As we move into a new phase of innovation after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, insurers need to look ahead to determine what their technology priorities should be today. Our 2022 Technology Vision report focuses on the expansion of the digital world and the increasing overlap between physical and virtual reality. One of the trends I think is most relevant to insurance carriers is Accenture’s vision for the Programmable World. In the report, Accenture found that 74% of global executives said that the number of IoT or edge devices deployed in their organizations significantly expanded over the past three years. With that data in mind, insurers need to understand how their products and customer interactions can stand out in an increasingly digitalized reality. If insurance leaders want to pull ahead, they need to focus on functionality rather than novelty. A truly programmable world will rely on robust technology that drives efficiency and engagement while measurably reducing cost and effort. The question isn’t, “How do we develop new offerings to show that we can keep up with the latest technology?” The question needs to be, “How do we design or adapt products and processes to deliver the most value to customers through a programmable world?” There are two insurance use cases that I believe will be heavily impacted by innovation towards a programmable world: customer interactions and embedded commercial insurance. The implications of augmented reality (AR) and technology like programmable materials may change the way both personal lines and large commercial carriers do business.
