A standout panel at ITC London, moderated by Melissa Collett (Insurtech UK), brought together Kagabo Ngiruwonsanga (Greenlight Re), Rosie Denée (Lloyd’s of London) and Rob Jarvis (Tokio Marine Kiln) to unpack what innovation really means in insurance.
Four powerful themes stood out:
🔹 Innovation needs structure
Rosie emphasised that innovation isn’t throwing paint at a wall and creating beautiful chaos. It involves process, data, discipline and incremental progress.
🔹 Start with the problem, not the tech
Rob suggested that the focus should not be on the solution but more on solving the problem statement.
🔹 Create a safe environment for innovation but recognise the limits
Insurance can’t afford uncontrolled failure — getting it wrong has real, long-term, expensive consequences.
🔹 Make innovation part of your core identity
For Greenlight Re, innovation is embedded in the business model itself, with underwriting, investment and innovation working hand-in-hand at Greenlight Re.
We also heard about some brilliant real-world examples too. These included parametric hail cover in the US Midwest (Sola Insurance and Tokio Marine Kiln partnership) and the brilliantly named internal project “Dude, where’s my plane?!”, a real-time aircraft tracking system built during the Ukraine–Russia crisis using 15 data sources.
Top tips from the panel when it comes to innovation:
➡️ Be patient (Greenlight Re)
➡️ Collaborate (Lloyd’s)
➡️ Seek understanding (Tokio Marine Kiln)
The panel was a refreshing reminder that in insurance, innovation isn’t about speed or dramatic change. It’s about intent, discipline and long-term partnerships with 3rd parties who want to understand your business.
For more event insights, take a look at our takeaways from the recent MGAA AI panel discussion.
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