Assistance Stories

What happens when insurance stops waiting for claims - and starts paying automatically?In this episode of Assistance Stories, Tom & Elliott sit down with Chris Lee, Head of Strategy at Blink Parametric, for a fascinating deep dive into the world of parametric insurance, AI, data, and the future of customer experience in travel insurance.Chris explains how Blink’s technology detects events like flight delays and lost baggage in real time and instantly provides support to travellers - without forms, paperwork, or traditional claims processes. We explore why consumers increasingly expect “Amazon-style” experiences from insurers, how data powers these solutions, and why the industry may be approaching a major shift in customer expectations.The conversation also dives into:- Flight delay and baggage parametric products- Fraud, data sharing, and real-time claims- AI experimentation inside insurance businesses- Weather and geopolitical parametric products- Why “the claim” may become a customer engagement opportunity rather than a costThis is one of our most thought-provoking episodes yet - and a glimpse into what the future of insurance and assistance could look like.

In this episode of Assistance Stories, we explore one of the most practical innovations transforming the assistance industry: cashless payments through virtual credit cards.James and Elliot are joined by Sabine Radun, CEO of Valora International Assistance (formerly BringOff Assistance), we dive into how a simple idea - issuing instant virtual cards to customers in need - can remove friction, speed up care, and dramatically improve the customer experience.From late-night hospital visits abroad to eliminating large upfront deposits, Sabine shares how her team is using technology to solve real-world problems for travellers and insurers alike. We also unpack the operational realities behind the solution, including cost control, fraud prevention, and why larger organisations are slower to adopt it.If you’re interested in assistance innovation, customer experience, or the future of claims and payments, this episode is packed with insight.Key topics:The problem with traditional guarantees of payment (GOPs)How virtual credit cards enable true cashless assistanceImproving speed, trust, and customer satisfactionWhy agility gives smaller companies an edge in innovationWhat this means for the future of the assistance industry🎙️ A must-listen for insurers, assistance providers, and anyone shaping the future of customer experience.

In this episode of Assistance Stories, James and Elliot are joined by Sarah Watson, co-founder of the Travel & Health Insurance Series (THIS), to explore the biggest trends shaping insurtech and the global assistance industry.With a unique, independent perspective on the market, Sarah shares what she’s seeing across conferences, content, and collaborations - from the rise of AI and platform-based solutions to the growing focus on customer experience and prevention.The conversation covers:The evolution from digital transformation to AI, and now agentic AIWhy many insurtech ideas fail to gain tractionThe role of customer education in unlocking innovationEmerging trends like wallets, parametric insurance, and SaaS platformsThe untapped potential of wearables and real-time health dataHow travel insurance could become more proactive and preventativeA thought-provoking discussion on where the industry is heading - and what it might take to truly transform the customer journey.

In this episode of Assistance Stories, Tom and Elliot are joined by Romain Di Meglio (APRIL International) and Julien Condamine (Novo.ai) to explore what AI in insurance actually looks like in practice - beyond the hype.Together, they unpack how APRIL International partnered with Novo.ai to transform claims processing using intelligent automation. From extracting and structuring messy, multilingual medical data to detecting fraud and medical abuse, this conversation dives into how AI is delivering real operational impact today.The discussion goes beyond technology, touching on adoption challenges, the importance of pragmatic implementation, and why perfection isn’t the benchmark in insurance - progress is. They also explore how AI is reshaping roles, improving decision-making, and enabling insurers to tackle long-standing issues like medical inflation and inefficiencies in claims handling.If you’re tired of AI buzzwords and want to understand how it’s being applied in the real world, this episode is packed with practical insight from both the builder and the buyer.

This week James and Elliot are joined by Amy Brown, Founder of Authenticx.We hear all about Amy's background in assistance and her journey, as a "non-techie", creating an AI company. Authenticx was founded to help contact centres review all of their touch points - whether via phone or text - to identify trends, areas for improvement, and to provide valuable data to stakeholders.Amy is a fantastic guest and we hear all about Authenticx's offering, impact and future.We hope you enjoy!