Tom Graham & Iryna Chekanava: Chaucer: How insurers decide which innovations succeed (411)

Innovation in insurance is no longer just about creating entirely new products. Increasingly, the biggest opportunities lie in rethinking how existing products are underwritten, distributed and delivered. 

In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Tom Graham, Head of Partnerships and Innovation at Chaucer, and Iryna Chekanava, Senior Innovation Underwriter, to explore how insurers can innovate without losing sight of the fundamentals. They discuss why technology alone is no longer a competitive advantage, what separates successful innovation partners from the rest and why deep customer understanding still matters more than the latest AI tool. 

The conversation also looks at the changing role of underwriting, the rise of smarter follow models, why closing the protection gap remains such a difficult challenge and how innovation teams can work alongside traditional underwriting rather than in isolation. 

Whether you're building an MGA, investing in insurtech or leading innovation inside an insurer, this episode offers practical insight into what insurers are really looking for and where the next wave of opportunity is emerging.

What you'll learn:

• Why the next phase of insurance innovation is focused on improving existing products rather than inventing entirely new ones
• Why technology and AI are becoming table stakes rather than lasting competitive advantages
• The qualities insurers value most when assessing new innovation partners
• How insurers balance experimentation with disciplined underwriting
• Why customer understanding and distribution remain stronger differentiators than software alone
• What smarter follow models could mean for the future of the London market
• Why the insurance industry's biggest protection gaps remain difficult to close despite technological progress
• How embedding innovation teams within underwriting creates better long-term outcomes than running separate innovation functions 

Who should listen?

This episode is particularly valuable for: 

• Insurance innovation leaders looking to understand where carriers are investing beyond AI hype
• Chief Underwriting Officers and underwriting managers exploring how innovation can improve underwriting performance without compromising discipline
• MGA founders and leadership teams seeking insight into what insurers look for in long-term capacity partnerships
• Insurtech founders and product leaders building solutions for the insurance market and wanting to understand what differentiates successful propositions

If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review on whichever platform you use or contact Robin Merttens on LinkedIn. 

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