In Episode 308 of the FNO InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and Lee Boyd welcome Tim Welsh, President of CCC Intelligent Solutions, for a powerful conversation on one of the most important and emotional moments in insurance: the accident experience and how it can be improved through better connectivity, data, and orchestration across the ecosystem.

Tim shares his unique journey from consulting at McKinsey to banking and now leading a cornerstone InsureTech platform that connects insurers, repair facilities, OEMs, and service providers. He explains how CCC has been building toward this moment for decades and how the company is now bringing together AI, data, and partnerships to create a more seamless and supportive claims experience.

The conversation explores the reality that car accidents are not just operational events, but deeply personal ones that people remember for years. Tim highlights how CCC is focused on redesigning that experience from the consumer's perspective, using a combination of technology and human expertise to guide individuals through a stressful moment and help them move forward quickly.

Rob and Lee also dig into the growing complexity of vehicles, rising repair costs, and the pressure on affordability across the system. Tim shares how CCC is addressing these challenges through orchestration, real time decision making, and a "together on purpose" approach that aligns everyone in the ecosystem.

This episode goes beyond technology, offering a human centered view of innovation and a clear vision for how the claims experience can evolve to better serve both consumers and the industry.

Key Highlights

[04:00] Meet Tim Welsh and CCC Intelligent Solutions An introduction to CCC and its role as a long standing platform connecting insurers, repair shops, OEMs, and service providers across the claims ecosystem.

[07:00] A Career Built on Helping People Tim shares his unconventional journey from preparing for the priesthood to consulting, banking, and ultimately leading at CCC.

[10:00] Why Accidents Are So Memorable A discussion on how car accidents rank among life's most vivid experiences and why improving that moment matters so deeply.

[13:00] The Complexity Behind a Simple Repair How modern vehicles, with thousands of parts and software driven systems, have dramatically increased repair costs and claims complexity.

[16:00] The Consumer at the Center Introducing "Ava," the model consumer, and how CCC is designing the claims experience around her needs from first notice through repair.

[19:00] Orchestrating the Claims Journey How technology is connecting each step of the process, from photos and estimates to scheduling and parts ordering, into a seamless flow.

[22:00] Preventing Total Loss Through Real Time Decisions A look at how dynamic decision making across the ecosystem can reduce unnecessary total losses and improve outcomes for everyone involved.

[25:00] Affordability and the Small Claims Problem Why rising premiums and deductibles are changing consumer behavior and leading to fewer small claims being reported.

[28:00] AI as Orchestration, Not Replacement How CCC is using AI to guide workflows and enhance human decision making rather than replace adjusters and claims professionals.

[31:00] AI Guidance in Action Examples of how AI can prioritize tasks for adjusters, helping them focus on the most impactful actions each day.

[34:00] The Power of Ecosystem Connectivity Why bringing insurers, repair shops, OEMs, and partners together on one platform is critical to unlocking better outcomes.

[37:00] Together on Purpose The philosophy behind CCC's approach, aligning all players around a shared goal of improving the consumer experience.

[40:00] Feeding Insights Back to Manufacturers How data from claims can influence vehicle design and repairability over time.

[42:00] What "Easy" Looks Like A real world example of a smooth repair experience and why that is the ultimate goal.

[44:00] Final Thoughts on the Future of Claims Tim shares his vision for a more connected, efficient, and human centered claims experience that benefits both consumers and the entire industry.

In Episode 307 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and Lee Boyd welcome Aman Gour, Co-founder and CEO of FurtherAI, joining from San Francisco, the epicenter of today's AI revolution. Aman shares his journey from Microsoft to second time founder, and how he is now building one of the most ambitious AI driven companies in insurance.

Aman discusses how FurtherAI is helping insurers automate real work across the entire policy lifecycle using AI agents that can process documents, make decisions, and execute workflows end to end. He explains why insurance, with its reliance on unstructured data and manual processes, is uniquely positioned for transformation through AI.

The conversation goes beyond technology, exploring what it means to build a company during a once in a generation platform shift, why humility and domain expertise matter in vertical AI, and how founders can navigate rapid change while building lasting value. Aman also shares insights on scaling quickly, earning customer trust in a risk averse industry, and his long term vision of building a public company.

[04:00] Meet Aman Gour and FurtherAI Aman introduces FurtherAI and shares the company's mission to transform insurance using AI agents that automate real workflows across the value chain.

[07:00] Why Build an AI Company in San Francisco A look inside the AI epicenter and why being close to innovation matters when building at the frontier of technology.

[08:00] AI Is Everywhere and It Is Moving Fast A lighthearted but insightful take on how AI has gone mainstream, even becoming part of everyday conversations.

[10:00] AI as Coworker or Something More A discussion on how AI is evolving from a productivity tool into something closer to a digital operator that can execute tasks independently.

[11:00] The Pressure of the AI Moment Why companies, employees, and founders are all feeling the urgency to adapt as AI reshapes industries in real time.

[13:00] Outsourcing Thinking vs Understanding A powerful insight: while AI can do the thinking, humans must still provide judgment and understanding.

[14:30] What FurtherAI Actually Does How the platform deploys AI agents to automate underwriting intake, claims workflows, and other high volume insurance processes.

[16:30] Founder Origin Story Aman's journey from Microsoft to building and exiting an AI recruiting startup, and why he chose to start again.

[19:00] The Pivot That Changed Everything How an early idea was labeled a "tar pit" and forced a major pivot that ultimately led to insurance.

[21:00] Why Insurance Became the Focus Breaking down why insurance rose to the top as the ideal industry for AI transformation.

[22:00] Learning Insurance from Scratch The now famous story of driving around with donuts to meet brokers and understand the industry firsthand.

[25:00] Why AI Fits Insurance So Well How unstructured data, manual workflows, and operational complexity make insurance a prime candidate for AI.

[26:30] Automating the Entire Lifecycle Why FurtherAI is focused on connecting workflows across underwriting, claims, and servicing, not just solving one piece.

[29:00] Building for the Long Term Aman shares his goal of building a company that goes public and the decisions required to get there.

[30:00] The Rise of Vertical AI Why success in AI depends on deep domain expertise and solving real industry specific problems.

[32:00] Navigating Rapid Change How founders operate in an environment where the technology is evolving faster than ever before.

[36:00] Scaling in a Risk Averse Industry How FurtherAI wins customers by reducing risk with free proofs of concept and flexible engagement models.

[37:30] Learning the Language of Insurance Why humility and curiosity are critical when building in a complex, relationship driven industry.

[41:00] Backing from Andreessen Horowitz The story behind securing one of the top venture firms and what it means for credibility and growth.

[44:00] Final Thoughts: The Race Is On Aman reflects on building during a transformative moment in technology and what it takes to succeed.

In Episode 306 of FNO: InsureTech, co-hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant are joined by Joshua Frossell, Founder and CEO of Senen. With a background spanning underwriting, strategy, and consulting across organizations like Allianz, Lloyd's, and Accenture, Joshua brings an operator's perspective to the InsurTech space. Senen is a claims intelligence platform that applies AI across the full lifecycle, from FNOL through settlement, transforming unstructured data into actionable insights, reducing manual work, and helping insurers make faster, more informed decisions.

Joshua and the Senen team are quickly gaining recognition in the industry. In January 2026, Senen won the inaugural Generali Challenge Lab at ITC London 2026, emerging from a competitive group of startups after pitching live on the main stage. The platform was recognized for its ability to turn claims data into decision ready intelligence, improving reserving accuracy, accelerating triage, and enabling better outcomes, particularly in climate related claims. Around the same time, Senen was also accepted into the Microsoft for Startups program, gaining access to Azure infrastructure, advanced AI capabilities, and a global network to support growth and deployment.

This episode also marks David Prejeant's introduction as co-host on the podcast, bringing more than 20 years of claims experience into the conversation. Together, Rob and David explore Joshua's journey from underwriting to building an InsurTech company, and what it takes to move from industry operator to founder.

[02:00] • David Prejeant's introduction as co host on the podcast and joining the FNO team

[09:30] • How Senen is using AI to streamline the claims lifecycle, from FNOL through settlement

[14:00] • Joshua's transition from underwriting and consulting into building an InsurTech company

[16:00] • Senen's 2026 ITC London Generali Challenge Lab win and what set their platform apart

[27:30] • How Senen is built around delivering real outcomes for claims teams, not just AI capabilities

In Episode 305 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and Lee Boyd welcome Andrew Yeoman, Co-founder and CEO of Concirrus, joining from the UK. Andrew shares how his company is transforming specialty insurance underwriting through AI powered automation, domain specific intelligence, and a relentless focus on real business outcomes.

Andrew explains how Concirrus helps insurers dramatically reduce manual work, accelerate quoting, and unlock underwriting capacity without increasing headcount. Drawing on years of experience across insurance and technology, he offers a unique perspective on why AI alone is not the differentiator and why the real opportunity lies in rethinking business models around it.

The conversation goes beyond today's use cases, exploring the concept of "but for" companies which are businesses that only exist because of AI and what that means for the future of insurance, underwriting, and entrepreneurship.

[03:45] Andrew Yeoman Joins from the UK A multinational episode kicks off with Andrew introducing his background and proximity to the heart of the insurance market near Lloyd's of London.

[05:00] Award Winning AI in Action How Concirrus helped a customer grow from 25M to 100M in premium without increasing headcount, earning top industry AI awards.

[07:30] What Concirrus Actually Does An overview of the platform automating the entire underwriting lifecycle from submission ingestion to quote, bind, and policy administration.

[09:30] Automating the Work Underwriters Don't Want to Do Why eliminating administrative tasks roughly 40 percent of an underwriter's time unlocks productivity and improves job satisfaction.

[11:15] From 48 Hours to 90 Seconds How AI driven workflows reduced time to quote by over 90 percent, transforming responsiveness and competitiveness.

[12:45] Why One Size AI Doesn't Work in Underwriting The importance of domain specific AI models tailored to different specialty lines like aviation, marine, and crisis risk.

[16:30] The Evolution Toward Specialty Insurance How early lessons in data overload and usability led to a focus on simplifying underwriting in complex, underserved specialty markets.

[20:30] Reinventing the Company Around AI Andrew shares how Concirrus reset in 2023, leveraging AI at the right moment to rebuild with strong domain expertise.

[22:00] Why "AI Native" Is Becoming Meaningless A candid take on how AI is quickly becoming table stakes not a true differentiator.

[23:30] The Rise of "But For" Companies A powerful framework businesses that only exist because of AI and why they represent the next wave of innovation.

[27:15] The Idea of the One Person Insurance Company Exploring the possibility of a billion dollar MGA run by a single person supported by AI agents.

[29:30] New Insurance Products Enabled by AI How dynamic, adaptive policies could optimize coverage in real time based on customer behavior and context.

[33:10] A Golden Age for Insurance Innovation Why Andrew believes we are entering an unprecedented era of opportunity driven by AI and technological advancement.

[34:45] Can the Industry Keep Up? Why MGAs may lead innovation while carriers provide the balance sheet and how the ecosystem evolves together.

[36:00] The Role of Vendors in an AI World Why success comes from clearing the path for customers not pushing technology for its own sake.

[39:30] Global Risk, War, and Real Time Data How geopolitical events create cascading impacts across specialty insurance lines and why real time insight is critical.

[43:00] Final Thoughts The Future Is Already Changing A reflection on AI agents, automation, and how entrepreneurship itself is being redefined.

In Episode 304 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and Lee Boyd welcome back Kyle Nakatsuji for his third appearance on the show. Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Clearcover and the founder of Dearborn Labs, a new venture focused on helping insurance organizations turn AI from strategy into execution.

Kyle explains how Dearborn Labs helps carriers, MGAs, and agencies cut through AI noise, identify high impact use cases, and implement solutions that deliver real business results. Drawing on nearly a decade of deploying production AI, he shares practical insights from claims and operations, why execution and adoption matter most, and why waiting to act is becoming increasingly risky.

Kyle also shares a brief update on Clearcover as it enters its tenth year, including improved underwriting results, a return to growth, and the launch of Clearcover Access in Florida.

[03:05] Kyle Nakatsuji Returns for His Third Appearance Why this moment feels different for AI adoption across the insurance industry.

[05:10] Clearcover at Ten Years How a renewed focus on underwriting discipline and loss ratios set the stage for growth.

[07:40] Launching Clearcover Access in Florida Why flexible payments and predictable fees better reflect how policyholders manage money.

[10:25] The Origin of Dearborn Labs What Kyle saw in the market that led him to launch a firm focused on AI execution, not theory.

[13:10] Why Insurers Are Drowning in AI Noise How vendors, pilots, and strategy decks distract from real business impact.

[16:00] Discovery Before Deployment Why identifying the right problem to solve is the most important step in any AI initiative.

[18:55] AI Agents in Claims Operations How Clearcover uses AI to replace recorded statements and reduce claim cycle times by up to three days.

[22:30] Adoption Matters More Than Technology Lessons learned from rolling out AI tools inside a regulated insurance environment.

[26:00] Cross Functional Agent Based Workflows Why claims, underwriting, and operations must work together for AI to deliver value.

[30:15] Humans, Oversight, and Judgment in an AI Driven World What roles remain uniquely human as AI takes on more knowledge work.

[34:10] The Cost of Waiting Why delaying meaningful AI adoption is becoming riskier for insurers.

[37:45] What Comes Next for AI in Insurance Kyle's perspective on where agent based systems are heading and how insurers can prepare now.

In Episode 303 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, host Lee Boyd welcomes Phil McGriskin, Co-Founder and CEO of Vitesse, for a deep and timely discussion on one of the most complex, and often invisible, challenges in insurance: financial infrastructure behind claims payments.

Phil shares his journey from Australia to the heart of the Lloyd's insurance market, tracing a career that spans underwriting, brokerage, fintech entrepreneurship, and large scale payments innovation. With multiple successful ventures behind him, Phil brings a rare perspective to insurance, approaching long standing problems through the lens of payments, treasury, and operational control.

The conversation explores how Vitesse was built to solve the inefficiencies surrounding loss funds, delegated authority payments, and treasury visibility. Rather than focusing solely on speeding up payments, Phil explains why giving carriers real time insight, control, and transparency over capital is foundational to improving claims outcomes, reducing risk, and freeing trapped funds.

Lee and Phil also discuss what it took to deliver meaningful change inside the 300 year old Lloyd's ecosystem, how fintech principles must adapt to insurance regulation, and why modernizing financial infrastructure requires collaboration across carriers, TPAs, MGAs, and brokers.

The episode closes with Phil's pragmatic perspective on artificial intelligence within financial infrastructure, where AI can create real value today, and where human judgment and accountability must remain firmly in place.

[05:30] – Phil McGriskin's Early Career, Moving from Australia to the Lloyd's Market How Phil's early experience in underwriting and brokerage shaped his understanding of insurance complexity.

[09:15] – The Origins of Vitesse and Lessons from Building Global Payments Companies Why Phil returned to payments after exiting his first fintech business and what insurance was missing.

[13:40] – Why Loss Funds and Treasury Visibility Became the Core Problem to Solve How carriers unknowingly tied up millions in poorly reconciled delegated authority funds.

[18:55] – Modernizing Claims Payments Inside the Lloyd's Ecosystem What it took to deliver the Faster Claims Payment initiative across a 300 year old marketplace.

[21:45] – Scaling Fintech in a Highly Regulated Insurance Environment Balancing innovation, regulation, and the realities of legacy insurance operations.

[25:10] – Implementing Technology Across Carriers, TPAs, and MGAs Why successful transformation requires engaging every party in the insurance value chain.

[29:20] – Expanding into the U.S. Through Lloyd's Connectivity and Regulatory Licensing How Vitesse leveraged existing market relationships to establish a U.S. footprint.

[32:40] – Carriers, TPAs, and the Role of Tier One Banking Infrastructure Why treasury safety, regulation, and bank selection matter in insurance payments.

[36:30] – Phil McGriskin on Responsible AI in Financial Infrastructure Where AI adds value today in treasury optimization and operations, and why humans must retain control over payment authorization.

[40:15] – The Future of Financial Infrastructure in Insurance Why shared platforms, transparency, and trust will define the next phase of insurance innovation.

In this episode of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, Rob Beller sits down with a fascinating guest, Eran Tirer, to explore his entrepreneurial journey and the path that led him to found Ledgertech, a company focused on building technology that helps insurers launch and scale embedded insurance solutions within the global insurance ecosystem.

Eran shares lessons from decades of building enterprise software companies, including the story behind EasySource and its eventual acquisition by IBM. The conversation explores the realities of building technology for large enterprises, navigating legacy infrastructure, and identifying opportunities for innovation within complex industries.

A major focus of the discussion is the role of embedded insurance as both a distribution model and a catalyst for digital transformation. Eran explains how Ledgertech initially used embedded insurance as a strategic entry point into the market, helping insurers launch new digital products quickly while integrating with existing systems. From there, the company expanded its capabilities to support insurers looking to modernize their technology stack and participate in the evolving digital ecosystem.

[09:00] – How Early Military Leadership Shaped Eran Tirer's Entrepreneurial Journey

[16:00] – Founding EasySource and Solving the Legacy Systems Challenge

[19:00] – When Competing with IBM Turned into an Acquisition

[27:00] – Why Ledgertech Entered the Insurance Technology Market

[40:00] – How Ledgertech Uses Embedded Insurance to Accelerate Digital Transformation

We kickstart our 300+ episodes era with Bobby Touran, Co-Founder and CEO of Rainbow, as Rob Beller and Lee Boyd sit down with him to unpack how he built Rainbow, a technology-enabled MGA laser-focused on modernizing coverage for restaurants and other specialty commercial risks. Bobby walks through Rainbow's "inch-wide, mile-deep" philosophy, explaining why going all-in on a single vertical and owning the underwriting systems, technology, and distribution that support it creates a durable competitive advantage that generalist carriers simply can't replicate.

Key Highlights

• (07:35) How an accidental path through a fintech incubator led Bobby to co-found Path Point and eventually Rainbow

• (10:42) What Rainbow builds and why the agent channel is central to their loss ratio strategy

• (17:04) How Rainbow combines experienced underwriters with technology for a balanced approach to risk evaluation

• (19:44) Continuous underwriting explained and how Rainbow re-evaluates policies every single day

• (24:28) The core coverages most restaurants need and why some are harder to place than others

• (27:22) The real risk drivers in restaurant insurance including liquor liability and fire

• (30:11) How data pipelines continuously monitor operational changes to keep underwriting current

• (40:11) Expanding beyond restaurants into beauty and wellness using the same platform

Episode 300 is a milestone we never imagined when we hit record for the first time in 2018 at 470 Claims, which was acquired by Alacrity Solutions. Seven years later, Rob and Lee sit down to reflect on how FNO: InsureTech began, how it evolved, and what has surprised us most along the way.

In this special episode, we talk through the genesis of the podcast and how a simple idea turned into hundreds of conversations across insurance and insuretech. We reflect on the consistency, curiosity, and commitment it took to keep showing up week after week, and how the journey shaped us as hosts.

Key Highlights

• [3:19] The genesis of FNO: InsureTech and how the podcast started in 2018 • [9:03] The unexpected relationships and networking that grew from the show • [25:42] How insuretech conversations evolved from APIs to AI • [29:36] The industry shifts between 2018 and 2025 that quietly changed startup thinking • [31:09] Reflections on seven years of recording and the plans ahead We are grateful to everyone who has listened, shared, or joined us as a guest, and to our sponsor Alacrity Solutions for supporting us all these years. Cheers to the next 100!

In this episode of FNO: InsureTech, Rob Beller and Lee Boyd welcome Heather Wilson, CEO of CLARA Analytics, for an insightful conversation on how AI is transforming claims intelligence and reshaping the competitive landscape of insurance. Heather shares how CLARA Analytics has been doing 'AI before AI was cool' since 2012, building a platform that now processes millions of claims with 24/7 predictive analytics, and reflects on her own journey as a data science pioneer who has always been years ahead of industry trends.

The discussion explores CLARA's hybrid model that blends AI-driven insights with traditional adjuster expertise, the challenges of building trust in automated systems, and why the future competitive advantage in insurance won't be pricing. Heather offers candid perspectives on the "AI psychology" holding the industry back, the generational expectations that will force change, and why empathy and human judgment remain irreplaceable even as agents handle 80% of the work.

• [01:49] The founding thesis behind CLARA Analytics and what happens when AI models work while adjusters sleep.
• [05:16] Why CLARA was building AI solutions in 2012 when most people didn't even know what the technology meant.
• [06:51] A surprising analogy that explains why even the most experienced professionals still need AI in their workflow.
• [12:43] How CLARA measures and attributes financial impact to every action an adjuster takes based on AI recommendations.
• [18:25] Why building AI is faster than ever, but there's still one massive obstacle slowing everyone down.
• [21:44] Why the next competitive advantage in insurance isn't pricing, and what will actually determine who wins.
• [27:11] Heather's prediction for when agentic AI will fundamentally reshape the competitive landscape in insurance.
• [38:38] The mental barrier Heather calls "AI psychology" and why it's holding the insurance industry back from transformative change.
• [39:40] What Gen Alpha and Gen Z will say when they look at insurance, and why the industry is running out of time to respond.