Global risks of all shapes and sizes line the 2024 business roadmap for insurers. Primary among these include recessionary environments, climate change, geopolitical crises, lesser premium growth, and inflation risks, which threaten the insurance industry’s growth prospects. Customer expectations, new age competition, and regulatory requirements that are in a state of constant flux add to these complexities. Only innovative business models and technology-based initiatives can drive insurers’ revenue growth in 2024.
Digital distribution transformation emerges as the key prerequisite to power “Digital First” and omnichannel insurance models this year. These require distribution approaches that are consistent and optimal for each customer facing channel.
Insurance distribution management systems and approaches will evolve to stay relevant in such an environment. End to end digital distribution transformation is also essential to optimally integrate advances in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and advanced analytics into the business.
Lack of digital distribution transformation affects insurers’ future market share and profitability. In this context, the C2L BIZ team has put together a list of the latest insurance distribution management trends for the year.
Trend #1 – Insurance distribution management dons a strategic mantle
Traditionally, insurance distribution management has been an operational aspect rather than that of a strategic nature. This is set to change as distribution management takes on a strategic mantle in the face of a competitive business landscape.
Multiple reasons contribute to this change in insurers’ perspective towards distribution management. To start with, existing insurance distribution management strategies that focus on traditional agent-based operational models and “one size fits all” products fail to address the needs of new age customers. For instance, value-added services now create significant revenue generation capabilities for distributors. This means that insurers must provide customized products, compensation management, and technology integration capabilities. Similarly, the rise in third-party distributors like banks, brokers, dealers, and independent financial advisors (IFA) calls for relevant distribution management strategies.
Digital distribution transformation is the foundation stone of value creation for insurers in 2024. When combined with new age insurance distribution management solutions, this strategy reduces challenges associated with attracting and retaining the right talent. The shift towards insurance distribution management as a strategic asset enables better risk management, competitive advantage, optimal customer experiences.
Trend #2 – Bespoke, performance-oriented distribution models emerge
In practical terms, strategic distribution management needs an end-to-end spectrum with simplified and bundled offers specific to each partnership. Or it can be in the form of custom DIY product offerings where advisors develop protection or combination offers.
One way to approach this shift is to consider that the business offers each of these product capabilities as an individual service. This is a significant shift away from existing coded system approaches.
Distinct distribution models and channels are a prerequisite for niche product segments. As insurance industry’s erstwhile boundaries collapse, it introduces considerable competitive threats and the accompanying fight for wallet share. This will reflect directly on insurance distribution channels and sales management.
Insurers will leverage all intermediaries like banks, IFAs, POS partners, brokers, aggregators, marketplaces, variable agencies, POS brokers, direct to customer, or emerging models for business growth in the coming years. As the value chain splits, insurers will opt for multiple partners on fronts like lead generation, sales, verifications, fulfillment, and servicing claims.
Trend #3 – Rise of the “segment of one” distribution partner
High levels of transparency are a salient feature of modern digital distribution transformation initiatives. This introduces comprehensive capabilities to micro- or self-audit expenses. Insurers are incorporating advanced performance and compensation models that incorporate split reward systems to ensure optimal partner relationships.
Based on our team’s experience, these insurer models consider a range of parameters like success rates, linked targets, and qualitative aspects. It recognizes each partner’s unique capabilities to reward them based on quality and profitability. This requires the treatment of every partner as a distinct “segment of one”, with differentiated incentives that motivate them to perform at their best.
In the abovementioned context, integrated KPI-based performance monitoring and reward systems are integral components of digital distribution transformation initiatives. This can be via the use of KPIs like STP closures, combination products, upselling, cross selling, or even loss ratios.
Trend #4 – Seamless adoption of global best practices
Access to internal and external Insurtech partner services scale up the monetization opportunities on offer for insurers. Insurers seamlessly leverage these services at product, distribution, and operational fulfilment levels for business growth.
Today, insurers leverage global innovation best practices that are accessible from internal and external Insurtech partner services. The ready availability of external best practices enables insurers to create highly unique journeys specific to their business strategy. These initiatives start off with investments in a resilient, intelligent orchestration and analytics layer that leverages microservices aligned to the business’ core strategy.
Trend #5 – Comprehensive distribution management dashboards
Comprehensive metrics are a salient part of digital distribution transformation initiatives. Ready availability of advanced analytics transforms the way modern CDOs approach insurance distribution management.
Today, unlimited distribution optimization possibilities are on offer for insurers due to the availability of external and internal data sources. Dashboards with detailed insights for relationship management, compensation optimization, expense management, and incentivization will deliver significant business benefits to insurers this year.
Speaking from a C2L BIZ perspective, our clients have been able to capitalize on the recent developments in analytics, real-time metrics, and data visualization using single stop distribution management dashboards. For instance, many of our clients rely on these dashboards to proactively address issues and retain a dissatisfied partner. Or these insurers can compare aspects like ratio of their business as compared to their competition with each partner for a “segment of one” management approach.
Sustainable Distribution Transformation matters
End to end digital distribution transformation calls for an Insurtech with an innovative and state of the art solution portfolio. It requires a veteran partner with extensive domain expertise backed by in-depth technology implementation capabilities.
A global Insurtech like C2L BIZ is the ideal choice to enable your insurance business’ digital distribution transformation needs. With customer implementations that span across 12 countries, C2L BIZ has successful relationships with over 40 leading insurance carriers.
Write to us on sales@c2lbiz.com for a detailed discussion on strategies to accelerate your digital distribution transformation objectives.
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