In this episode of the Reinventing Finance Podcast, KASKO CEO & Co-Founder Nikolaus Sühr and VIG Platform Partners CEO Dr. Ronald Engel speak with Alexander Heß, Managing Director & Country Manager of Assurant Germany.
Here are some of the key topics discussed in the episode:
📍Assurant’s re-entry into Germany driven by a major telco win and European growth strategy.
📍Overview of Assurant’s three verticals: housing, automotive (EV-focused), and connected living.
📍Distinction between embedded vs integrated insurance and their operational implications.
📍Use of circular economy in device protection through trade-in, repair, and refurbishment models.
📍Introduction of forward trade-in and upgrade programmes to increase customer retention.
📍Local supply chain investment to meet partner expectations and ensure service quality.
📍Flexibility to act as insurer, reinsurer, or administrator depending on partner needs.
📍Challenges in smart home insurance due to fragmented device ecosystems.
📍Sustainability positioned as a business enabler, not just a compliance function.
📍Telco case study demonstrating end-to-end integration of insurance and service offerings.
📍Decline of outbound sales in Germany; focus on inbound and digital upsell opportunities.
📍Potential in banking-telco-insurance convergence for embedded propositions.
📍Concern that economic pressure may delay required investment in embedded infrastructure.
This episode provides strategic and operational insight into how global players like Assurant localise #embeddedinsurance models, integrate circular economy thinking, and navigate complex #b2b2c #partnerships, relevant for executives shaping product, distribution, or transformation strategies across #insurance #ecosystems.