As personalisation becomes the heartbeat of modern consumerism, the insurance industry is the latest to embrace a radical reimagining of its role in our lives. Harnessing the pulse of real-time data drawn from wearables, telematics, and smart homes, insurers can weave policies that mould seamlessly to the rhythms of individual lives. This promises to elevate customer experiences but also extend a lifeline to overlooked communities while curbing risks through proactive, behaviour-shaping incentives. Yet, as the sector surges toward this brave new world, it must confront thorny questions of privacy, navigate a tangle of outdated regulations, and craft digital interfaces that resonate with human needs.
To explore this watershed moment, InsurTech Analyst‘s Harry Slade sits down with two distinguished voices from Air Doctor, a platform connecting travellers with local healthcare providers, in the form of Adam Feiler, SVP of Global Sales, and Efrat Marmur, VP of Marketing.
Their insights delve into how real-time data can redefine insurance, the incentives that could shape smarter choices, and the regulatory and design challenges that must be overcome to make hyper-personalised coverage a reality for all.
The promise of dynamic pricing
The ability to adjust premiums in real time based on data from wearables or environmental sensors is a game-changer.
For instance, 89% of US policyholders are willing to share data for lower premiums, provided their information is secure, according to PingIdentity.
Feller sees trust as the cornerstone of this model. “Dynamic pricing through real-time data is a powerful concept, and trust is the foundation,” Feiler says.
“Travellers might be open to sharing wearable or environmental data if they receive immediate, meaningful benefits in return, like tailored travel health support or smart premium adjustments based on activity or destination. But privacy must come first. That means data minimisation, anonymisation, and giving users control over how and when their data is shared. Personalisation shouldn’t come at the cost of autonomy; it should empower it.”
This balance is critical. The global wearables market generates vast amounts of data—heart rates, activity levels, sleep patterns—that could inform risk profiles.
Yet, without robust safeguards, such data collection risks alienating customers. The European Union’s GDPR, for instance, mandates strict data minimisation and user consent, setting a high bar for insurers globally.
Incentivising better outcomes
Beyond pricing, real-time data enables insurers to embed behavioural incentives into policies, reducing risks while improving customer outcomes.
Air Doctor’s Marmur highlights the potential for insurers to shift from reactive coverage to proactive care.
“Incentives can be as simple as rewarding travellers for completing pre-trip health assessments, staying up to date on vaccinations, or accessing care early when symptoms arise abroad,” Marmur explains.
“Through partnerships with platforms like Air Doctor, insurers can nudge policyholders toward faster, smarter healthcare decisions, and that not only lowers claim costs, it also improves experiences and outcomes.”
Such incentives mean that insured individuals are more likely to engage with policies offering rewards for healthy behaviours.
For travellers, this could mean discounts for using tele-health services or adhering to vaccination schedules, particularly in high-risk destinations.
Platforms like Air Doctor, which connects users to over 20,000 vetted doctors in 84 countries, make these interventions seamless, ensuring care is accessible wherever policyholders are.
Designing adaptive user experiences
For hyper-personalised insurance to succeed, user experience (UX) must evolve. Static policy documents and clunky interfaces no longer suffice.
Marmur envisions interfaces that adapt to users’ lives. “The best UX designs mirror real life, they learn, adapt, and stay out of the way until needed,” she says.
“Instead of static coverage options, insurance interfaces should evolve based on the user’s context: their travel patterns, location, or even language preferences. For example, if a traveller frequently visits remote areas, the UX could proactively surface telehealth options. Integration with platforms like Air Doctor allows insurers to offer dynamic, location-aware care options that evolve with each journey.”
For global travellers, a UX that suggests nearby doctors or tele-health options based on geolocation could be a lifeline, particularly in unfamiliar regions.
Regulatory roadblocks
Despite the potential, regulatory frameworks lag behind technological advances. Feiler points to structural challenges in current regulations, which often assume insurance products are rigid and uniform.
“The challenge isn’t just technical, it’s structural,” he says. “Current regulations often assume insurance products are fixed and one-size-fits-all. But personalisation demands flexibility: modular coverage, usage-based pricing, and intelligent data sharing. Regulatory frameworks need to allow for these adaptive models while safeguarding consumer rights. Particularly for global travellers, cross-border data harmonisation and digital health regulation are crucial. Without it, innovation risks stalling at the gate.”
The need for regulatory evolution is pressing, as global data-sharing standards remain fragmented, hindering scalable personalisation.
Unlocking underserved markets
Perhaps the most transformative aspect of hyper-personalisation is its potential to serve previously uninsurable or underserved groups.
Gig workers, neurodivergent individuals, and communities in climate-impacted regions often face barriers to coverage due to rigid risk models.
Marmur sees personalisation as a solution. “Without a doubt. Personalisation allows us to move from ‘risk rejection’ to ‘risk adaptation,’” she says.
“For example, short-term, event-based coverage can support gig workers on the move. Neurodivergent travelers might prefer virtual care in their language, in a familiar format, features that solutions like Air Doctor already enable. When you personalise the delivery of support, not just the product, insurance becomes radically more inclusive.”
This inclusivity is urgently needed. The International Labour Organisation estimates that 1.6bn people work in the gig economy, many without access to traditional insurance.
Similarly, neurodivergent individuals, who may require tailored communication or virtual care options, represent a growing demographic. By leveraging platforms like Air Doctor, insurers can offer flexible, accessible solutions that meet these diverse needs.
The road ahead
The rise of hyper-personalisation is proving to be a paradigm shift for the insurance sector. By prioritising privacy, embedding incentives, and advocating for regulatory reform, insurers can deliver policies that evolve with customers’ lives.
For underserved markets, this could mean unprecedented access to coverage. Yet, success hinges on trust, flexibility, and a commitment to putting consumers first. As the industry navigates this uncharted territory, one thing is clear, the future of insurance is personal.
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