Insights into the Future

In this forward-looking episode, Tony from COVER interviews Thomas Kieck, Business Development Director at Tial Technologies, for a deep exploration of the future of short-term insurance administration platforms. With a quarter-century of experience behind the company, Thomas brings a unique perspective on how technology, customer behaviour, and regulatory expectations have reshaped the insurance landscape.

He reflects on fundamental changes since Tial’s early days, moving from desktop-based systems to web-based, API-driven platforms, and navigating a regulatory environment that has “added a huge burden,” but ultimately protects customers. Today’s policyholder, Thomas explains, expects seamless digital interaction: the ability to buy, change, and claim insurance at any hour, without waiting for a broker.

The discussion covers:

• Tial’s expansion into Mauritius and lessons from a simpler but fast-maturing market
• Building data-sound foundations to support fast innovation and omnichannel distribution
• Their training academy designed to boost adoption and soon linked with CPD points
• Leveraging AI for natural-language access to training and insurer documentation
• Balancing hyper-personalisation with privacy, trust and ethical data use

Looking ahead, Thomas warns insurers against chasing “shiny tools” and emphasises strategic clarity: using technology for reinvention, not just efficiency. He envisions a future where admin systems become gamified engagement layers, encouraging customers to reduce risk and improve their cover dynamically. The episode concludes with a fascinating reflection on AI’s accelerating evolution, the risks of over-dependence, and the profound shift in what technology skills mean in a democratised AI world.

This episode is essential listening for insurers, brokers, UMAs, tech builders, actuaries, and anyone shaping the insurance ecosystem of the future.