FNO: InsureTech

On this episode of FNO: InsureTech, hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant welcome back Gina Reyes, VP & Head of Claims at Openly, for her second appearance on the podcast. Gina first joined FNO: InsureTech in 2023 on Episode 215, and returns to share how both the claims profession and claims technology landscape have evolved over the last few years.

Drawing on more than three decades of claims experience, Gina discusses her journey building Openly's claims organization from just a handful of team members into a department approaching 100 professionals. The conversation explores recruiting experienced talent, creating a startup culture within insurance, leveraging technology to empower adjusters, and maintaining strong governance as artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in claims operations.

Episode Highlights

[6:45] Welcome Back to FNO: InsureTech Gina Reyes returns to the podcast for her second appearance since Episode 215, reflecting on how the industry has evolved and what has changed at Openly in recent years.

[7:30] Building a Modern Claims Organization from Scratch Gina shares the story of scaling Openly's claims operation from just a few team members into a department approaching 100 professionals while maintaining service quality and agility.

[11:15] Hiring for Experience and Adaptability A look at why startup insurers need veteran claims talent, how Gina evaluates candidates, and the importance of curiosity, critical thinking, and flexibility in a fast-changing environment.

[16:45] Empowering Adjusters Through Technology The conversation explores how technology should enhance adjusters rather than replace them, allowing claims professionals to spend more time helping customers and making informed decisions.

[23:30] AI's Growing Role in Claims Operations Gina discusses how AI is improving efficiency, consistency, and productivity across claims workflows while creating new opportunities for claims organizations to scale intelligently.

[24:45] AI Governance, Guardrails, and Accountability Why human oversight remains essential, the risks of overreliance on AI, and how insurers can implement governance frameworks that support responsible AI adoption.

[26:30] Fighting Fraud with Data, Technology, and Expertise From weather intelligence and virtual inspections to fraud-detection tools and experienced adjusters, Gina explains how insurers are combating increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes.

[33:45] Connecting Claims Systems for Better Customer Experiences How integrated technologies, virtual inspections, content estimation tools, and automated workflows are helping create more seamless experiences for policyholders and adjusters alike.

[37:40] Leadership, Mentorship, and Women in Insurance Gina shares her passion for supporting women in insurance, discusses the growth of the Girls Give Back initiative, and explains the legacy she hopes to leave for the next generation of industry leaders

Episode Description

In Episode 317 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, host David Prejeant welcomes Shane Emmons, Founder and CEO of Swept AI, for a timely discussion on one of the most important conversations happening in insurance today: how organizations can embrace AI while maintaining security, governance, and control.

As AI adoption accelerates across underwriting, claims, and operations, Shane explains why insurers need to think beyond productivity gains and start addressing the risks that come with enterprise scale deployment. From shadow AI and data privacy concerns to workforce readiness and governance frameworks, this conversation explores what it takes to implement AI responsibly in a highly regulated industry.

The episode also examines how insurers are moving from experimentation to production, why AI literacy is becoming a critical skill, and how organizations can prepare for a future where humans and AI increasingly work side by side.

Key Highlights [02:45] Meet Shane Emmons and Swept AI

Shane introduces Swept AI and shares the company's mission to help organizations monitor, govern, and secure AI usage across the enterprise.

[04:30] From Curiosity to AI Leadership

A look at Shane's professional journey and how his background led him to focus on the growing challenges surrounding AI adoption and governance.

[06:45] Why AI Governance Matters Now

As organizations rush to adopt AI, Shane explains why governance can no longer be treated as an afterthought.

[09:00] What Is Shadow AI?

One of the episode's most important discussions explores the rise of employees using AI tools outside approved company systems and the risks that creates.

[12:30] The Hidden Risk of AI Adoption

Why many organizations may not fully understand where sensitive information is being shared or how AI tools are being used internally.

[15:15] Moving From Pilot to Production

The conversation shifts from experimentation to implementation and what insurers should expect as AI becomes embedded in everyday workflows.

[18:00] The Data Security Challenge

A discussion on protecting sensitive information while still enabling innovation and productivity.

[21:00] Who Owns the AI Decision?

As AI becomes more capable, Shane explains why accountability and decision ownership remain critical considerations for insurers.

[24:15] Creating Guardrails Without Slowing Innovation

How organizations can balance governance, security, and user adoption without creating unnecessary friction.

[27:30] Building an AI Ready Workforce

Why AI literacy is quickly becoming a foundational skill and how companies can prepare employees for the next phase of adoption.

[30:00] Compliance in an AI Driven World

How evolving regulations and industry expectations are influencing AI policies, oversight, and governance models.

[33:15] The Human Element of AI

Why successful AI deployments are often less about technology and more about change management, culture, and education.

[36:00] What Insurance Leaders Should Be Thinking About

Practical advice for executives navigating AI adoption while protecting customers, employees, and data.

[39:00] The Future of AI Governance

Shane shares his outlook on how AI security, monitoring, and governance will evolve over the next several years.

[42:00] Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with a discussion on responsible AI adoption and why insurers that embrace governance early may be best positioned to succeed.

Episode Description

In Episode 316 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, Dani Katz, Co-Founder and Director of Optalitix, joins David Prejeant for a discussion on one of insurance's most persistent technology challenges: spreadsheets. From underwriting and pricing to APIs, AI, reinsurance, and MGAs, Dani explains why so much of the industry's intellectual property is still trapped in Excel and what insurers can do about it.

Dani shares the story behind Optalitix, how the company discovered the "spreadsheet problem," and why digitization remains the critical first step before insurers can fully capitalize on AI. The conversation also explores the soft reinsurance market, MGA growth, and how modern underwriting organizations can improve governance, scalability, and decision making without rebuilding everything from scratch.

Key Highlights [03:00] The Story Behind the Optalitix Name

Dani explains how the company name originated from combining "optimization" and "analytics" and how that mission continues to guide the business today.

[04:00] Discovering the Spreadsheet Problem

While building software for insurers, Dani and his team uncovered a common challenge: critical underwriting and pricing knowledge trapped inside thousands of spreadsheets.

[05:30] From Consulting Firm to SaaS Company

Dani reflects on the moment Optalitix realized this wasn't just a services problem but a scalable product opportunity.

[07:30] Learning Insurance Through Technology

A discussion on the company's early days, cloud adoption in insurance, and how industry knowledge became one of Optalitix's biggest advantages.

[09:15] Why 87% of Underwriters Still Use Excel

David and Dani explore why spreadsheets remain deeply embedded in underwriting workflows and whether that represents a problem or an opportunity.

[12:00] Turning Spreadsheets Into APIs

Dani explains how Optalitix converts Excel models into scalable APIs and why that transformation unlocks governance, connectivity, and growth.

[13:00] Understanding Optalitix Models and Quote

A look at the company's two core products and how they help insurers modernize pricing without sacrificing existing underwriting expertise.

[15:30] Digitize First. Then Add AI

Why successful AI adoption starts with modernizing legacy workflows and making pricing data accessible through connected systems.

[17:45] The Most Unusual Underwriting Workflow

Dani shares a surprising client story involving an underwriting operation that operated without traditional pricing models.

[18:45] Reinsurance Market Explained

A practical walkthrough of what a soft market actually means and the forces currently shaping reinsurance pricing and capacity.

[22:00] Why Pricing Matters More in a Soft Market

As reinsurance capacity grows and rates decline, insurers need better visibility into risk accumulation and underwriting performance.

[24:00] Managing Risk Appetite in Real Time

How digitized pricing systems allow insurers and reinsurers to adjust strategies dynamically as portfolios evolve.

[25:20] Why 2026 Is the Year of the MGA

Dani explains why MGAs are thriving, how soft markets create growth opportunities, and why entrepreneurial insurance businesses are gaining momentum.

A discussion on how AI, entrepreneurship, and technology are creating new reasons for young professionals to consider careers in insurance.

[32:00] One Thing Every Underwriter Should Do Today

Dani shares a simple challenge: imagine what would happen if your most valuable spreadsheet became an API.

[33:15] Crossing Into Claims

Dani discusses how pricing and claims data intersect and where Optalitix already supports claims related workflows.

[35:00] AI's Future in Underwriting

Looking ahead six months, Dani shares why AI will increasingly become embedded within underwriting and pricing systems without replacing underwriters themselves.

[36:00] Final Thoughts

David closes the episode with a simple takeaway: before AI can transform insurance, the industry must first digitize the valuable data already sitting inside spreadsheets.

In Episode 315 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant welcome back Dave Tobias, Chief Product Officer at Nearmap, for his third appearance on the show. A familiar voice to longtime listeners, Dave reflects on his journey from insurance inspector to Betterview co-founder to product leader at one of the industry's most influential property intelligence companies.

The conversation explores how Nearmap's acquisitions of Betterview and ITEL have expanded the company's capabilities across underwriting, claims, catastrophe response, and property intelligence. Dave shares how these technologies are being combined to create new solutions that help insurers better understand risk, accelerate claims workflows, and improve customer experiences.

Rob and David also dive into the future of AI in insurance, the growing role of agentic workflows, and why the biggest challenge facing the industry may no longer be access to data, but getting the right data into the right workflow at the right time.

Key Highlights [08:15] Inside the Chief Product Officer Role

Dave discusses his transition from General Manager of Insurance to Chief Product Officer and what it means to lead product strategy across insurance, government, and commercial markets.

[10:00] Looking Back at the Betterview Acquisition

A reflection on Nearmap's acquisition of Betterview and how the original vision of combining imagery, analytics, and underwriting intelligence has played out in the market.

[14:00] Why ITEL Changes the Game

Dave explains how ITEL's material pricing and laboratory analysis capabilities complement Nearmap and Betterview, creating a unique property intelligence ecosystem.

[16:30] Building a Full Stack Insurance Data Platform

How combining imagery, measurements, AI insights, and claims intelligence unlocks new opportunities for insurers across underwriting and claims.

[18:00] The Real Challenge Isn't Technology

Why the biggest constraint isn't product innovation but changing workflows and helping insurers adopt new ways of working.

[19:00] Meeting Customers Where They Work

The importance of integrations with platforms like Guidewire and Xactimate, allowing insurers to access data without changing their everyday workflows.

[22:00] Claims Use Cases in Action

Dave walks through Nearmap's claims capabilities, from roof measurements and material matching to post catastrophe analysis and repair validation.

[23:00] First in the Air During Catastrophes

How Nearmap captured imagery during active wildfire events and provides insurers with real time insights before many response teams arrive on scene.

[24:30] Why Nearmap Still Flies Aircraft

A look inside Nearmap's proprietary camera technology and why manned aircraft remain critical for capturing high resolution imagery at scale.

[28:00] The Balance Between Innovation and Regulation

Dave discusses growing regulatory scrutiny around aerial imagery, data quality, and how insurers use property intelligence in underwriting decisions.

[32:00] AI Is Not New at Nearmap

While many companies are just beginning their AI journeys, Nearmap has been applying computer vision and machine learning to property imagery for more than a decade. [

[34:00] Unlocking 130 Property Intelligence Signals

How advances in AI and large language models are helping customers make better use of hundreds of property level data points.

[36:00] Using AI to Connect Data and Business Problems

Dave explains how AI can map underwriting guidelines and claims workflows to available data, uncovering connections that humans may miss.

[38:00] The Rise of Agentic Claims Workflows

A look at how AI powered FNOL experiences could automatically combine claims information with real time property intelligence to improve outcomes and reduce friction.

[40:00] The Technology Is Finally Catching Up

Why Dave believes today's AI advancements feel similar to the early days of the internet and what that means for insurance innovation.

[41:30] An FNO Exclusive

Dave shares a little known fact about his background and reveals that he is also a licensed private investigator.

[44:00] Final Thoughts on the Nearmap Journey

Rob and David reflect on Dave's evolution from startup founder to product executive and what Nearmap's expanding platform means for the future of insurance.

In Episode 314 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant welcome back Stan Smith, Founder & CEO of Gradient AI, for his second appearance on the podcast. It's been more than six years since Stan first joined FNO in Episode 49 back in 2019, when the industry was still talking about machine learning long before AI became today's biggest technology story.

Stan shares how Gradient AI evolved from its machine learning roots into one of the insurance industry's most established AI-native companies, helping insurers make better decisions across underwriting, claims, and healthcare. Along the way, he reflects on how AI has changed, what remains misunderstood, and why the industry's biggest challenge may no longer be technology, but adoption.

The conversation explores AI-driven decision support, data advantages, human oversight, healthcare expansion, and why speed is quickly becoming one of the most important competitive advantages in insurance. Stan also shares lessons learned from building Gradient AI, how the company leverages one of the industry's largest proprietary data sets, and where he sees AI heading next.

Key Highlights [04:00] Welcome Back, Stan Smith

Stan returns to the podcast for the first time since his appearance in Episode 49, reflecting on how much has changed in insurance and AI over the last six years.

[05:00] The Origins of Machine Learning

Stan shares the story of his early experience with machine learning, long before AI became a mainstream business discussion.

[06:00] From Machine Learning to Modern AI

A look at how AI capabilities have evolved over the last decade and why today's models can solve problems that were previously out of reach.

[07:00] Understanding Workers' Compensation Through Data

Stan explains how temporal data transformed the ability to understand and predict claim outcomes in workers' comp.

[09:00] From Prediction to Action

Why AI's biggest breakthrough isn't simply predicting outcomes, but helping users understand what actions to take next.

[11:00] How LLMs Changed the Game

Stan discusses how large language models helped bridge the gap between technical predictions and real-world business decisions.

[13:00] Bringing AI Into Underwriting

How AI is helping underwriters better understand risk, explain decisions, and communicate more effectively with brokers and customers.

[15:00] Building a Data Advantage

The story behind Gradient AI's massive proprietary data assets and why data continues to be a key competitive differentiator.

[17:00] Why the Company Is Called Gradient AI

Stan shares the surprisingly simple story behind the company name and why it ended up being the perfect fit.

[18:00] The Right to Win

Stan explains Gradient AI's philosophy of helping customers gain a competitive advantage through better decision-making.

[19:00] What Insurance Still Gets Wrong About AI

A discussion about industry fears, adoption challenges, and why falling behind may now be a bigger risk than moving too quickly.

[20:00] When Speed Becomes a Competitive Edge

Why faster decision-making, better risk selection, and quicker market response are becoming critical advantages for insurers.

[22:00] Beyond Workflow Automation

Stan explains why Gradient AI focuses on improving decisions rather than simply automating tasks.

[23:00] The Power of Renewal Analytics

How insurers can learn from their existing books of business and use AI to improve future underwriting performance.

[24:00] The Data Flywheel Effect

Why contributing data creates value for insurers and strengthens predictive performance over time.

[26:00] Technology Isn't Enough

Stan argues that change management, leadership, and execution often have a bigger impact than the technology itself.

[28:00] Expanding From Workers' Comp to Healthcare

How customer demand led Gradient AI into healthcare and why the opportunity continues to grow.

[31:00] The Future of Healthcare Risk

A discussion on self-funded plans, level-funded programs, and the changing economics of healthcare insurance.

[33:00] How Accurate Are AI Models?

Stan discusses model performance, hallucinations, human oversight, and why AI continues to improve over time.

[36:00] The Human in the Loop

Why AI works best when combined with human judgment and how underwriters can focus on the decisions that matter most.

[37:00] What AI Looks Like Six Months From Now

Stan shares his perspective on the accelerating pace of AI innovation and how companies can prepare for what's next.

[39:00] Final Thoughts

Rob and David reflect on Stan's journey, Gradient AI's growth, and how quickly the AI landscape continues to evolve.

In Episode 313 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant sit down with Alex Schmelkin, Founder and CEO of Sixfold, for a fascinating conversation about AI, underwriting, and one of the fastest-growing areas in insurance technology today. Alex Schmelkin shares how a pre-ChatGPT idea evolved into an AI-native company focused exclusively on helping insurers improve underwriting outcomes through the use of AI-powered underwriting colleagues.

The discussion explores the evolution of AI in underwriting, what insurers are learning from AI-assisted decision-making, and why underwriting may be one of the most compelling use cases for generative AI. Along the way, Alex shares his entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned from prior startups, and his vision for how underwriters and AI will work together in the future.

Whether you're an underwriter, insurance executive, InsureTech founder, or simply curious about how AI is changing insurance, this episode delivers valuable insights from someone building at the forefront of the industry. Key Highlights

[04:00] Meet Sixfold

Alex Schmelkin explains how Sixfold is building AI underwriters designed to help insurers make underwriting operations faster, more accurate, and more profitable.

[05:00] The Origin Story

Why the summer of 2022 became the starting point for Sixfold and how experimenting with large language models eventually led Alex back to underwriting.

[08:00] Building an AI Company Before the AI Boom

The unique timing of launching an AI startup just before ChatGPT introduced generative AI to the mainstream.

[09:00] Why Focus Matters

Alex shares why Sixfold resisted the temptation to tackle all of insurance and instead focused exclusively on underwriting.

[10:00] Measuring Success

How insurers evaluate AI underwriting performance and the metrics that matter most when proving ROI.

[13:00] What AI Does Better Than Humans

A discussion about where AI excels, where humans still have the advantage, and why underwriting remains a partnership between both.

[15:00] The Evolution of Underwriter Attitudes Toward AI

How industry conversations have shifted from fear of replacement to collaboration and augmentation.

[17:00] Making Underwriting Fun Again

Why Alex believes underwriters should spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time making decisions that create value.

[19:00] Alex's Journey Into Insurance

From e-commerce and banking to InsureTech and underwriting, Alex shares the path that led him into the insurance industry.

[23:00] What Makes an Underwriting Portfolio Successful?

How Sixfold is helping insurers better understand the risks they write and why some portfolios consistently outperform others.

[26:00] From AI Assistant to AI Underwriter

How Sixfold's technology evolved from helping underwriters gather information to supporting end-to-end underwriting workflows.

[28:00] Where Automated Underwriting Creates Scale

A discussion on the types of insurance risks that are particularly well suited for AI-powered underwriting.

[30:00] The Future Role of the Human Underwriter

Alex shares his vision for how underwriting professionals may evolve as AI becomes more deeply embedded into underwriting operations.

[32:00] Building the Underwriting Cockpit of the Future

Why the future interface between underwriters and AI may look very different from today's underwriting systems.

[35:00] Looking Beyond Underwriting

How Sixfold is beginning to explore adjacent opportunities where AI-driven risk analysis can create value.

[38:00] The Story Behind the Name Sixfold

Alex shares the surprisingly personal inspiration behind the company's name.

[40:00] Why Insurance Matters

One of the episode's most thought-provoking moments as Alex explains the critical role insurance plays in enabling economic activity around the world.

[43:00] Running an AI-Native Company

What makes operating an AI-native business different from building traditional software companies and why adaptability is critical in today's AI landscape.

[46:00] Final Thoughts

Rob and David reflect on the conversation, the future of AI underwriting, and why this is one of the most exciting periods in insurance technology.

In Episode 312 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant sit down with David Wald, President and Co-Founder of Aclaimant, for an in-depth conversation about risk management, RMIS technology, AI, and the future of RiskTech.

David explains how Aclaimant is helping organizations centralize risk data, manage workers' compensation and claims, improve safety, and uncover insights that help businesses become more proactive rather than reactive.

The conversation explores the evolving role of risk managers, the growing importance of predictive analytics, and how AI is helping risk teams move faster and make better decisions in an increasingly complex business environment.

David also shares the founder story behind Aclaimant, his journey into InsureTech through the venture capital world, and why risk management is becoming an increasingly important strategic function for organizations of all sizes.

Key Highlights [06:00] What Is Aclaimant?

David introduces Aclaimant and explains how the company helps organizations manage claims, safety, compliance, exposures, assets, and risk through a modern RMIS platform.

[08:00] Why Risk Management Matters

An overview of how risk management evolves as organizations scale and why businesses eventually need dedicated tools and teams to manage growing exposures and costs.

[10:00] Turning Risk Data Into Action

David explains how risk managers use data to understand exposures, monitor incidents, identify trends, and create safer business environments.

[13:00] Finding Problems Before They Grow

How technology helps organizations identify patterns, uncover hidden risks, and address issues before they become larger and more costly problems.

[16:00] AI, Automation, and Speed

A look at how Aclaimant is leveraging AI, predictive modeling, and automation to accelerate workflows, improve data quality, and deliver insights faster.

[18:00] Real Customer Wins

David shares examples of how better visibility into risk data helped customers uncover costly inefficiencies and improve operational outcomes.

[20:00] Integrations, Data, and Prediction

Why RMIS platforms depend on integrating data from multiple systems and how predictive insights help organizations better understand future risk.

[23:00] The Workers' Comp Connection

David discusses why workers' compensation remains one of the biggest drivers of risk management complexity and opportunity.

[25:00] The Origin Story of Aclaimant

The story behind Aclaimant's founding, from a simple idea to modernize incident reporting to a growing RiskTech platform.

[26:00] From Venture Capital to InsureTech

David shares how his experience in venture capital and exposure to early InsureTech innovators like Snapsheet helped shape his path into insurance.

[29:00] Leadership, Growth, and Kathy Burns

A discussion about leadership evolution, scaling a company, and the decision to bring industry veteran Kathy Burns into Aclaimant's executive team.

[31:00] AI's Impact on the Business

How AI has helped Aclaimant focus on innovation, product development, and improving customer outcomes while creating new operational efficiencies.

[34:00] The Future of Risk Technology

David shares his perspective on increasing uncertainty, accelerating change, and why risk management will become even more important in the years ahead.

[40:00] Final Thoughts

Rob and David reflect on the evolving role of RiskTech, the importance of RMIS, and why risk management may be one of the most critical functions in modern business.

In Episode 311 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Lee Boyd and David Prejeant sit down with Wayne Slavin, CEO and Co-founder of Sure, for a conversation that spans embedded insurance, AI, digital distribution, and the future of insurance innovation. What begins with a story about turbulence on a flight quickly evolves into a fascinating discussion about how insurance can become a seamless part of everyday consumer experiences.

Founded in 2015, Sure has built an AI-enabled platform that helps some of the world's largest carriers and consumer brands launch and operate fully digital insurance programs. Today, companies like Toyota, Zillow, and Mastercard leverage the platform to integrate insurance directly into their customer experiences.

Wayne shares his journey from Silicon Valley product development and e-commerce innovation into insurance, explaining how his early experience building consumer technology shaped his belief that insurance should be as easy to access as any other digital transaction.

The conversation also explores Wayne's long-standing interest in AI, dating back more than 16 years, his perspective on where AI creates the most value in insurance, and why the industry's biggest challenge may not be technology at all, but change management.

Whether you're interested in embedded insurance, digital transformation, AI, or simply hearing the founder story behind one of InsureTech's most recognized platforms, this episode delivers valuable insights and bold predictions about where the industry is headed next.

Key Highlights [06:00] Meet Wayne Slavin and Sure

Wayne introduces Sure and explains how the company helps carriers and consumer brands launch fully digital insurance programs through a single end-to-end platform.

[08:00] The Visa of Insurance

Wayne explains Sure's role as a technology platform, connecting carriers, brands, and consumers without acting as the insurer itself.

[10:00] Why Insurance Needs an End-to-End Ecosystem

A discussion on the fragmented nature of insurance technology and why Sure chose to build a unified platform rather than another point solution.

[12:00] The Turbulent Flight That Started It All

Wayne shares the origin story behind Sure and how a turbulent flight sparked the idea of making insurance available at the exact moment consumers need it.

[17:00] Making Insurance Invisible

Why Wayne believes insurance should become a natural part of other consumer transactions rather than a separate buying experience.

[18:00] Embedded Insurance and the Next Distribution Frontier

How brands can integrate insurance directly into customer journeys and why Sure focuses on meeting consumers where they already are.

[20:00] AI Before It Was Cool

Wayne reflects on researching human-in-the-loop AI at Columbia more than 16 years ago and why today's AI revolution is a moment he has anticipated for years.

[22:00] Where AI Delivers Real Value

A practical discussion on why AI is creating the biggest gains in speed to market, customer service, claims support, and operational efficiency.

[24:00] Going Live in Days, Not Months

How Sure is leveraging AI and automation to dramatically reduce implementation timelines and operational complexity.

[26:00] Learning the Insurance Business

Wayne shares how curiosity, study, and starting with simple insurance products helped him navigate an industry he originally knew nothing about.

[30:00] AI Adoption Is a Leadership Challenge

Why some insurers are embracing AI while others remain hesitant, and how leadership mindset often determines success.

[32:00] The Real Bottleneck: Change Management

Wayne argues that technology is no longer the limiting factor. The bigger challenge is changing inherited processes and organizational behavior.

[34:00] The Future of Direct-to-Consumer Insurance

A discussion on changing consumer expectations, digital buying experiences, and why convenience matters more than ever.

[39:00] From South Africa to Silicon Valley

Wayne reflects on his personal journey, his family's move to the United States, and how those experiences helped shape his entrepreneurial path.

[40:00] What's Next for Sure

Wayne shares his vision for the future, including making it even easier for large brands to launch insurance businesses with minimal friction.

[42:00] Final Thoughts

Lee and David reflect on Wayne's unique founder story, deep technology background, and the future opportunities ahead for Sure and embedded insurance.

In Episode 310 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, co-host David Prejeant sits down with Kat Gordienko, Co-founder and CEO of Builty, to explore one of the most overlooked and underutilized data sources in insurance: building permits. What began as a personal home improvement project during the pandemic ultimately sparked the creation of a company focused on transforming fragmented permit records into actionable intelligence for insurers.

Kat shares her journey from analyzing streaming data at Netflix to tackling the complex world of permit data, where information is scattered across more than 20,000 jurisdictions, filled with inconsistencies, abbreviations, and unstructured records. She explains how Builty uses AI and proprietary data models to normalize this information and turn it into meaningful risk insights for underwriting, claims, and property intelligence.

The conversation explores how permit data can reveal information that traditional property data sources often miss, including electrical upgrades, plumbing improvements, fire protection systems, and commercial property modifications. Kat also discusses how Builty is working with insurers, leveraging NVIDIA's Inception program, and uncovering new ways permit data can help carriers better understand future risks before they appear in claims history.

Along the way, David and Kat dive into some of the most unusual building permits ever filed, including catios, residential helipads, falconries, and fur storage facilities, proving that permit data can be both insightful and entertaining.

Key Highlights [07:00] Meet Kat Gordienko and Builty

Kat shares her background in data analytics at Netflix and explains how building an ADU project during the pandemic led her to discover the untapped value hidden inside building permit records.

[09:00] The Discovery That Started It All

After completing a major property improvement project, Kat realized her insurance coverage had not automatically reflected the changes, revealing a gap that ultimately inspired Builty.

[11:00] Why Permit Data Is So Difficult

A deep dive into the challenges of working with permit records across thousands of jurisdictions, each with different formats, terminology, and standards.

[12:00] Teaching AI to Understand Permits

Kat explains why off the shelf AI models struggle with permit data and how Builty built specialized systems capable of understanding permit specific language and context.

[14:00] Learning Insurance from Scratch

How Kat and her co-founder immersed themselves in the insurance ecosystem through carrier conversations, customer feedback, and industry accelerator programs.

[15:00] Turning Data Into Risk Scores

Why clean data is only the starting point and how Builty transforms permit records into practical risk scores for insurers.

[16:00] Unexpected Commercial Insurance Applications

How insurers are using permit data to uncover insights about commercial properties, fire protection systems, and other hidden characteristics.

[17:00] The Fire Protection Data Gap

Why information about sprinklers, fire doors, and other mitigation systems is often difficult to find and how permit records help close that gap.

[18:00] Looking Beyond Aerial Imagery

While aerial imagery can assess roofs and exterior conditions, permit data reveals what's happening inside a property's electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems.

[19:00] Building AI Before the AI Boom

Kat discusses Builty's early investment in custom language models and how recent advances in AI have accelerated their ability to process permit data at scale.

[22:00] The Wildest Permits Ever Filed

From catios and private helipads to falconries and fur storage facilities, Kat shares some of the most memorable permits her team has uncovered.

[24:00] What Underwriters Might Be Missing

How permit data can reveal commercial kitchens, specialty structures, and other risk factors that may not appear in underwriting applications.

[26:00] Accelerating With NVIDIA

Kat explains how participation in NVIDIA's Inception program is helping Builty improve speed, efficiency, and scalability across its AI models.

[28:00] Expanding Across Insurance

A look at Builty's growing carrier relationships and the potential applications of permit intelligence across underwriting, claims, and reinsurance.

[29:00] Predicting Tomorrow's Risks Today

Kat shares research exploring whether homes located near data centers experience increased HVAC replacement rates, highlighting the predictive potential of permit data. [

[32:00] The Future of Property Intelligence

Why Kat believes permit data should become a standard component of insurance and real estate decision making, helping identify risks before losses occur.

[35:00] Advice for InsurTech Founders

Kat shares lessons learned from building Builty, including the importance of finding one meaningful problem, proving value quickly, and earning trust inside the insurance industry.

[36:00] Go Narrow, Then Go Deep

The story of Builty's evolution from an ADU marketplace concept into a permit intelligence platform, and why narrowing the focus ultimately created a bigger opportunity.

In Episode 309 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Rob Beller and David Prejeant welcome Chris Touchton, Chief Insurance Officer at Nearmap, for a deep dive into the evolving world of property intelligence, claims technology, and AI driven insurance innovation. Chris shares how Nearmap has transformed from an aerial imagery provider into a comprehensive property intelligence platform through strategic acquisitions and a relentless focus on data.

The conversation explores Nearmap's journey from aerial imagery to AI powered property insights through the acquisition of Betterview, and later into claims through the acquisition of ITEL in May 2025. Chris explains how combining property intelligence, building material data, and advanced analytics creates a more complete picture of risk before and after a loss.

The discussion also examines the growing convergence of underwriting and claims, the importance of trusted third party data, and how AI, integrations, and ecosystem partnerships are helping insurers improve accuracy, consistency, and customer outcomes across the insurance lifecycle.

Key Highlights [05:00] Meet Chris Touchton and Nearmap

Chris joins the podcast from Jacksonville, Florida and shares his role as Chief Insurance Officer at Nearmap following the integration of ITEL into the organization.

[06:00] Nearmap's Evolution into Property Intelligence

Chris explains how Nearmap evolved from an aerial imagery company into a property intelligence platform serving underwriting, claims, government, and commercial markets.

[08:00] Betterview and the AI Layer

A look at how Nearmap's acquisition of Betterview added AI powered decision intelligence, helping underwriters identify and assess property risks more efficiently.

[09:30] Why Nearmap Acquired ITEL

Chris unpacks the strategic reasoning behind Nearmap's acquisition of ITEL and how the combined data sets create a more complete view of a property from both the outside and the inside.

[12:00] ITEL's Transformation from Samples to Data

The evolution of ITEL from a mail in building material identification service to a technology enabled data platform supporting claims at scale.

[14:00] The Power of Property Intelligence

How combining aerial imagery, material identification, claims history, and geographic data can improve underwriting decisions and accelerate claims outcomes.

[16:00] COVID and the Claims Technology Boom

Chris reflects on how the pandemic accelerated innovation, digital adoption, and openness to new technologies across insurance claims operations.

[18:00] Can Data Improve Claims Consistency?

A discussion on the ongoing balance between speed and accuracy in claims and how trusted data sources can help insurers improve both.

[20:00] Becoming the Industry's Independent Source of Truth

Why Nearmap and ITEL position themselves as objective third parties focused on defensible outcomes rather than influencing claim results.

[23:30] Bridging the Gap Between Underwriting and Claims

Chris discusses the industry's long standing challenge of connecting underwriting and claims data and why AI is creating new opportunities to finally close the gap.

[26:00] Taking the Combined Vision to Market

How Nearmap is helping carriers understand the value of a unified property intelligence strategy that spans the entire insurance lifecycle.

[29:00] Competing in a Crowded AI Landscape

Chris shares his perspective on the explosion of insurtech vendors and why trusted relationships, innovation, and strategic acquisitions will continue to shape the market.

[34:00] Building a Connected Insurance Ecosystem

Why partnerships, integrations, and data sharing are becoming critical to delivering better outcomes for carriers, contractors, adjusters, and policyholders.

[37:00] Getting Data to the Right Place at the Right Time

A look at the future of integrations, desk adjusting, workflow flexibility, and serving insurers where they already work.

[39:00] AI and the Future of Material Identification

How Nearmap and ITEL are leveraging AI to improve efficiency while maintaining expert human oversight in building material identification.

[41:00] The Person with the Data Wins

The episode concludes with a discussion about the strategic value of proprietary data and why comprehensive property intelligence may become one of insurance's strongest competitive advantages.

Top Takeaways

✅ Nearmap's acquisitions of Betterview and ITEL represent a broader strategy to become a comprehensive property intelligence platform.

✅ Connecting underwriting and claims data remains one of the biggest opportunities in insurance.

✅ Trust, objectivity, and consistency are becoming increasingly important as AI becomes embedded in insurance workflows.

✅ The future of insurance will be driven by intelligent data ecosystems, strong partnerships, and integrated workflows rather than standalone tools.

✅ In a world increasingly shaped by AI, data continues to be one of the industry's most valuable assets.