AI in insurance podcast – Episode 11: Insurtech UK

In this episode, Melissa Collett, CEO of Insurtech UK, joins Danny Major to explore how insurtechs are driving innovation across the UK insurance market. From AI and big data to shifting from disruptors to partners, Melissa shares why insurtech is essential to the industry’s future—and worth £20 billion to the UK economy.

We’re joined by the brilliant Melissa Collett, CEO of Insurtech UK, for a jam-packed conversation you won’t want to miss. Melissa brings fresh insight, bold ideas, and a wealth of industry experience as we explore the evolving role of AI in insurance and what it really means for innovation, regulation, and customer value.

Listen below! 🎧

Video timestamps

• Meet Melissa Collett – Melissa introduces her background in law and regulation and how it shapes her approach as CEO of Insurtech UK. [00:01:02]

• Why Insurtech Needs Its Own Voice – Melissa explains the importance of a dedicated membership body to champion insurtech, rather than letting it get lost in the broader fintech conversation. [00:05:10]

• “The Grit in the Oyster” of UK Insurance – Describing insurtech as the “grit in the oyster,” Melissa discusses how startups are helping reshape and stimulate the UK insurance industry through innovation and disruption. [00:07:10]

• Real-World Impact of Insurtech Innovation – From the birth of price comparison websites to today’s use of wearables, sensor tech, and parametric insurance, Melissa highlights how technology is actively transforming underwriting, access, and claims across motor, life, and property insurance. [00:09:23]

• Why Partnerships Power Insurtech – Melissa explains why most insurtechs must collaborate with insurers, MGAs, or brokers—whether for distribution, underwriting capacity, or regulatory compliance. Many act as SaaS-based value chain enablers rather than insurers themselves. [00:13:49]

• The Future is Frictionless – Melissa shares her wishlist for insurance: stop asking for the same information over and over, fully digitize customer journeys, and embrace smart data integration across the industry. [00:16:08]

• From GenAI to Predictive Protection – She calls for greater use of AI to streamline underwriting and claims, but more importantly, to predict and prevent loss—shifting insurance from reactive to proactive. [00:17:30]

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