As Valentine’s Day approaches, the language of connection, commitment, and trust feels especially apt. In the world of insurance, partnerships may not come wrapped in roses, but the strongest InsurTech collaborations are built on many of the same foundations as any lasting relationship: shared goals, mutual understanding, and a long-term bond that deepens over time.
To unpack the secrets behind a happy marriage with an InsurTech provider this Valentine’s Day, FinTech Global‘s Harry Slade sat down with Andy How, UK Insurance Director at Earnix, and Melanie Hayes, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder at KYND, to explore how insurers and InsurTech providers can align, innovate, and deliver measurable results.
The first date: building strong foundations
Every successful partnership starts with a first date—where both sides test the chemistry, ask the right questions, and decide whether the relationship is worth pursuing.
In the insurance world, this all revolves around clarity of intent. How explains: “It’s about aligning both sides on the problem to solve, the metrics that define success, and the guardrails for innovation.”
Insurers bring regulatory expertise, domain knowledge, and insight into legacy systems, while InsurTechs contribute agility, automation, and fresh data perspectives. The balance works when each side understands—and values—what the other brings to the table.
Success, he says, comes when both parties see themselves as co-designers rather than a traditional vendor-client pair, creating a partnership rooted in collaboration rather than transaction.
Hayes points to the importance of mutual understanding. “The most successful partnerships are those where technology is not an add-on, but an enabler of shared strategic goals—improving underwriting accuracy, enhancing client experience, and managing systemic exposure with more precision.”
At KYND, translating complex cyber risk data into actionable insight creates a shared language, allowing both sides to stay aligned on outcomes rather than innovation headlines. That shared understanding helps trust develop early and endure.
Operational rhythm matters almost as much as the technology itself. How notes that automating audit trails, approval logs, and data-use bindings allows insurers to innovate without compromising compliance—providing reassurance as the partnership deepens.
Equally critical is establishing data interoperability and sovereignty from day one. “Treat these elements as product features, not paperwork,” he advises.
Embedding governance into daily operations ensures innovation can scale responsibly while maintaining confidence with regulators and customers alike—an essential ingredient in any long-term commitment.
Red flags and reality checks: where partnerships can falter
Red flags matter, whether in dating or in InsurTech collaborations, and ignoring them can quickly undermine trust. This means that even the strongest partnerships can lose momentum if expectations aren’t aligned.
Over-reliance on technology or unclear accountability is a common source of friction for insurance firms.
“Every agent, model, or workflow needs explicit ownership and clear human-in-the-loop checkpoints,” How warns.
Integration complexity is another challenge. Without clearly defined adapters or APIs, even the most capable solutions can stall during deployment, introducing delays that strain collaboration.
Hayes highlights a challenge that is particularly acute in cyber insurance: the volume of available data. “The key is focusing on the intelligence that actually drives underwriting decisions. Fresh, transparent insight that evolves with the threat environment is crucial to maintaining confidence in risk selection and portfolio management.” Without that focus, data risks creating noise rather than clarity.
Governance, they agree, is not optional. Shared operational rhythms, automated audit trails, and open feedback loops allow partners to test ideas without compromising compliance. As How reiterates, these elements should be treated as core features, not afterthoughts.
Handled well, partnerships move beyond early experimentation and mature into strategic ecosystems—strengthened by trust rather than weakened by misalignment.
The long-term commitment: delivering on the promise
When your relationship/collaboration truly works, the results are tangible. Across the UK and Europe, How has seen partnerships accelerate the pace and precision of insurance operations.
“We’ve helped insurers dramatically reduce the time required to deploy new rating models while maintaining full auditability,” he explains.
Hayes adds that the benefits extend beyond operational efficiency. She points to KYND’s work with the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool (WSRMP), a consortium of more than 130 public education entities in the United States.
“Within two years, the results included nearly half a million dollars in premium savings, broader coverage limits, and a measurable reduction in cyber incidents and high-risk exposures,” she says.
Continuous monitoring, paired with translating technical findings into prioritised, actionable insight, helped members strengthen both operational resilience and strategic confidence.
Beyond cost savings, Hayes emphasises that the partnership also reinforced trust between members and carriers. “It’s not just about financial benefits; it’s about credibility, confidence, and consistency,” she says.
Both leaders stress that these outcomes depend on partnerships evolving over time. “Sustainable collaborations require regular review of joint objectives, shared KPIs, and governance that grows as capability matures,” How explains. “That’s how partnerships remain strategic rather than transactional.”
Hayes agrees, noting that when InsurTech partners are embedded into the insurer’s journey, they become part of the organisation’s core capability. “When partners are truly integrated, the relationship shifts from supplier to ally,” she says.
As Hayes concludes, the strongest InsurTech partnerships aren’t defined by speed or novelty alone. “They’re about building relationships that can adapt, learn, and innovate together. In an industry built on trust, that kind of lasting connection is what ultimately delivers real transformation.”
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