time, from the paperwork during insurance purchase to document submission and claim, are no longer the best option.

IoT helps customers to effectively navigate the claims process using handheld devices and make data-driven judgments. Standard Fire is covered by standard insurance, while Special Perils are best for IoT sensors and ML-based alerts. By reducing failures and accidents, connected devices like biometric and environmental sensors make calculating risk and modifying policies easier than before.

  • Distributed Ledgers and Blockchain (DLT)

It is nothing new for customers to dislike middlemen like brokers and agents. Instead of depending on third-party services, businesses may now interact directly with their customers thanks to technology. Companies may employ this tactic for less money, which translates into reduced prices for customers.

The adoption of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) will increase in 2022. Nothing tops blockchain when it comes to generating a digital record of transactions that can be shared throughout a network of computers. The cryptocurrency business is now abuzz with the discussion of blockchain, which has implications for a variety of sectors, including insurtech.

Insurance service providers may leverage blockchain technology to cut administrative expenses, validate third-party payments, and boost fraud defenses. The adoption of distributed ledger technology may improve payment timeliness, cybersecurity, and claims processing (DLT). In the meanwhile, blockchain's use of public ledgers and improved cybersecurity standards may help to boost trust.

Conclusion

Although the insurance sector was already undergoing a revolution, the dramatic changes the pandemic brought about have greatly hastened the pace. After seeing the latest advancements, customers are unwilling to go back to the outdated practices. To remain competitive, the industry has been forced to include cutting-edge insurance technology in its offers. There has been a lot of instability and change in the world during the last several years. While not all of this has been positive, it has in certain cases, sparked creativity and the digital revolution.

The development of insurtech will improve your client experience and expedite and streamline online transactions. The beginning of a new year and the arrival of new technology may serve as motivation for many individuals to make changes in their life. So get in touch with us right now to incorporate the best insurtech trends into your company plan.