The Hidden Key to Affordable Insurance: Why Prevention Is the New Must-Have

Alejandro Martínez · 2026-10-24

When France FinTech brought together insurance leaders at Les Furets on October 14, in partnership with Oliver Wyman, the focus was clear: prevention is no longer a nice-to-have—it's the cornerstone of a sustainable insurance model. The conversation revealed that prevention must be long-term, personalized, measurable, and genuinely useful to policyholders. ### Prevention: The New Frontier of Insurability Jérémie Viscuso, Partner at Oliver Wyman, kicked off the morning with a keynote on the pressures facing the insurance model. He emphasized that prevention only works if it becomes a recurring practice. The goal is to support policyholders daily to reduce the frequency or severity of claims. This shift is driven by economics: insurers have gotten better at measuring risk, but they still struggle to reduce it at scale. Rising claim costs could make insurance less accessible, even when coverage exists. Repeated premium hikes can price people out, even if capital is available. > "The best claim is the one that never happens." This old adage now demands a new relationship between insurer and insured. Prevention becomes a lever for competitiveness and accessibility. To be present in policyholders' daily lives, insurers need partners on the ground—service companies, maintenance providers, or anyone who can intervene close to where risks occur. ### Technology Meets Human Touch Technology can help personalize prevention. A baker, a locksmith, or a homeowner in a flood zone all have different needs. AI enables targeted recommendations and adapts interactions to each policyholder's profile. But AI doesn't replace human support. When it comes to understanding risk, financing repairs, or changing behavior, trust and expertise remain essential. ### Health Insurance: From Reimbursement to Continuous Support Fabrice Staad, CEO of Alan France, illustrated this transformation in health insurance. Alan's model is an integrated platform combining prevention, coverage, and access to health services. The goal? Reduce fragmentation and give policyholders a single entry point for health questions. This addresses two challenges: - **Healthcare access:** Care remains unequal, and some pathways are long or complex. - **Economic pressure:** Rising health costs weigh on employers and employees. Prevention thus becomes a way to improve outcomes and control costs. By engaging policyholders continuously, insurers can help them stay healthier and avoid expensive treatments. ### What This Means for You If you're in the insurance industry, the message is clear: prevention is no longer optional. It requires investment in technology, partnerships, and a shift in mindset. For consumers, it means insurers will increasingly offer tools and services to help you manage risk—and possibly lower your premiums. The future of insurance is proactive, not reactive. As the discussion showed, the path forward involves collaboration between insurers, fintechs, and assurtechs. By working together, they can build a more sustainable and accessible insurance system for everyone.