TINtech 2025: The key themes shaping the digital future of insurance

A summary of the highlights from TINtech 2025.

At TINtech 2025, leaders across the insurance sector came together to confront a shared reality: technology is no longer optional – it’s the foundation on which the future of insurance will be built. Yet, the discussions across the day made it clear that digital transformation is not simply about adopting new tools. It is about fundamentally rethinking how organisations operate, how customers are served, and how value is created in an environment shaped by complexity, rapid change, and shifting expectations.

The tone was set by the opening keynote, which made a compelling case for urgency. Insurance organisations must act now to align technology, data and people around a clear strategic vision. Those who hesitate risk falling behind, not just in innovation but in relevance. The core message: digital transformation must be led from the top, championed across the business and anchored in customer need.

 

From VUCA to BANI: understanding the new environment

Starting at the end (!), the closing session framed the challenge in broader terms, mapping the shift from a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) to a BANI one (brittle, anxious, non-linear, incomprehensible). Leaders reflected on how AI, particularly generative and agentic AI, can help insurers navigate this environment, not just by reducing costs but by transforming how risk is assessed, transferred, and experienced. Speakers cautioned against narrow thinking, urging organisations to look beyond expense ratios and use AI to reimagine value creation. The goal is not to automate the past but to invent the future.

AI’s real promise lies in its ability to break entrenched operating patterns. Several panellists highlighted how AI co-pilots can trigger action based on real-time needs, replacing legacy processes that rely on fixed cycles and rigid documentation. For example, rather than preparing reports for routine monthly meetings, AI could initiate a review only when something meaningful changes. This shift in tempo could free up time, reduce inefficiency and support more dynamic decision-making.

Rebuilding trust through data

One of the most practical discussions centred on claims as many processes are still manual, fragmented and frustrating. Digitising claims emerged as a top priority, not simply to increase efficiency, but to improve outcomes and rebuild trust.

Leaders stressed that automation in claims must be grounded in clear thinking about the customer journey. Too often, digital initiatives replicate inefficient workflows in a new format. Instead, insurers must strip back complexity, identify bottlenecks and align the right technology to the right pain points. For instance, using straight-through processing to fast-track low-complexity claims, while deploying data-driven triage and decision support for more complex cases.

What became clear is that technology alone cannot deliver the required transformation. Culture, mindset and governance must shift too. Embedding change into operations demands new incentives, better metrics and stronger collaboration across claims, IT, data and customer functions. Successful change leaders focus on building multidisciplinary teams that work together to deliver end-to-end improvements, not isolated tech pilots.

In personal lines, the urgency to modernise is particularly acute. Customers increasingly expect the same digital experience from insurers as they do from other service sectors. Yet, legacy systems, product complexity and a cautious regulatory environment have slowed progress.

Discussions highlighted how AI can help personal lines insurers meet rising expectations, especially by enabling proactive communication, tailored advice and intelligent self-service. But panellists stressed that personalisation must go beyond superficial targeting. It should reflect a deep understanding of customer needs, context and behaviour.

One speaker highlighted the need to reimagine customer journeys from the ground up. A customer in 2030 is unlikely to accept a clunky back-and-forth claims process or the need to repeatedly re-enter data. Insurers must design experiences that are seamless, anticipatory and transparent. That means using AI and data to remove friction, not add layers of digital bureaucracy.

Scaling innovation for a fragmented SME insurance market

Another session focused on the often-overlooked SME segment. It was argued that SME insurance is ripe for innovation, but faces particular challenges around data availability, distribution complexity and product standardisation.

The most successful innovations in this space start with segmentation. Instead of treating SME as a single block, insurers should identify meaningful sub-groups with shared needs and tailor digital experiences accordingly. For example, creating automated quote-bind-issue journeys for microbusinesses, while offering decision support and tailored risk management advice for larger or more complex clients.

A key insight from this session was the importance of integration. Brokers and insurers must work together to build digital journeys that, regardless of channel, are simple, fast and consistent. Technology must be a shared asset that supports collaboration, not a siloed differentiator that fragments the experience.

Achieving a digital operating model

Sessions on operating model design emphasised the need to go beyond technology deployment and address the underlying structure of the business. The most advanced firms are not just layering new tools onto legacy frameworks. They are rethinking how teams work, how decisions are made and how data flows across the enterprise.

Several speakers made the case for clear governance and accountability. Digital transformation often falters when ownership is unclear or when change is delegated to IT alone. The most effective models embed digital thinking across the business and empower operational leaders to own their transformation agendas.

One speaker described the shift from siloed to product-based teams, aligned around customer journeys and business outcomes. This requires new skills, new KPIs and a cultural shift toward experimentation and continuous learning. But it also unlocks faster delivery, clearer priorities and more meaningful impact.

Delivering successful transformation through sponsorship, culture and measurement

The human side of transformation was a recurring theme. Time and again, speakers stressed that technology change is people change. Without the right sponsorship, mindset and communication, even the best-designed initiatives can stall.

Strong executive sponsorship emerged as a critical success factor. Leaders must not only endorse transformation, they must embody it. That means communicating a clear vision, staying close to delivery and modelling the behaviours required to succeed.

Equally important is building a culture of openness, agility, and accountability. One panellist described the power of simple storytelling in aligning teams and creating momentum. Another spoke about the need to define and track value continuously, not just at the end of a multi-year programme. This means having the discipline to stop what is not working, the curiosity to try new approaches and the humility to adapt.

Is Agentic AI the next frontier of value

The future of AI in insurance was explored in detail, with a particular focus on agentic AI – systems that can act autonomously within defined parameters to achieve business goals. The potential is enormous: from co-pilots that augment underwriting or claims roles, to autonomous agents that manage portfolios, trigger actions or even negotiate on behalf of clients.

But with this promise comes new questions around accountability, explainability and governance. Panellists urged caution against rushing into deployment without addressing the ethical and operational risks. It is not enough to build intelligent agents. They must be trustworthy, auditable and aligned with the values of the organisation.

Crucially, the rise of AI is changing what it means to lead. In a world where every team includes AI agents, leaders must learn to manage both human and artificial contributors. This requires new capabilities in orchestration, empathy, and systems thinking. It also requires a renewed focus on culture—as the true differentiator in a world where technology is commoditised.

Conclusion

Across every session at TINtech, the same conclusion emerged: the future of insurance belongs to those with the clarity to define what they want to become, the culture to deliver it and the courage to let go of what no longer serves them. Technology will continue to evolve, but it is how organisations use it, guided by purpose, powered by people and shaped by values, that will define success in the decade ahead.