In this milestone edition of Partners Chat, Robin and Matthew sit down for their first episode since InsTech's transition to new ownership. With nearly 11 years of leadership behind them, they reflect candidly on founding and growing the business, navigating a sales process and what lies ahead under Datos Insights.

Listeners will get rare insights into what it actually takes to sell a company: what they learned, what caught them off guard and how it’s changed their understanding of fundraising and Private Equity partnerships. This episode offers honest takeaways for any founders or leaders thinking ahead to their own exit.

Robin and Matthew also tackle one of the most polarising trends in insurance tech today: Agentic AI. Is it a game-changer or just another label? They unpack how it's being adopted (quietly or loudly) across insurers, and why some businesses are embracing it at full throttle while others remain unconvinced.

They also share what they’ve seen in the climate and catastrophe modelling space, where collaboration, innovation and data openness continue to drive real value and how this might foreshadow the future of AI in insurance.

Key themes discussed include:

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens or Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 365 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

If you want a masterclass in how to build a business, sell it well and stay hungry for the next idea, listen to Bob Frady.

In this episode, Matthew Grant catches up with Bob, CEO and Co-founder of PropertyLens and former CEO and founder of Hazard Hub, to hear what he’s learned across three startups, why he’s building again post-exit and how he’s turning deep domain expertise into tools that actually help people.

From fire hydrants to flood risk, Bob has spent years translating messy, hyperlocal data into decisions insurers and now homebuyers can use. But this conversation goes far beyond data: it's about strategy, equity, product‑market fit and the value of knowing when to walk away from the wrong deal.

In this episode Bob shares:

This one’s for founders, data practitioners and anyone who enjoys a candid, experience-rich look at what it takes to build a business that lasts.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Bob Frady or Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 367 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

Insurers have had fair warning: the hard market is softening, and those still relying on legacy tech may soon feel the chill. So what does it take to stay competitive as conditions turn?

In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined once again by Dani Katz, Co-founder and Director of Optalitix, for a sharp analysis of what’s changed since their last conversation and why now really is the time to fix the roof.

Dani brings a clear message: the winners in this market cycle will be those with disciplined pricing, strong data infrastructure and the ability to move fast. And while AI is starting to play a role, it's the fundamentals (clean data, integrated platforms, empowered underwriters) that remain essential.

In this conversation, Dani shares insights on:

They also touch on industry psychology: the lingering suspicion of new tech, the cultural lag behind modern tooling and why many firms still struggle to turn innovation into impact.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens on LinkedIn. You can also contact Dani Katz on LinkedIn to start a conversation!

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 366 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

At its best, parametric insurance delivers clarity when volatility strikes. But scaling that promise takes more than models: it takes real claims data, market feedback and the ability to solve for both reinsurers’ confidence and cedents’ earnings risk.

In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks with Matt Coleman, Chief Risk Officer at The Demex Group, a reinsurance MGA using a new modelled loss index to reshape how the market covers severe convective storms, one of the fastest-growing sources of weather-driven loss.

Our conversation picks up where our previous webinar left off, and explores how Demex has grown distribution, secured broker support and validated its approach in a live risk environment.

In this conversation Matt touches on:

Along the way, Matthew and Matt talk about why carriers are willing to share granular claims data when the product is strong enough and why early validation matters in parametric.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matt Coleman or Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 365 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

What does it take to rebuild after disaster as a business leader, a homeowner and a policyholder?

Garret Gray has spent his career trying to improve how insurers and property owners respond to damage. As President of Insurance Solutions at Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) and founder of Next Gear Solutions, he’s been at the centre of building tools for claims, risk assessment and recovery.

But this year, the conversation became personal. A wildfire tore through Garret’s neighbourhood in California, forcing an emergency evacuation and leaving his home heavily damaged. That experience has shaped the way he thinks about risk, resilience and the urgency of modernising the systems we rely on.

In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks with Garret about what he’s learning, not just from running a technology platform, but from living through the very risks his business is built to address.

Garret reflects on:

He also shares what it takes to keep innovation alive inside a larger company and why so many of the original founders of acquired businesses are still working alongside him today.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Garret Gray or Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 364 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

Why has claims innovation taken off in personal lines, but still lags behind in specialty?

It’s a question that many in the market have asked and in this episode, a panel of senior experts set out to answer it.

Hosted by Andrew Pedler, Vice President at Reserv, this special discussion brings together three experienced voices from across the claims and consulting landscape: Chris Payne (Partner, EY), Andy Stevenson (Consultant Director, PwC), and Patrick Hayward (Claims Lead, Altus Consulting).

Together, they examine why some of the biggest efficiency gains in motor and home claims haven’t yet translated into specialty and what needs to change to unlock that value.

In this conversation, the panel explores:

The panel’s insight is clear: meaningful claims transformation in specialty is less about chasing point solutions and more about rethinking the role of claims within the wider enterprise from managing portfolios to improving capital efficiency.

Whether you're trying to improve claims operations, justify technology investment, or just understand what’s actually happening in the market, this is an honest and thought-provoking discussion with people who know the space inside out.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 363 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

What does it take to build an MGA that not only launches but lasts?

Tim Quayle has spent the past decade answering that question, not in theory, but in practice. As CEO of OneAdvent, a London-based MGA incubator and service platform, he’s helped launch and scale more than 15 underwriting businesses and seen plenty more that didn’t make it.

In this episode, Matthew Grant speaks to Tim about the real ingredients of MGA success. Not the glossy pitch-deck version, but the messy, pragmatic reality: why experience matters, what investors are really looking for, and how the market has matured in the last ten years since the “InsurTech” label first emerged.

In this conversation, Tim shares:

We also explore broader themes: the shifting dynamics between MGAs and capacity providers, the evolution of embedded insurance, and why many promising innovations still struggle to gain traction in such a regulated, relationship-driven industry.

You can join Tim Quayle in person at our upcoming MGA Half Day event on July 15th. Tim will be moderating a panel on the key ingredients for a winning MGA, alongside Adam Kembrooke, Founder and Managing Director, Amiga Specialty, Jacqui Ferrier, CEO, Carbon Underwriting and Tomos Ashfield, Chief Development Officer, The Ardonagh Group. 

With only a few tickets left, sign up now to be able to join us for what is shaping up to be the biggest UK gathering focused entirely on the delegated authority market this year.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 362 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

Enhanced underwriting has become one of the most talked-about shifts in the London Market, but it’s also one of the least clearly defined.

In this episode, we share a live panel discussion from our Enhanced Underwriting event, featuring:

The conversation begins with a basic question what exactly are “portfolio solutions”? and opens up into a broader exploration of how insurers are adapting to new forms of delegated authority, rising data expectations and the growing influence of broker-led facilities.

Our speakers touched on:

What comes through clearly is that many of the most innovative teams are thinking beyond product and pricing and focusing instead on how underwriting structures, controls and data flows can support long-term performance.

If you want a clearer view of how underwriting is evolving beneath the surface and how leaders across the market are responding this episode offers a window into the practical realities behind the strategy.

You can also read our event write-up: “Enhanced Underwriting: How the London Market is Turning Theory into Practice”.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn. 

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 361 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

At its core, insurance underwriting is about judgment: making sense of messy information, pricing for uncertainty and doing it at speed. Technology and AI should make that easier, but is it really the answer to underwriting’s most persistent challenges?

In this episode, Robin Merttens speaks to Guillaume Bonnissent, CEO and founder of Quotech, a platform built specifically for underwriting teams.

Guillaume brings a rare combination of perspectives: he’s a former underwriter who became a technologist and his company reflects that crossover. We begin by reflecting on the past 12 months: what’s changed since Guillaume was last on the podcast, and why Quotech’s strategy of building for niche underwriting teams has started to gain serious traction.

In this conversation, Guillaume talks about:

We also dig into broader trends: how emerging tech is shifting the role of underwriters, whether AI really is a disruptor or just another tool and why so many companies are still struggling to make basic data available for decision-making.

What emerges is a sharp portrait of a market in transition, one that’s slowly waking up to the need for class-specific tools, data-first workflows and AI that’s genuinely useful.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens on LinkedIn. You can also contact Guillaume Bonnissent on LinkedIn to start a conversation!

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 360 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.

At its best, insurance is about clarity in uncertain times. Pricing that reflects reality. Promises that hold up when things go wrong. 

In this episode, I speak with Todd Rissel, CEO and co-founder of e2Value, an independent company that has spent the last 25 years helping insurers and homeowners understand the real cost of rebuilding property, and the wider economic forces shaping those numbers.

Todd brings both practical insight and long-term perspective. Our conversation begins with a simple observation: 2024 was a rare profitable year for home insurance in Florida. But Todd quickly places that in context, explaining why a single good year doesn’t undo a decade of structural challenges and why insurers need to think in five-year cycles, not one.

In this conversation Todd touches on:

Along the way, we talk about barnominiums, regulatory experiments in Louisiana and the difference between forward-looking valuation and backward-looking pricing.

Todd’s perspective is shaped not just by data, but by experience. He’s someone who believes in the purpose of insurance, but also understands the commercial pressures it faces. And he makes a compelling case that good data, applied thoughtfully, is still the foundation for everything this industry does well.

If you’re interested in where insurance pricing, risk and property data are heading next - or just want to hear from someone who’s spent decades building quietly essential infrastructure, this is a conversation worth your time.

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Matthew Grant on LinkedIn.

Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.

Continuing Professional Development

This InsTech Podcast Episode is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). By listening, you can claim up to 0.5 hours towards your CPD scheme.

By the end of this podcast, you should be able to meet the following Learning Objectives:

If your organisation is a member of InsTech and you would like to receive a quarterly summary of the CPD hours you have earned, visit the Episode 359 page of the InsTech website or email [email protected] to let us know you have listened to this podcast.

To help us measure the impact of the learning, we would be grateful if you would take a minute to complete a quick feedback survey.