How Sharing Economy Is Reshaping Insurance

The sharing economy is an economic system based on the use of technology to share assets or services between parties (individuals or organizations). Participants in the sharing economy use it because it can provide a more flexible and affordable option than some other economic systems. In this way, the sharing economy makes goods and services available to those who would not otherwise be able to access them. Much has been discussed about how the fast-growing web of consumer-to-consumer transactions that is the largest component of the sharing economy presents new opportunities for the insurance industry. The consensus view among insurers is that this potential market is large, growing quickly and under-developed yet tricky to insure with traditional products as it blurs the boundaries between personal and commercial lines.