ITC Europe 2025: Highlights, Strategic Takeaways, and the Future of Insurtech
Held this past May in Amsterdam, ITC Europe 2025 brought together a diverse mix of industry
leaders, from agile startups to established insurers and tech innovators, to tackle the pressing issues and transformative trends reshaping the insurance sector. Against the backdrop of accelerating technology, shifting customer expectations, and global challenges like climate change, the event spotlighted critical insights that not only captured the moment but also laid a foundation for what’s ahead. The following sections break down the standout highlights, strategic lessons, and forward-looking trends that are set to define the future of insurtech.
Partnerships Between Incumbents and Startups Require Patience and Clear Value
The “Unlocking Partnerships” roundtable led by Sønr featuring Aviva, ERGO, AXA Next, Mosaic, and
Juniper underscored common pitfalls such as loss of momentum, lack of internal champions, and
misaligned expectations that stall collaborations. Successful partnerships depend on strong internal advocates, clear roles, mutual value creation, and balancing the sprint pace of startups with the marathon rhythm of corporates. Practical strategies include securing multiple warm introductions, protecting intellectual property, avoiding over-customisation, and phased MVP approaches to reduce risk.
Trust and Customer Experience Are the Ultimate Differentiators
A standout insight from the “From Transactions to Trust” panel with JPMorgan, WTW, Reserv, and
Insurtech UK was the critical importance of claims handling as the “moment of truth” for insurers.
Trust is earned or lost during this stressful, emotional interaction. Speed, clarity, and customer-
centric communication outperform product coverage in building loyalty. Technology (especially APIs, AI, and open insurance ecosystems) can transform these journeys, but transparency around third-party administrators (TPAs) and payment processes remains vital. Brand strength remains a potent competitive advantage, particularly as open insurance reduces switching friction, making consistent performance at critical moments essential.
AI Integration Must Be Seamless, Business-Focused, and Agile
The “Put AI to Work” discussion with Zurich, Mosaic, AXA, Thoughtworks, and QBE Ventures
highlighted that successful AI adoption hinges on deep, intuitive integration into existing workflows; not superficial add-ons. Close collaboration between tech and business teams, cross-functional structures, and decentralised data ownership unlock richer, faster insights. Insurers must build for agility, enabling rapid reactions rather than perfect predictions, and foster a culture of experimentation within robust privacy and compliance frameworks. Generative AI’s value lies not in retraining models from scratch but smart engineering around domain-specific data pipelines.
Startups Are Reimagining Insurance with Lifestyle-Centric Models
Founders at the “Shaping Insurance 2.0” forum led by Swiss Insurtech Hub and featuring Laka,
Juniper, Blueberry Life, and NEAT Protect emphasised how insurtech startups fill gaps overlooked by
traditional insurers by designing hyper-targeted, lifestyle-aligned products ranging from chronic
illness life insurance to collective mobility coverage. Personal experiences often inspire these
innovations, which also prioritise empathetic, fast claims handling with digital-first journeys. While
partnerships with legacy carriers remain challenging, startups drive user experience and risk
modelling advancements that are reshaping incumbent strategies.
Climate Risk Demands Innovation and Regulatory Evolution
Climate change poses an unprecedented challenge and opportunity. CarbonPool’s pioneering
approach, using carbon credits as insurance currency, illustrates how insurance can support net-zero transitions while managing rising catastrophe risks in uninsurable regions. The industry faces
widening protection gaps and regulatory frameworks lagging behind climate realities. Insurers must advocate for reforms that enable more green investments and develop long-term, adaptive products to close protection gaps. This shift requires moving from reactive risk management to proactive climate action enablers.
Looking Ahead
The insurtech industry stands at a pivotal crossroads, where innovation meets heightened customer expectations and urgent global challenges. Success will depend on insurers’ ability to embed AI seamlessly into everyday workflows, deliver transparent and compassionate customer experiences, and lead the charge on climate resilience through inventive products and regulatory advocacy. Equally critical will be fostering authentic partnerships that balance startup agility with corporate scale. As the industry evolves, speed, trust, and clarity will no longer be optional; they will be the new baseline for winning in insurance’s next chapter. To stay ahead and keep your finger on the pulse of these transformative trends, register your interest and be the first to know when registration opens and receive exclusive perks for ITC London 2026 taking place on 26 -27 January, where you’ll gain access to more business-critical insights from industry leaders and disruptors delivering the future of insurtech.
