Peter Louwrence, Managing Director, Elevation Technical Underwriters, SA The construction & engineering insurance (C&E) sector in Southern Africa is going through a major shift. For many years, underwriting in the region was cautious and heavily reliant on past loss data and risk survey assessments. But as we move through 2026, things are changing quickly. A new era is taking…
Andre Fredericks, COO, Sanlam Studios, Venture Builder Picture a financial adviser who once spent an afternoon drafting a client recommendation. Now an AI system produces a polished version in ninety seconds. The adviser scans it, tweaks a paragraph, and sends it. The output looks the same. The signature is the same. The regulatory obligation is…
Kevin Watson, Executive Head, SATIB Insurance Brokers, SA For a long time, insurance followed a simple rhythm if something broke, the policy fixed it. But the “new era” isn’t just a buzzword for better tech and PR, it’s a shift in how we actually live through risk. We’ve moved past the point where we can…
Chandre Stemmers, President, Insurance Institute of the Western Cape The insurance industry is at a defining moment. Accelerated technological advancement, increasing regulatory complexity, and evolving risk landscapes are reshaping how we operate, advise, and deliver value. In this environment, innovation is no longer optional. At the Insurance Institute of the Western Cape (IIWC), however, we…
Stuart Redfearn, Managing Director: Insurer, SSP Worldwide Leadership in technology businesses is often misunderstood. It is frequently seen as direction-setting or control. In reality – particularly in insurance – it is far more about enablement. It is about setting a clear vision and then removing the barriers that prevent teams from achieving it. That is…
Gary Tessendorf, Regional Director for Sub-Sahara Africa, Sapiens The South African insurance industry is buzzing about AI. Every board deck mentions it. But too often it’s just “AI theatre”: impressive demos layered on top of old systems, now running in the cloud. Moving legacy technology to a new infrastructure isn’t transformation. And sprinkling generic AI…
Christine Rodrigues, Partner, Bowmans Despite the many jurisdictions within the continent, there are common trends shaping Africa’s insurance markets. Here are key developments to watch in 2026. Strengthening of prudential supervision Regulators are tasked with improving the resilience and credibility of the sector thereby creating customer trust and increasing market penetration. With the increase in…
Leslie Muthen, Head of Territory for Africa, SSP Worldwide Across Africa’s insurance markets, the same conversation is playing out in boardrooms from Lagos to Nairobi to Johannesburg. Insurers know their legacy policy administration systems are holding them back, yet the perceived risk of modernisation often feels greater than the cost of standing still. As regulatory…
Nadia Shiba, Cyber & Financial Lines Specialist, Consulting for Inter Alia, South Africa Amnesty International has recently garnered significant attention for its plea to governments worldwide to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change, stressing that it is a pressing human rights issue. The organisation demands that governments reduce greenhouse gas emissions…
Pamela Machiri Nikisi, Senior Manager – Underwriting and Marketing, African Reinsurance Corporation, Mauritius Underwriting in Africa stands at a strategic inflection point. Legacy systems and limited data have long constrained risk assessment and pricing precision in African Markets. Yet today, driven by mobile penetration, InsurTech innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, underwriting is transforming at…