Will COVID-19 Disrupt Insurtech?

If there is one thing that we have all learned with the spread of COVID-19, it is that there is virtually no industry that is immune to its impact.

The global pandemic is disrupting the daily lives of individuals, the operations of businesses, the activities of governments and even the approach of cherished institutions like museums, universities and religious organizations.

The P&C insurance industry, like many others, is reeling from the implications of the virus. Amid the rapid changes, it is important to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the insurtech movement.

After all, insurtech has always been touted as the ultimate disruptor of the insurance industry. But, might COVID-19 prove to be a disruptor to insurtech?

First, it is essential to recognize that the ultimate impact will depend largely on the duration of the virus. If the U.S. and the world at large gain control of the virus in the next six to eight weeks, then there will be short-term pain for all (including insurtech). But there is likely to be a sharp rebound — the V-shaped recovery that economists are talking about.