Latest Insurance News: Finextra Research

MetLife opens virtual reality channel

MetLife in India has launched a new customer service platform available only through a virtual reality headset.

21 December 2016

Admiral forced to pull plans to use Facebook posts to adjust car insurance premiums

Admiral Insurance has run into hot water with privacy groups and Facebook over plans to launch a new policy for first-time car buyers that uses social media profile data to calculate premiums.

02 November 2016

News/Insurance

China emerges as fintech powerhouse as UK dominance weakens

The UK's position at the centre of the fintech world is under threat as its top companies become overshadowed by Chinese giants, a new report from KPMG and H2 Ventures suggests.

25 October 2016

News/Insurance

Blockchain-based smart contracts to save FS customers billions - Capgemini

Blockchain-based smart contracts will transform the financial services industry, saving punters billions of dollars in fees for things such as mortgage applications and auto insurance, claims a Capgemini report.

11 October 2016

News/Insurance

P2P insurance startup Lemonade launches with charity pledge

Lemonade, a peer-to-peer insurance company, has launched in New York state, where it hopes to take on traditional players through a mix of clever technology and a charitable component.

21 September 2016

News/Insurance

Deutsche Bank teams up with accelerator to back fintech startups

Deutsche Bank is joining forces with startup accelerator Axel Springer Plug and Play to back banking and insurance startups with cash and other support.

19 September 2016

News/Insurance

R3 eyes insurance sector as MetLife comes onboard

The R3 blockchain consortium is moving in to the rapidly growing insurtech arena, welcoming MetLife as its first multinational insurance industry member.

31 August 2016

News/Insurance

Canadian fund raises $20 million fintech investment pot

Toronto-based Impression Ventures Fund has raised C$20 million to invest in early-stage Canadian financial technology companies.

23 August 2016

News/Insurance

Global fintech funding hits plateau

Following the explosion in funding last year, fintech is experiencing a "plateau" in 2016 amid investor concern about high valuations, a lack of significant IPO exits and macro-economic factors, says a new report from KPMG and CB Insights.

17 August 2016

News/Insurance

Blockchain to become 'beating heart' of financial system

Blockchain technology will fundamentally alter the way financial institutions do business, according to a report from the World Economic Forum.

12 August 2016

News/Insurance

Alibaba and AXA form insurance pact

AXA has formed an alliance with Alibaba that will see the French insurance firm develop products and services for the Chinese e-commerce behemoth's customers.

29 July 2016

News/Insurance

Sberbank offers Pokémon Go players free accident insurance

As reports of Pokémon Go-related injuries come in from around the world, Russia's Sberbank is offering free accident insurance to the game's players. Meanwhile, the bank is also hoping to lure people through its doors by equipping branches with special modules that attract Pokémon.

19 July 2016

News/Insurance

FinLeap gets EUR21m financing; plans to pump EUR50m into fintech ecosystem

FinLeap, the startup platform behind Germany's SolarisBank, has secured EUR21 million in equity capital to support its fintech incubation programme.

13 June 2016

News/Insurance

Asian life insurer AIA joins R3 consortium

Blockchain consortium R3 is extending its reach in Asia Pacific, signing up AIA Group, the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group, as a new member.

02 June 2016

News/Insurance

Tech Mahindra agrees £112m Target Group acquisition

Indian IT services group Tech Mahindra has agreed to buy Target Group, a UK business process outsourcing (BPO) and software provider to financial institutions, for an enterprise value of £112 million.

27 May 2016

News/Insurance

Global fintech funding bounces back but Europe stutters

After a tricky end to 2015, global fintech funding bounced back in the first quarter to hit $5.7 billion. However, the numbers are skewed by a couple of billion dollar-plus Chinese deals which mask a stagnant European scene.

25 May 2016

News/Insurance

Aviva invests in tech accelerator

UK insurance and finance group Aviva has made an undisclosed investment in Founders Factory, a digital accelerator and incubator co-founded by Brent Hoberman, Henry Lane Fox and Jim Meyerle.

19 May 2016

News/Insurance

Trov raises $25.5m for on-demand insurance app

After raising $25.5 million in a Series C funding round, mobile-based on-demand insurance platform Trov is gearing up to launch in its first market, Australia.

26 April 2016

News/Insurance

BNP Paribas begins fintech accelerator programme

BNP Paribas has picked eight fintech startups to take part in a four month accelerator programme that will see each firm work on developing products and services for specific areas of the bank's business.

24 March 2016

News/Insurance

Global funding for VC-backed fintech firms doubles to $13.8bn

2015 was the year that financial technology entered the mainstream, claims a new report from KPMG and CB Insights which estimates that VC-backed fintech firms around the world secured $13.8 billion in funding as they began having a serious impact in every area of banking and insurance.

09 March 2016