Podcast
Reinventing Finance
Hosted by Nikolaus Sühr and Ronald Engel · EN
Reinventing Finance is a Podcast hosted by Nikolaus Sühr, CEO and Co-Founder of KASKO and Ronald Engel, CEO of VIG Platform Partners. This Podcast is for anyone who is interested in the current developments of the Insurtech, Insurance, Fintech and Finance market. Thought-provoking, entertaining and critical. Join us as we discover what some of the current industry leaders and decision makers are doing, the lessons they have learned, the main challenges and opportunities they identify, and how they see the current status of the Insurance and Finance industry.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How Warranty & Indemnity Insurance Is Transforming M&A - Jefferey Doran CEO Talos | Eps.63 - The Reinventing Finance Podcast
Oct 1000:59:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr and VIG Platform Partners CEO Dr Ronald Engel speak with Jeff Doran, Co-Founder of Talos, an MGA specialising in transactional risk insurance. Doran discusses the evolution of the warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance market and how technology is shaping its next phase.Key topics discussed include:➡️Origins of Talos: Founding story, mission, and growth as a tech-enabled multiline MGA.➡️Role of W&I Insurance: Supporting clean exits in M&A by reducing friction between buyers and sellers.➡️Market Awareness: Limited understanding remains a barrier; brokers play a role in expanding reach.➡️Buyer vs Seller Policies: Most W&I placements occur on the buy side to cover unknown risks.➡️Regional Comparison: Europe shows ~15% market penetration, with scope to expand into smaller M&A deals.➡️Claims Insights: High-severity claims linked to revenue and contract breaches; frequency varies by sector.➡️Underwriting Dynamics: W&I affects negotiation behaviour and the disclosure process in transactions.➡️Broker Collaboration: Brokers remain central to structuring policies and scaling distribution efficiently.➡️Technology in Underwriting: AI and data-driven platforms enhance speed, consistency, and scalability.➡️Private Equity Strategies: W&I supports buy-and-build models and streamlined due diligence processes.➡️Future Outlook: Continued digitisation, faster policy cycles, and focus on sustainable pricing across markets.The discussion highlights how W&I insurance continues to evolve, blending underwriting expertise with technology, broker partnerships, and data-driven efficiency to support a more agile M&A ecosystem.#Reinventingfinancepodcast #InsurTech #MGA #insurance #insuranceindustry #privateequity #PE #mergersandacquisitions #M&A #underwriting
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 62 Alexander Heß Managing Director / Country Manager Assurant Germany
May 15, 202500:56:04Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr and VIG Platform Partners CEO Dr. Ronald Engel speak with Alexander Heß, Managing Director & Country Manager of Assurant Germany.Here are some of the key topics discussed in the episode:📍Assurant’s re-entry into Germany driven by a major telco win and European growth strategy.📍Overview of Assurant’s three verticals: housing, automotive (EV-focused), and connected living.📍Distinction between embedded vs integrated insurance and their operational implications.📍Use of circular economy in device protection through trade-in, repair, and refurbishment models.📍Introduction of forward trade-in and upgrade programmes to increase customer retention.📍Local supply chain investment to meet partner expectations and ensure service quality.📍Flexibility to act as insurer, reinsurer, or administrator depending on partner needs.📍Challenges in smart home insurance due to fragmented device ecosystems.📍Sustainability positioned as a business enabler, not just a compliance function.📍Telco case study demonstrating end-to-end integration of insurance and service offerings.📍Decline of outbound sales in Germany; focus on inbound and digital upsell opportunities.📍Potential in banking-telco-insurance convergence for embedded propositions.📍Concern that economic pressure may delay required investment in embedded infrastructure. This episode provides strategic and operational insight into how global players like Assurant localise #embeddedinsurance models, integrate circular economy thinking, and navigate complex #b2b2c #partnerships, relevant for executives shaping product, distribution, or transformation strategies across #insurance #ecosystems.
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Eps. 61 Dr. Ronald Engel CEO VIG Platform Partners & New Co-Host
May 13, 202500:51:46Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr speaks with Ronald Engel, CEO of VIG Platform Partners and Head of Transformation at Vienna Insurance Group (VIG), who just took over the role as Nick's new co-host. Here are some of the key topics discussed in the episode:📍Ronald Engel’s background in law, consulting, and entrepreneurship.📍Overview of his role at VIG Platform Partners and the group’s innovation function.📍VIG’s focus on enabling B2B2C digital insurance across CEE markets.📍Discussion on VIG Platform Partners’ complementary approach to existing insurance partnerships.📍Embedded insurance as a potential structural shift in distribution.📍Reflections on early embedded insurance implementations and evolving product strategies.📍The role of modular insurance products in customer acquisition and upselling.📍Views on embedded insurance economics and scale challenges.📍Common challenges in corporate venturing and execution.📍Importance of strategic alignment, internal sponsorship, and operational autonomy.📍Risks of over-investing early in corporate start-ups without proven traction.📍Preference for lean teams and variable cost structures in early stages.📍Use of external support to stay agile in execution.📍Experience launching the SZIGET Festival insurance pilot under tight deadlines.📍Innovation governance across a decentralised insurance group structure.📍Efforts to shift from isolated pilots to scalable business contributions.📍Reflections on success and failure in group-wide innovation efforts.📍Vision for Platform Partners as a group-wide execution and acceleration unit.📍Discussion on challenges scaling pilots without dedicated infrastructure.📍The role of in-person events like ITC Europe in relationship building and industry engagement.📍Ronald Engel’s motivations for joining the podcast as co-host. This episode offers strategic and operational perspectives on how Vienna Insurance Group approaches #embeddedinsurance, #corporateventuring, and #innovation #orchestration across a decentralised organisation. It provides insights for executives involved in #productinnovation, #digital #distribution, or #digitaltransformation initiatives within #insurance #ecosystems, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 60 with Viola Zsédely-Takács Business Development Director for New Growth Engines at Ageas
Apr 1, 202500:38:33Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr speaks with Viola Zsédely-Takács, Business Development Director for New Growth Engines at Ageas. During the conversation Viola shares insights about how Ageas is scaling B2B2C insurance across Europe and Asia - focusing on distribution innovation, digital bank assurance, and what it really takes to industrialise embedded insurance.Here are some of the key-topics discussed in the episode:📍Strategic evolution at Ageas from the Impact 24 to Elevate 27 strategy, narrowing focus towards B2B2C distribution innovation.📍Three innovation areas Ageas prioritised: health, protection (life products beyond traditional underwriting), and B2B2C partnerships, and how these areas intersect.📍The challenge of adapting insurance products—especially protection products—for embedded and digital distribution contexts, with a strong emphasis on customer-centric simplification.📍Differences in product design and UX between advisory channels (e.g. agent/broker) and digital or embedded journeys.📍Concrete use cases from India and Turkey, including successful digital loan and credit life products with optional riders like unemployment protection.📍Scalability as a core principle, including standardised product backends, reusable assets, and partnerships to allow onboarding of new B2B2C partners in as little as 48 hours.📍Digital B2B2C distribution channel strategies beyond bank assurance, including telcos, e-commerce, digital wallets, and microfinance institutions—while deliberately excluding red ocean segments like travel.📍The importance of flexible technology stacks and external partnerships over bespoke internal builds to ensure adaptability, speed, and cost-effectiveness.📍Key performance indicators used to track success, including business inflows, number of lives insured, product profitability, and number of reusable assets.📍Cultural and operational insights from implementing a centralised B2B2C innovation model across 13 markets with diverse regulatory and digital maturity levels.Check out the episode to find out more!#insurance #insuranceindustry #insurers #versicherung #b2b2c #insuranceproducts #distribution
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 57 with Dr. Alexander Bockelmann CTO at Baloise Group
Feb 9, 202500:50:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast,KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr (Nick), talks with Alexander Bockelmann, Group CTO at Baloise Group.During their conversationAlexander shares and discusses with Nick:📍 His background and role at Baloise Group, transitioning from environmental science to leading IT transformation in insurance across multiple countries.📍 Baloise’s strategic IT priorities, focusing on technical profitability, operational excellence, growth, and capital efficiency, with IT playing a critical role in driving efficiency and digital transformation.📍 Balancing short-term business needs with long-term IT investments, ensuring modernisation efforts like cloud migration and technical debt reduction align with shifting business priorities.The shift from perimeter-based to asset-based security models, strengthening cybersecurity strategies to protect digital assets in an increasingly connected environment.📍 The challenges of centralising IT across multiple markets, navigating trade-offs between standardisation and local flexibility under Baloise’s One IT strategy.📍 Difficult trade-offs in IT strategy, including stopping multi-year projects when financial or technical risks outweigh potential benefits and prioritising long-term IT modernisation over short-term business demands.📍 AI adoption in insurance, from AI-driven financial advisory tools and speech bots in customer service to embedding AI in business processes for automation, document analysis, and operational efficiency.📍 Scaling AI beyond proofs of concept, focusing on high-impact, scalable use cases that improve efficiency across entire functions rather than niche, siloed applications.📍 The evolution of AI agents and their impact on insurance, exploring how autonomous AI could reshape underwriting, claims, and operational workflows while raising questions about cost structures and enterprise adoption.📍 Key IT projects for 2025, including cloud migration for core insurance systems, strengthening enterprise data capabilities, implementing zero-trust security models, and enhancing broker integrations through BIPRO standards.Check out the episode to find out more.#podcast #insurance #insuranceindustry #insurancetech #insurtech #innovation #cto #businessgrowth
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 56 with Lars Gehrmann CDO Qatar Insurance Group
Jan 27, 202500:48:55Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr (Nick) speaks with Lars Gehrmann, Chief Digital Officer at Qatar Insurance Group, about fostering innovation and navigating the unique dynamics of the Middle Eastern insurance market. In the conversation Lars shares with Nick insights about: 📌 His background as a digital entrepreneur, including building ventures in Spain, Zurich, and Qatar, and his current role as Chief Digital Officer at Qatar Insurance Group (QIC). 📌 Lessons learned from building companies and digital products, highlighting the shift from IT-driven processes to product-driven strategies with agile organisational setups. 📌 The transformative potential of AI in insurance, emphasising: - Leveraging cloud-based tools to solve business problems faster and more cost-effectively. - Building AI capabilities internally rather than outsourcing, focusing on business use cases, claims, and process automation. - The need for a company-wide transformation mindset to ensure successful AI implementation. - The importance of product-market fit and distribution over product innovation alone, particularly in insurance, where customer acquisition and adoption are critical. 📌 QIC’s role in fostering innovation through: - Investing in insurtechs and building partnerships via QIC Digital Venture Partners. - Leading ecosystem-building efforts, such as the MENA Insurtech Association and the annual MENA Insurtech Summit. 📌 Key challenges and opportunities in the Middle Eastern insurance market, including: - The dominance of standard products like motor and health insurance, with a gap in specialised products for niche customer segments. - Market fragmentation and diverse regulations across countries in the region, requiring careful navigation and tailored approaches. - Opportunities for MGA or insurtech partnerships with reinsurance support and validated products. Check out the episode to find out more. #insurance #insurtech #insuranceindustry #business #growth #versicherungen
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 55 with Randel Bennett Head of Qixent
Jan 23, 202500:40:08Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO- & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr speaks with Randel Bennett, Head of Qixent, about driving insurance innovation for startups and transforming bold ideas into market-ready, profitable products. During the conversation Randel shares and discusses the following insights with Nick: 📍His background in insurance product design and development, and how Qixent specialises in transforming insurance ideas into profitable products by guiding clients from idea to product to profit. 📍Qixent’s process for supporting startups and established businesses: - Providing essential insurance coverages like D&O, liability, and cyber risk for startups. - Acting as an insurance broker or appointed representative to simplify market entry for new ventures. - Offering feasibility studies, idea validation, and sourcing partnerships with insurers, distributors, and carriers - Utilising Qixent’s own licences and agents to create a proving ground for clients, reducing their need to establish their own partnerships initially. 📍Client types and use cases, including: - Startups and MGAs looking to launch innovative insurance products. -County Mutuals seeking modernisation and growth strategies to maintain relevance. - Non-traditional businesses in insurance-adjacent industries wanting to add insurance as a revenue stream. 📍Examples of client collaborations, including both implemented and ongoing projects: - Developing insurance products for Hispanic consumers in the US with Spanish-first digital experiences and fair fee structures. - Creating solutions for athletes with name, image, and likeness (NIL) value, addressing risks like cybersecurity and personal liability. - Designing wildfire risk mitigation frameworks in California and workplace safety solutions using computer vision and wearable tech. 📍Qixent’s commercial model with the clear focus on scalability and value creation for clients. 📍 Industry challenges, like the pitfalls of cost-plus pricing models and the race to the bottom in consumer pricing, and advocating for value-based pricing approaches. 📍 Predictions about the future of insurance, including the potential disappearance of personal auto insurance as autonomous vehicles and manufacturer-provided liability products gain traction. Check out the episode to learn more about Insurance innovation for startups and how Randel Bennett is turning ideas into profitable insurance products #insurance #US #insuranceinnovation #insurancecoverage #insuranceindustry #insurancepolicy #businessgrowth #business #startup #businessideas #newbusiness
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 54 with Phil Hobson from Marsh
Nov 21, 202400:46:26Tap to summarizeIn the latest episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr had the pleasure of talking with Phil Hobson, Managing Director and International Affinity Leader at Marsh. They discussed how one of the world's leading insurance brokers is redefining risk and insurance services globally. With over 38 years of experience in the insurance industry—including 28 at Marsh—Phil shares how he blends startup innovation with a legacy business to deliver exceptional client value. Here’s a glimpse into what Phil and Nick discussed in theirr podcast session: 📌Phil’s professional background 📌 Marsh and its role as an international distribution engine that keeps distribution costs low for its partners 📌 Why focusing on client pain point diagnosis, customer journey, digital distribution and offering consistent product delivery across countries is essential to their business model 📌 Which products are interesting in terms of cost vs. return and which are not attractive 📌 4 key sectors Marsh is focused on (Automotive, Shared Economy, Consumer Electronics & machinery & sponsored programs 📌 Client pain points & problems clients are willing to pay for 📌 Marsh’s expertise in product distribution globally and locally 📌 Why many InsurTechs fail and lessons learned about client acquisition success and partnering with carriers and distribution success 📌 Why evolution is the biggest competitor for traditional affinity delivery mechanism and how Marsh encounters evolution at a corporate level 📌 How Marsh is unlocking new business opportunities 📌 Why it’s important to think product agnostic when it comes to affinity. Check out the episode to deep dive into the world of #affinity! #insurance #insuranceindustry #distribution #Versicherung #Versicherungsbranche #podcast
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 53 with Simon Moser Muffintech AI
Oct 15, 202400:43:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, Nikolaus Sühr talks with Simon Moser, Co-Founder & CEO of Muffintech an AI tech startup developing the first conversational AI for Insurance Context! Some insights Simon shares with Nick revolve around: 1) His personal Background and steps that led him to found Muffintech 2) The business model pivoted from a chat-based insurance broker to conversational AI 3) Why insurers are so interested in conversational AI 4) Details about the AI Model and what it is built upon 5) The potential added Value for insurers and brokers 6) Pricing of the AI solution 7) Proven use cases and industry solutions for internal knowledge management, chatbots for sales function, and claims processes 8) The Muffintech Team and the balled expertise in AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, UX 9) Why and when insurance partners should partner with them instead of the competition 10) The biggest obstacles for Muffintech in their partnership with insurers and how to overcome them Check out the podcast to find out more! #AI #conversationalai #insurancetech #insurtech #podcast #insuranceinsdustry #versicherer #versicherungsbranche
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The Reinventing Finance Podcast - Episode 52 Eliron Ekstein CEO & Co-Founder of RAVIN.AI
Aug 2, 202400:35:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, Nikolaus Sühr talks with Eliron Ekstein, Co-Founder & CEO of Ravin.AI, a tech start-up transforming the automotive industry with fully autonomous, over-the-air vehicle inspections using everyday cameras and AI. In the conversation with Nick, Eliron shares insights about: 📍 Which macroeconomic factors are driving up repair costs and affecting the insurance industry 📍 How applying triage at the point of FNOL can significantly lower overhead costs 📍 How Ravin uses computer vision and deep learning to enhance transparency and cut inflated repair costs for insurers, fleet managers, and car rental companies 📍 What makes Ravin’s technology adaptable for global markets and quick deployment in new regions 📍 How Ravin achieves over 80% accuracy in pilot programs and improves with insurer collaboration 📍 How Ravin manages fleet and rental car damages while addressing inspection and damage assessment challenges 📍 How Ravin’s technology reduces fraud and minimises disputes 📍 Why tech adoption and automation have been slow in motor repair and insurance, and how Ravin provides effective solutions 📍 How Ravin’s B2B model speeds up claims processing and reduces overhead for insurers, car rental companies, and fleet managers 📍 How Ravin overcomes data quality issues most insurers have with their industry-specific repair data 📍 What role AI plays in detecting fraud, predicting damage, and optimizing repairs with Ravin’s technology 📍 How Ravin’s solutions can streamline logistics and cut body shop costs, creating a first positive impact for insurers within 90 days Check out the episode to learn more! #insurance #insurer# insuranceindurstry #KI #AI #Versicherung #Versicherungswirtschaft #Versicherungspodcast #Insights #optimisation https://www.ravin.ai
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