Last week, Onesurance Insurtech Insights Europe 2026 in London. At the invitation of the Swiss Insurtech Hub, we were at their booth, right next to the main stage, right at the heart of the international discussion.

What became particularly clear there was that the sector is evolving rapidly. And internationally, sometimes faster than we in the Netherlands tend to think.

From risk management to driving growth

Cara Morton’s (Zurich) opening keynote got straight to the point:

"We can become so good at anticipating what could go wrong that we stop seeing what can go right."

The insurance industry has always been strong in risk management. But the focus is clearly shifting toward actively creating value and growth.

AI: From Experiment to Foundation

A recurring theme at the event was that AI is no longer an experiment, but is becoming an integral part of core operations.

As Jason Howes (Allianz UK) astutely pointed out, this requires:

• Robust data and IT architecture

• Human expertise at the core

• Focus on real business challenges

It is precisely that combination that determines whether AI actually makes an impact or remains stuck in pilot projects.

The real challenge: from insight to action

In his keynote address, CTO Dennie van den Biggelaar highlighted where things often get stuck in practice: the gap between insight and actual action.

Many consultants now have access to data and dashboards. But translating that information into concrete customer actions on a daily basis and at scale has proven to be difficult.

And that is precisely where the difference is made. AI agents will play a key role in this.

A clear direction internationally

We saw clear international interest both in conversations on the trade show floor and through specific inquiries. We received follow-up questions and expressions of interest from countries including the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Romania, Egypt, and the US.

One theme kept coming up: predictable organic growth.

The focus is shifting from:

• Growth through acquisitions to

• Growth from the existing portfolio

With a focus on customer retention, upselling and cross-selling, and making better use of customer data.

What stood out: in many markets, this is no longer a matter of debate, but has already become a concrete strategic priority.

What does this mean for the Netherlands?

The trends observed in London indicate the direction in which the market is heading.

The question is not whether this movement will reach the Netherlands, but when, and who will be ready for it.

The biggest change lies not in technology, but in the ability to apply that technology systematically.

Conclusion

Insurtech Insights 2026 confirms a clear shift: from experimentation to implementation, from dashboards to action, and from unpredictable growth to predictable organic growth.

So the question isn't what's possible, but who will be the first to take advantage of it.