
When Renasa Insurance joined the Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH) group two years ago, the company made a bold promise: to remain the broker’s best friend, and to become an even better one.
Fast forward 24 months, and it’s clear that the integration has not only preserved the DNA of Renasa’s relationship-driven business, but also unlocked real, measurable benefits.
In a recent conversation with Renasa CEO Herman Scheepers, we reflected on the journey, the milestones achieved, and the road ahead.
Holding on to identity, unlocking new potential - “Change always brings uncertainty,” said Herman. “For staff, for brokers, for everyone.” Yet despite that, Renasa emerged from the integration process with its entire team and broker base intact, a rare feat in an industry often disrupted by mergers and acquisitions.
More than just retention, the company has emerged stronger. Key operational enhancements have already taken root, particularly around claims. “We plugged into TIH’s procurement structures, which gave us access to more efficient and cost-effective claims processes,” Herman explained. “That was probably the biggest immediate benefit, and one that didn’t compromise the service we offer to our brokers and policyholders.”
Benefits on different timelines - While claims improvements were quickly implemented, visible within the first 12 months, other aspects such as pricing structures and underwriting discipline take longer to materialise. “You can’t change underwriting overnight,” Herman said. “These improvements rely on policy renewal cycles, so we’re probably halfway there. But we’re already seeing positive momentum.”
Support functions like compliance and internal audit were also quick wins, with TIH’s governance frameworks helping to reinforce the foundation for growth.


The value of staying true to broker relationships - Throughout the transition, one constant has been Renasa’s unwavering commitment to its intermediated model. “Our brokers and underwriting managers work in a relationship-based environment. Changing that would’ve been a fundamental shift, and not one we were willing to make,” Herman stated.
Instead, the company focused on integrating back-end efficiencies while protecting the personal service that brokers rely on. “We’ve remained accessible, responsive, and aligned with how our brokers operate. That hasn’t changed and won’t.”
This approach, Herman noted, also helped ease concerns among brokers. “There were initial reservations, naturally. But those fears have subsided. Brokers have seen that we’re still the same Renasa, only stronger and better equipped to support them.”
Laying a foundation for the future - With the integration phase largely complete, Renasa is shifting focus toward expansion and innovation. “Our five-year business plan is now a plan for growth,” Herman said. “We’re modernising our operations and investing in digital capabilities to compete at scale.”
Unlike building a house, he explained, foundations in business are never static. “We keep reinforcing and aligning with the group’s technology roadmap so that we’re never left behind. Our goal is to stay embedded within the group’s evolution while delivering independent value to our broker partners.”
Investing in AI, without losing the human touch - Looking ahead, Scheepers identifies artificial intelligence as a key priority. “Everyone’s talking about AI, and rightly so,” he said. “Our goal is to use these tools to improve service quality and enhance how brokers interact with us, not to replace personal interaction, but to support it.”
He believes the future lies in combining technological strength with the personal engagement brokers expect. “We’re focused on making it easier for our brokers to do business with us, using technology to enable better advice, faster service, and more customised support.”
A transition marked by trust - What stands out in this integration journey is the lack of drama, something rare in a sector often sceptical of change. There was no noise, no backlash, just a quiet, successful shift into a stronger business.
Herman acknowledges it wasn’t without behind-the-scenes challenges, but the result speaks for itself. “We kept our identity, gained new capabilities, and kept our brokers at the heart of everything. That’s a transition I’m proud of.”
