Why Insurers Are Betting Big on Prevention to Stay Profitable

Alejandro Martínez · 2026-10-24

The insurance industry is at a crossroads. As risks intensify—from health to climate to auto—the traditional model of simply paying out claims is under pressure. On October 14, France FinTech brought together key players from the insurance world at Les Furets, in partnership with Oliver Wyman, to discuss a topic that's become central to the sector's future: prevention. ### The Problem: Rising Costs Threaten Accessibility Jérémie Viscuso, Partner at Oliver Wyman, kicked off the morning with a keynote on the tensions weighing on the insurance model. Insurers have gotten really good at measuring risk—models are more sophisticated, data is abundant, and claims management tools are sharper than ever. But here's the catch: they still can't reduce risk at scale. And that's a problem because the cost of damages keeps climbing. When premiums rise repeatedly, coverage becomes out of reach for many, even when capital is available. Prevention, then, becomes not just a nice-to-have but a lever for competitiveness and accessibility. As the saying goes, the best claim is the one that never happens. But making that a reality requires a fundamental shift in the relationship between insurer and insured. ### From Reactive to Proactive: The Role of Technology Insurers don't interact with their customers daily. That's where partners come in—service companies, maintenance providers, and others who can be present in the insured's life. Technology, especially AI, can help personalize prevention. A baker, a locksmith, and a homeowner in a flood zone all have different needs. AI can craft targeted recommendations and adapt interactions to each profile. But it doesn't replace human support. When it comes to understanding risk, financing repairs, or changing behavior, trust and expertise remain crucial. > "Prevention only works if it's sustained over time and becomes a recurring practice." – Jérémie Viscuso, Oliver Wyman ### Health Insurance: Moving from Reimbursement to Continuous Support Fabrice Staad, CEO of Alan France, shared how his company is transforming health insurance. Alan's model is an integrated platform that combines prevention, coverage, and access to health services. The goal? Reduce fragmentation and give members a single entry point for their health questions. This addresses two big issues: - **Healthcare access:** Care is unequal, and some pathways are long and complex. - **Economic pressure:** Rising health costs weigh on employers and employees. Prevention thus becomes a way to improve outcomes and control costs. It's about being there for members every day, not just when they file a claim. ### The Bottom Line Prevention is no longer a peripheral concern—it's a condition for the sustainability of the insurance model. It must be sustained, personalized, measurable, and genuinely useful to policyholders. For professionals in the European payments and fintech space, this shift toward prevention offers lessons in customer engagement and risk management that extend beyond insurance. As Wero and other EU payment initiatives evolve, the same principles of proactive support and personalization will likely shape their success.