From actuary to underwriter: Building an insurance company from scratch

From actuary to underwriter: Building an insurance company from scratch

In this episode of The Underwriting Intelligence Podcast, Amrit sits down with Sima Ruparelia, President and Active Underwriter at Niyam, to explore what it takes to build a modern insurance company from the ground up and why India may represent one of the most significant growth opportunities in global insurance today. Having spent her career in leadership roles across some of the industry's largest organizations, including Catlin, AIG, and PartnerRe, Sima shares the journey that led her from actuarial and analytics leadership into underwriting and entrepreneurship. The conversation explores the launch of Niyam, the first Lloyd's syndicate operating from GIFT City, and the unique opportunity to help expand insurance penetration in one of the world's fastest-growing economies. From underwriting philosophy and portfolio construction to AI, data strategy, and the future of insurance infrastructure, Sima offers a fascinating perspective on how new entrants can leverage technology, talent, and global expertise to build differently from day one. In this episode, Amrit and Sima dive into: * Why Sima left global insurance giants to help build Niyam from scratch * What it takes to launch the first Lloyd's syndicate operating from GIFT City * Why India represents one of the most important growth markets in global insurance * How reinsurance capacity can support economic development and infrastructure investment * The balance between portfolio growth and underwriting discipline in a new venture Whether you're an underwriter, actuary, insurance executive, founder, or technology leader, this episode offers a unique look at the intersection of entrepreneurship, global insurance markets, and the next generation of underwriting innovation.

How AI is transforming the way insurers work

In this episode of The Underwriting Intelligence Podcast, Amrit sits down with Kevin Hicks, AI Transformation and Service Delivery Executive at Capgemini and former AI leader at AIG, to explore how artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping insurance operations, technology strategy, and enterprise decision-making. Drawing on decades of experience leading large-scale technology transformation inside some of the world’s biggest insurance organizations, Kevin shares a practical and deeply insightful perspective on where AI is already delivering value today and where the industry is still underestimating the scale of change ahead. From workflow acceleration and legacy modernization to AI agents, organizational redesign, and the future of outsourcing, the conversation dives deep into how insurers can move from experimentation to real operational transformation. In this episode, Amrit and Kevin dive into: * Why AI is becoming a “work capacity creator” for insurance organizations * How workflow acceleration and cycle-time optimization are changing enterprise operations * Why legacy modernization is actually in sight for the first time * How insurers should rethink outsourcing, partnerships, and internal capabilities in an AI-driven world * Why successful AI adoption requires both top-down leadership and bottom-up experimentation Whether you’re an insurer, technology executive, founder, or transformation leader, this episode offers a sharp and highly practical look at how AI is redefining the operating model of insurance and what organizations must do now to stay ahead.

Re-underwriting speed: Data moats, AI, and the future of insurtech

In this episode of The Underwriting Intelligence Podcast, Amrit sits down with Scott Stephenson, former Chairman, President and CEO of Verisk, and currently Chairman to One Inc. to explore what it really takes to build enduring data and analytics businesses in insurance and why the rules of competitive advantage are rapidly changing in the age of AI. Drawing on more than two decades leading one of the world’s most influential insurance data companies, Scott shares a masterclass on data moats, trust, vertical software, and the new pace of technology innovation. From the realities of assembling proprietary datasets to the future of insurtech competition, the conversation dives deep into how insurers and technology companies should rethink strategy in a world where software creation is becoming dramatically faster and cheaper. In this episode, Amrit and Scott dive into: * Why the strongest data moats are built over decades, not overnight * How Verisk earned the trust required to steward highly sensitive insurance data * Why proprietary data has become harder to assemble in today’s market * The strategic implications of AI on vertical SaaS and insurtech competition * Why insurers increasingly buy outcomes rather than isolated “point solutions” * Why companies must “re-underwrite” the pace at which they operate in an AI-driven world Whether you’re an insurer, founder, investor, or technology leader, this episode offers a sharp and deeply practical perspective on the future of insurance technology and what it takes to build lasting competitive advantage in a rapidly changing market.

There is no playbook: Rethinking insurance technology investment

In this episode of The Underwriting Intelligence Podcast, Amrit sits down with James Orchard, CEO of QBE Ventures, to explore how insurance investments in technology can really work, and why most approaches fall short. Drawing on his journey from private equity into corporate strategy and ultimately leading the venture arm of one of the world’s leading insurers, James shares a candid perspective on what it really takes to build meaningful partnerships between insurers and startups. At the heart of the conversation is alignment; how successful innovation isn’t driven by investment alone, but by deeply understanding business problems and working backwards from them. In this episode, Amrit and James dive into: * Why there is no “playbook” for insurance technology investing and why copying other industries doesn’t work * The importance of emotional intelligence over traditional credentials when building investment teams * How QBE Ventures avoids “spray and pray” investing in favour of fewer, deeper strategic partnerships * Why most insurers struggle to scale technology and how to remove friction from experimentation * How to align startups and underwriters by building trust, empathy, and shared incentives * What the rise of AI means for insurance transformation and why traditional approaches may no longer apply Whether you’re an underwriter, founder, investor, or insurance leader, this episode offers a practical and refreshingly honest look at how innovation actually happens and how to make it work in a complex, evolving market.

From broking to breaking news: Mark Geoghegan

In this special episode of The Underwriting Intelligence Podcast, Amrit sits down with Mark Geoghegan, founder of The Voice of Insurance podcast, to explore the intersection of journalism, insurance, and how the industry really works beneath the surface. Drawing on his unique journey from Spanish-speaking broker to leading insurance journalist, Mark shares how he “accidentally” found his way into the industry before ultimately building one of its most trusted media voices. At the heart of the conversation is perspective; how stepping away from the day-to-day grind of underwriting and broking reveals the bigger picture of how the market functions, evolves, and occasionally breaks. In this episode, Amrit and Mark dive into: * How Mark transitioned from insurance into journalism and why he ultimately came back to cover the industry * The difference between working in the market versus observing it from above * What makes great insurance journalism, and why trust and human relationships still sit at its core * Why podcasts and new media formats are reshaping how insight and intelligence are shared across the market Whether you’re an underwriter, broker, insurance executive, or simply curious about the forces shaping the industry, this episode offers a candid, wide-angle view of insurance through the eyes of someone who has spent decades asking the questions others don’t.