InsureCert is Policy
Automation and Much More.

The insurance industry is amid profound change fuelled by converging trends that are creating leaps in innovation and disrupting traditional business models. As a result, insurance is ripe for repositioning in the digital age. 

How many people claim, "I love shopping for insurance" when someone or something forces them to buy an insurance policy. I am sure it's right up there with booking your next Hawaiian vacation or configuring your new car. But, no, for many insurance is the last thing they want to worry about, whether it is paying too much or not getting the right coverage.  

The insurance industry is amid profound change fuelled by converging trends that are creating leaps in innovation and disrupting traditional business models. As a result, insurance is ripe for repositioning in the digital age. 

To ease the transition, InsureCert's thoughtful leadership and insightful design team offer consumers a new generation of solutions that seamlessly integrate and adapt to specific needs. In addition, this approach will align with the emergence of flexible platform-as-a-service architecture commonly found in other industry segments and InsureTech startups.
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Based in Vancouver, Canada, InsureCert is a software development company working on decentralization and transparency solutions for the insurance industry. A worldwide patent has been filed to protect the intellectual property behind InsureCert, giving the company a unique opportunity to become "the go-to" platform for evidencing insurance using shared ledger (blockchain) technology. The company is helping consumers and business owners make smarter financial decisions by creating an encrypted insurance wallet that recommends coverage and manages workplace compliance. InsureCert's mission is to transform opaque, centralized workflows into decentralized peer-to-peer solutions.

TAGS:  EMBEDDED INSURANCE, ONLINE INSURANCE, API INSURANCE PROGRAMS

Embedded Insurance, part of a broader movement toward Embedded Finance, is about getting more affordable, relevant and personalized.

Within Property & Casualty alone, Embedded Insurance could account for over $700 Billion in Gross Written Premiums by 2030, or 25% of the total market worldwide, and for those that enable it, $3 Trillion in market value. According to Simon Torrance, author of New Growth Playbook. All players – insurers, banks, fintechs, investors, non-financial retailers, product manufacturers, service providers, digital platforms and software companies - should look carefully at this fast-emerging space and define strategies of 'where to play' and 'how to win'.

"The idea behind embedding insurance is that it brings coverage to people who have already established a relationship within a non-insurance company or service provider," adds InsureCert's CEO and founder Craig Arnatt. 

With a growing digital economy and changing demographics, embedding Insurance into consumer products has effectively provided added relevance while offering a simplified customer experience. Think Expedia, one of the first e-commerce sites to embed Insurance; users who buy airline tickets are given an offer to purchase optional travel insurance at checkout. 

Why Embedded Insurance Works

According to Boost Insurance: offering embedded Insurance as a complement to your existing products or services is a great business opportunity. You may not be selling plane tickets or crypto, but chances are you're offering something that Insurance could protect. 
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How can every company become a part of embedded Insurance. 

1. Work with an InsurTech-enabled broker who understands your business model. InsureCert enables brokers to bring embedded insurance products direct to consumers using custom applications that offer co-branding opportunities. You can dramatically increase your value by seamlessly integrating innovative insurance products into the customers' purchase journeys at a low cost. 
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2. Know your customers.  – individuals and businesses are generally underserved by the insurance industry today. Suppose your product or service requires users to be insured, but you are not offering an embedded solution. In that case, you are missing the opportunity to provide consumers with the financial security insurance offers and tell your users that you care. 

3. Assess the big picture: the best way to execute, in terms of delivering embedded Insurance, is to discuss customer support and claims management processes with your broker. There is little befit to your company's reputation if the carrier you are funnelling premiums to cannot satisfy basic claims handling. We've all heard of insurance claims nightmares, so work with your broker to incorporate a third-party adjuster or TPA. TPAs are independent claims adjusters who act as unbiased parties between the consumer and carrier. The TPAs job is to eliminate frustration by the consumer and will work to remedy claims that go sideways. 

4. Organize a good rollout: ensure you have the correct organizational setup and incentives to effectively manage your embedded insurance program. For example, consider adding live chat to your website monitored by a licensed agent who can answer questions about the coverage wordings. As it is against most State and Provincial regulations to sell Insurance using unlicensed staff, lean on the broker facilitating the policy transaction to be ready to support clients online. 

5. Monitor growth by looking for new opportunities: testing and iterating on all fronts as you move forward is the key to an excellent embedded insurance program. If clients are getting hung up on a poorly worded question or not finding critical information, they can often bound off the page, and the sale is lost. Using a combination of InsureCert Reports and Screen Recording, stakeholders can view real-time customer interactions and receive daily data feeds. Then, make adjustments to questions to make them more transparent or create better access to information to give consumers confidence that they are on the right path. 

About InsureCert ‍

InsureCert's mission is to build a better front-end for Insurance that enables open and accessible technology for MGAs and brokers. The company's No-Code Platform is a next-gen insurance solution that can embed Insurance into any website using APIs that connect to payment gateways and rating services. Both large and small agencies use InsureCert to automate insurance quotes and certificates using consumer-driven policy dashboards and agent portals.  

The global FinTech market is growing exponentially, representing opportunities and their unique risks associated with companies operating in this space. As FinTech's reach expands, and their capabilities evolve, they must have the best policies.

FinTech is much different than traditional financial institutions and does not share many of the risks associated with running a digital business.  More often than not, old manuscripts from carriers still in use have not kept pace and exclude many of the perils modern FinTech's face. 

Here are five reasons why you should look at FinTech insurance:

1.  Your policy does not insure you.

FinTech insurance policies exist to fill a gap surrounding technology companies that transact funds and provide dashboarding for consumers. Many domestic carriers do not offer FinTech platforms coverage—for example, first-party crime, cyber and intellectual property.

2.  Your carrier is not thinking about superior protection for your directors.

Insurance forms an integral part of your overall risk management strategy. FinTech insurance protects your business's value, where traditional insurance carriers do not provide security in the event of litigation. Critical for start-ups, mainly those trading in sensitive financial information such as online banking, where regulation is still evolving, and threats continue to emerge.

3.  No one is thinking about changes in regulators' requirements

FinTech companies have greater financial exposure due to regulatory changes. Errors or Omissions Insurance can be imposed by various jurisdictions to meet your capital requirements. Don't be caught missing this critical component. 

4.  Your policy does not offer complete protection for its directors and officers

We all know that members of senior management and boards can be held personally liable for claims brought against the company. Claims can be brought forward by customers or clients, shareholders, lenders, competitors, and contractors. Without FinTech protection, it can be a barrier when it comes to recruitment, as it enables companies to attract and retain the best directors available.

5.  A Specialized Fintech Policy makes risk easier to manage

FinTech insurance policies are comprehensive and have been designed with the work of FinTech companies in mind. Not only are these policies an effective risk management tool providing peace of mind for the company, they're also increasingly important when it comes to hiring and retaining the best talent and can prove vital in helping companies adhere to requirements from regulators.

Top 5 risks for FinTech businesses

1.   Professional liability

Negligent advice and failings in client services are common risks for any company providing financial services, especially FinTechs, who offer new financial products through new distribution models. FinTechs can also rely on third-party contractors, adding liability risk due to third-party negligence.

2.   Regulatory environment

New technology, new products, and further distribution bring a wealth of opportunities and unique regulatory exposures. FinTech companies will need to ensure they keep on top of implementing suitable and satisfactory risk management systems. As the FinTech market evolves, so will the regulatory environment, and a significant risk for FinTechs will be keeping pace with the regulators' latest updates. FinTechs will also have to consider differing regulations in multiple territories should they operate internationally.

3.   Theft of funds

The majority of FinTechs deal with a high frequency of funds movement.  High volumes of payments, transactions, and customer accounts and the fast growth and implementation of new technology leave them vulnerable to theft. These thefts could be by an employee or an external party.

4.   Cyber event

Given the nature of their operations, FinTech companies are prime targets for cybercriminals. Network security, data breaches, or even a denial-of-service attack - as well as damage and rectification costs following these incidents - should be a significant concern for FinTech companies.

5.   Technology failure

Innovative technology is essential for FinTech companies - it is how they have disrupted traditional financial services - but this heavy reliance on technology infrastructure means firms can be vulnerable. Technology failure can mean customers are unable to access services resulting in lost income or lost customers.

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