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🚀 Data Ownership in Insurance & Risk Management: A Paradigm Shift 🚀

Feb 29, 2024
Blog author

Martin Hald

mh@21risk.com

At 21RISK, we stand firmly on the principle that businesses must own their data. It's not just about managing risks; it's about owning the data that defines these risks. This belief forms one of the cornerstone philosophies of our approach to Insurance and risk management.

🚀A significant paradigm shift🚀

In today's digital age, the notion that companies do not own their insurance and risk management data is not only outdated but also overlooks a critical aspect of business autonomy. It's time for a significant paradigm shift. Gone are the days when insurance companies were the sole custodians of engineering reports and the data derived from them. Similarly, the data that companies generate and share with insurance firms and brokers regarding risk assessments, follow-ups on recommendations, and more should be no exception.

🚀Choose partners based on the value they bring to the table🚀

Why is this so critical? Because owning your data empowers you to control your destiny. Companies should have the freedom to choose their partners based on the value those partners bring to the table, not because they are handcuffed by data ownership constraints that make it challenging to share critical information with others, including competitors.

The era where insurance companies dictate terms based on the data they hold is history. It's time for businesses to reclaim their data, ensuring they can leverage it to foster innovation, enhance risk management practices, together with the insurance industry and specialists and ultimately, choose their partners freely without any constraints.

🚀Your choice - not a directive from your Insurer🚀

It’s paramount to emphasize that the imperative for businesses to engage in risk management should not stem from a directive by their insurance company but from the recognition that effective risk management is simply good business and governance. By owning their data, companies unlock unprecedented opportunities to share and leverage this information, fostering a deeper understanding of the underlying importance of these practices.

This principle of data ownership and its integral role in enhancing business insights and strategic decision-making is not exclusive to large multinational corporations. It holds true across the board, including for mid-sized corporations. Every business, regardless of its size, stands to benefit from a model where they have complete ownership and control over their data. This model democratises the ability to manage risks more effectively and cultivates a culture of transparency and informed decision-making.

In this digital transformation era, the ability to share, analyze, and act on one’s own data can be the difference between staying ahead of the curve and falling behind. It equips businesses with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of the modern world, making risk management an integral part of their operational strategy rather than a mandated requirement.

As we move forward, let's advocate for a shift towards comprehensive data ownership in risk management. It’s time for businesses to harness the full potential of their data, making informed decisions that drive growth, enhance governance, and solidify their standing in an ever-evolving insurance marketplace.

🚀Digitalisation of the insurance industry🚀

As insurance companies continue to digitalize a significant portion of their underwriting and engineering processes, it underscores a broader industry acknowledgement of the efficiencies and analytical capabilities that digital transformation can bring. This shift towards digitalization is not just about enhancing operational efficiency within insurance companies; it's also about leveraging data for deeper, more insightful risk analyses.

This evolving landscape makes it all the more crucial for businesses to step up and take control of their data narrative. By proactively providing their data to the engineering and underwriting departments of insurance companies, businesses can ensure that they are not merely feeding the data repositories of these insurers but are actively participating in a data exchange that respects their autonomy and choice in partner selection.

The risk here is clear: if businesses do not take ownership of their data and its utilization, they risk becoming dependent on the insurance companies' data ecosystems. This dependency can lead to a loss of autonomy, limiting businesses' flexibility in choosing partners and potentially locking them into relationships that may not serve their best interests in the long term. Therefore, businesses must assert their role in this digital ecosystem by ensuring that their data is used in a way that benefits them directly. This involves not just the act of sharing data but doing so strategically, ensuring that the terms of data usage are clear and that the business retains control over how its data is utilized.

The goal is to foster a collaborative environment where data serves as a bridge between insurance companies and businesses, facilitating more accurate risk assessments, more tailored insurance solutions, and ultimately, a more resilient and agile business model. By taking the lead in this digital transformation, businesses can maintain their autonomy, enhance their risk management capabilities, and choose partners that truly add value to their operations.

In conclusion, as the digitalization of insurance processes accelerates, the onus is on businesses to ensure that their data does not simply become a cog in the insurance industry's machine but remains a powerful asset in their own strategic arsenal.

🚀Let's champion the future of data-sharing in the Insurance industry🚀

Let's champion a future where data empowerment and ownership pave the way for more informed, strategic, and liberating business decisions. The power to choose should be in the hands of those who own the risks - and the data associated with managing those risks.