LONDON, November 25, 2020 — Demand for predictive analytics continues to rise, as life insurers seek new solutions to sharpen business performance and boost customer relations in a highly competitive market with tight margins, slow growth and high operating costs, reveals new research from Willis Towers Watson.
The survey of European life insurers showed that over 80% of companies that already use predictive analytics report a positive business impact – with none reporting negative outcomes. In competitive markets, these techniques can provide insurers with a price advantage; in less competitive markets, they can lead to material cost savings. With the help of predictive analytics, historical and real-time data can also be mined to anticipate industry trends and customer needs, enabling insurers to exceed customer expectations.
The impact of predictive analytics on top and bottom line performance has been greatest in relation to revenue generation, with 68% of insurers agreeing that it has had a positive impact on increased sales and cross selling. Four out of ten companies (41%) reported that predictive analytics helped reduce issue/underwriting expenses and claims costs.
The survey finds, however, that while some life insurers are making progress with their predictive analytics capabilities, most companies still have significant challenges to overcome, including a number of strategic capacity issues:
Alastair Black, Director, Insurance Consulting and Technology, Willis Towers Watson, said: “Life insurers are on the cusp of real transformation, increasingly aware that by making predictive analytics a core corporate capability they can lay a strong foundation for profitable growth and high performance.
“Implementing these new approaches can be a complex process. Insurers will need to pick business use cases wisely and identify the most effective way to use data. Having the right talent and tools to process and analyse such vast amounts of data are just as essential if insurers are to harness its full potential.”
“Having the right talent and tools to process and analyse such vast amounts of data are just as essential if insurers are to harness its full potential.”
Alastair Black | Director, Insurance Consulting and Technology, Willis Towers Watson.
The survey found that the primary drivers for using predictive analytics are in-force management (69%), for example improving client retention; improving customer experience (67%); and seeking competitive advantage through product innovation and pricing sophistication (53%). Predictive analytics is currently used most within the individual risk business (32%), but the largest growth is planned in the savings business (31% over the next two years).
The global pandemic has also served as a catalyst for multinationals in particular to adapt and adopt greater usage of predictive analytics, with 36% of multinationals surveyed saying that they would now increase their use following the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The future of insurance is digital. We believe the winners will be those organisations that apply digital technologies to be connected, analytic and agile. And if the incumbents cannot get this right then new entrants will,” commented Black.
The survey is based on responses from 39 insurers, including major multinationals, based in nine countries from across Europe, including the UK, Germany and Ireland. The survey was conducted in order to provide insights on the future of predictive analytics relative to where we are today.
Willis Towers Watson’s Insurance Consulting and Technology business has over 1,200 colleagues operating in 35 markets worldwide. It is a leading provider of advice, solutions and software – primarily to the insurance industry. Its consulting services help clients manage risk and capital, improve business performance and create competitive advantage – by focusing on financial and regulatory reporting, enterprise risk and capital management, M&A and corporate restructuring, products, pricing, business management and strategy.
Willis Towers Watson (NASDAQ: WLTW) is a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company that helps clients around the world turn risk into a path for growth. With roots dating to 1828, Willis Towers Watson has 45,000 employees serving in more than 140 countries and markets. We design and deliver solutions that manage risk, optimise benefits, cultivate talent, and expand the power of capital to protect and strengthen institutions and individuals. Our unique perspective allows us to see the critical intersections between talent, assets and ideas — the dynamic formula that drives business performance. Together, we unlock potential.
