A Winding Road of (data driven) Opportunities in Commercial Fleet Insurance
The commercial fleet market is a special and complex niche for insurance companies. The business model on which it’s based hasn’t changed in decades, and its complexities make it difficult to control the moving assets. In this context, a series of issues along the business model could provide an opportunity for those involved in the commercial fleet insurance space.
With this in mind, Celent conducted a survey of fleet insurance managers across the globe to understand what those voices say about the importance of risk management—as well the threats, opportunities, weaknesses, constraints, and necessities they see in their daily work, and who they could rely on for making investments and improvements in a complex industry. Celent customers can access the report here.
Companies adopted and adapted early to mobile technologies and smartphone-based sensors, and these innovations have multiplied as data, AI, cloud, smarter sensors, and enterprise integrations have expanded over time. In just the last few years, OEMs, TSPs, captives, MGAs, and even insurers are making direct connections with customers, drivers, vehicles, and operational systems. Uses beyond risk assessment and risk-based pricing now extend the value of connected data and analytic insights to operating effectiveness and efficiencies developed with continuously streaming observational data.
However, there are significant structural differences in each of the regional markets in terms of what customers, insurers, and underwriters expect in commercial fleet insurance and the report discusses these differences and opportunities.
Fleet managers around the world are adapting to new ways of working. While changes in regulatory environments affect all market players, specific technology changes and equipment features can blend with company culture and employee behaviors to create new competitive dynamics at a customer level. Increasingly, changes in customer expectations of what a technology solution should do for them is creating displacement to old ways of working.
A good example of new ways of working is Aon, a recipient of a Model Insurer Award by Celent in 2021 for its Small-Fleet Trucking Program initiative. Aon showcased a winning application of telematics and behavior-based data to generate variable pricing for vehicle insurance products, offering costs savings for customers. Telematics data are used to underwrite and assess claims and premium payments. Use-based insurance for vehicles is used to encourage safe driving habits. Technology providers enable insurers to monitor driving behavior and location, calibrating premiums based on policyholders’ driving habits. A copy of the report is available for Celent customers here.
On the same topic, I will be hosting a fireside chat with Swiss Re at InsureTech Connect 2022 (ITC). On September 21st at 2.40 pm join me to get into the fascinating theme of “Using Advanced, Real-Time Telematics to Increase the Power of Risk Selection in Commercial Insurance”. This is the opportunity to listen from a practitioner that is challenging status quo and always looking into adjacent areas to expand their value proposition in commercial insurance.
If you’re not already registered, reach out. We have some great discounts available to attend ITC. And if you are registered, check out our Kick-Off Summit session on Tuesday September 20th starting at 1:00 pm. We’ve got some great panels on aerial imagery, embedded insurance, intelligent automation, and we’ll look closely at digital distribution models.
Hope we’ll see you there!