Accenture Technology Vision for Insurance 2019
April 10, 2019
RESEARCH REPORT
In brief
In brief
- Digital transformation grants insurance companies exceptional capabilities. But it also creates enormous expectations.
- Amid these rising expectations, insurers are investing in digital technologies, raising the question of how leaders will set themselves apart.
- Insurers looking to differentiate themselves must be aware of five distinct technology trends that will characterize the “post-digital” future.
Get ready for what’s next
Insurance organizations are taking their first steps into a new age—one that tailors itself to fit every moment. It’s an era when insurance products and services evolve and adapt according to customer behaviors and context—from hyper-personalized marketing to telematics-driven auto insurance that rewards safe driving to parametric travel policies that instantly pay compensation when a flight is delayed for more than two hours.
It is an age where digital technology is a strategic priority for every insurance business, as the industry strives to catch up with consumer expectations and the pace of digital transformation in other sectors. Given their collective prioritization of digital technology, every insurance company will eventually converge on the same turning point—one where digital-era technology, which began as a differentiating advantage, is something expected from every business.
According to our Technology Vision 2019 survey of 577 business and IT executives in the insurance industry, 96% report the pace of innovation in their organizations has accelerated over the past three years due to emerging technologies.
So, what will this new, “post-digital” world look like? It will be characterized by companies looking for the next competitive edge.
The post-digital era will be one where each consumer, employee and business partner will seek tailored, contextual experiences, and every moment will represent an opportunity for companies to play a role in shaping it. Insurance organizations will need to deliver not just personalized, but also individualized experiences to meet digitally mature expectations.
2019 Insurance Technology Trends:
Trend 1: DARQ power
Understanding the DNA of DARQ
Distributed ledger technology, AI, extended reality, and quantum computing will be the next set of new technologies to spark a step change, letting insurers reimagine the entire industry and its role in the world.
93%
of insurance respondents are already experimenting with one or more DARQ technologies
71%
of insurers agree that the combination of all four DARQ technologies will be transformational or bring extensive change to their business
Trend 2: Get to know me
Unlock unique consumers and unique opportunities
Tech-driven interactions create a tech identity for every insurance customer—key to understanding the next generation of consumers, and delivering individualized, experience-based relationships.
84%
of insurance executives agree digital demographics give their organizations a new way to identify market opportunities for unmet customer needs
82%
of insurers say consumer digital demographic information is expanding the number of ways their organization delivers products and services to its customers
Trend 3: Human + Worker
Change the workplace or hinder the workforce
Insurance workforces are becoming Human+: each worker is empowered by their skills and knowledge plus a new set of tech-driven capabilities. Now, insurers must adapt technology strategies to support a new way of working in the post-digital age.
76%
of insurers say their employees are more digitally mature than their organization, resulting in a workforce that is “waiting” for the organization to catch up
81%
of insurance executives agree that greater employee velocity has increased the need for reskilling in their organization
Trend 4: Secure us to secure me
Enterprises are not victims, they’re vectors
Ecosystem-driven business connections increase insurers’ exposure to risks. Leaders recognize that just as they collaborate with entire ecosystems to deliver best-in-class products, services, and experiences, security must join that effort as well.
26%
of insurance executives know for sure that their ecosystem partners are working as diligently as they are to be compliant and resilient with regard to security
88%
of insurance executives agree that to be truly resilient, organizations must rethink their approach to security in a way that defends not just themselves, but their ecosystems
Trend 5: MyMarkets
Meet consumers’ needs at the speed of now
Technology is creating a world of intensely customized and on-demand experiences, and insurance companies must reinvent their organizations to find and capture those opportunities as they come.
90%
of insurance executives agree the integration of customization and real-time delivery is the next big wave of competitive advantage
63%
of insurance executives believe 5G will have a significant impact on their industry within the next three years
A post-digital age
Tomorrow’s insurance leaders are already today finding a place among the digital ecosystems of the future and investing in the next wave of emerging technologies. This will give them a head start in the post-digital era—an age with massive customer, employee, and societal expectations, and a time when digital saturation of reality has granted companies the capabilities to meet people wherever they are and at any moment in time
The 2019 Technology Vision welcomes businesses into the new post-digital era.
About the Authors
Get the essentials
The five tech trends in this year’s report reflect the parallel digital transformations of companies and people. The 2019 Technology Vision welcomes businesses into the new post-digital era.
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Read previous Technology Vision for Insurance reports
Technology Vision for Insurance 2018
Learn more about 2018’s top trends for insurance: Citizen AI, Extended Reality, Data Veracity, Frictionless Business and the Internet of Thinking. Learn more
Technology Vision for Insurance 2017
Learn more about the era of the intelligent enterprise and the top insurance trends from our 2017 report. Learn more
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