Q&A with Lucile Beaurain, EMEA & APAC Client Executive - Akur8

Lucile Beaurain, EMEA & APAC Client Executive - Akur8, is an International Client Executive at Akur8. She has built a strong experience in consulting and sales for complex solutions. She ajoined Akur8 to focus on business development with international insurers and manages the relationship with AXA Group.

If something doesn’t feel right, it’s not right; trust your gut. Communicate more and elevate your standards in your personal and professional life.



MEDIA 7: Could you please tell us a little about yourself? What inspired you to pursue a career in insurance?
LUCILE BEAURAIN:
Hi, I am Lucile, a French working at Akur8, an Insurtech company in Paris whose vision is to transform insurance pricing with Transparent AI. I have a very cosmopolitan background: I have cousins from the US and Netherlands. I went to Australia for a few weeks in High School, and then I was an au pair in the US. I also spent a year studying in Taiwan, so working in an international environment was very important for me, and my previous experiences led me to Akur8.

When I applied at Akur8, there were only 15 people. We are now almost 50 with offices in Paris, London, and NYC, and we have more than 20 customers in Europe, The Americas, and Asia! I wanted to work in Insurance because of the exciting adventure Akur8 represents and also because I thought that what we do would have a tangible impact on the insurance industry. That is because insurance pricing is a core and critical process for insurers, even more so in the current context of rising competitive pressure, low-interest rates, and the COVID-19 crisis. I like to work in a down-to-earth industry where we know we are adding value.

M7: How does Akur8 leverage AI and ML to automate GLM/GAM modeling while keeping transparency and control on the models?
LB:
Akur8’s solution enhances insurers’ pricing processes by automating risk and demand modeling, using transparent Artificial Intelligence proprietary technology. The core benefits for insurers include reducing modeling time which will accelerate time to market, increase predictive power while keeping full transparency and control on the models created. The Pricing experts can edit every step of the pricing process, and all variables selected within the models are known by the Pricing expert. Nothing will be put into production without their knowledge and possibly to correct something.

In this sense, Akur8 is reconciling the best of two worlds: actuarial science, generating models that pricing teams already know and use ensuring control and transparency, and data science, by automating the generation of these models yet without sacrificing interpretability and auditability, which would be the case with generic Machine Learning models that are Blackbox.


Driving a truly customer-centric strategy allowing for simple customization and personalization is instrumental. Such an approach has to be reflected in every process, even the most critical ones, like pricing.



M7: Have you ever bent the rules in assisting a customer? What is your approach to interaction in dealing with a demanding customer?
LB:
One important skill for any salesperson is to listen to your intuition and to make sure that the client is treated the best way they can. I sometimes went above my work missions, and I always try to provide the answers needed on time. What is important is to treat your client as you would like to be treated. Even if the client is difficult, try to understand why and also, providing the answers and maintaining reasonable diligence will always help you - in any situation!

M7: How can you get rapid unbiased consumer feedback to know if you are addressing their needs?
LB: We use an NPS survey to get their feedback. They have to s
core Akur8, and also, they can share comments. This way, we are all hands-on deck whenever they answer, and we know how to adjust if needed. We need to make sure that the satisfaction level from all our customers is the highest possible. We also have a direct channel of contact with our customers and prospects through a reliable tool to raise any questions or issues they have, which we strive to address in the most reactive manner possible.


The first job you are going to be working at doesn’t have to be your dream job. All your experiences will teach you something. That will lead you to your dream job.



M7: What do you believe are the top three marketing challenges the insurance industry faces in the post-COVID-19 era?
LB:
I believe the Covid-19 crisis is a massive accelerator to already-existing trends and challenges the insurance industry is faced with.
First, I am convinced that the insurers’ ability to provide the most seamless customer experience and journey possible will be one of the most essential elements in maintaining and strengthening their competitive advantage, especially with the rising competitive pressure from InsurTechs that are changing customer standards.

Second, driving a truly customer-centric strategy allowing for simple customization and personalization will be instrumental. Such an approach has to be reflected in every process, even the most critical ones, like pricing. Last, I think Brand equity should not be underestimated by insurers as a powerful tool to drive customer retention and acquisition.

M7: When you are not working, what are you usually doing? Would you like to share your hobbies with us?
LB:
Sure! I love cooking and baking. During the first lockdown in 2020, in France, I had the chance to cook 40/50 meals a week for an association called “Les Ravitailleurs”, collecting meals for people in need.
It was great to be able to contribute to such a project in a time of need!


M7: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your younger self?
LB:
If something doesn’t feel right, it’s not right; trust your gut. Also, communicate more and elevate your standards in your personal and professional life. The first job you are going to be working at doesn’t have to be your dream job. All your experiences will teach you something. That will lead you to your dream job. I followed this, and I am so happy that it did not feel right every time I listened to myself and left the adventure. I am currently working for a great company with great people!

ABOUT AKUR8

Akur8 is revolutionizing insurance pricing with transparent AI. Akur8 developed a unique AI-based insurance pricing solution that automates modeling for insurance companies while keeping full transparency and control on the models created, as required by regulators worldwide. Akur8 is the only solution on the market reconciling Machine Learning and Actuarial worlds - enabling customer lifetime value-based price optimization.

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Ladder and Envestnet | MoneyGuide Announce Integration to Provide More Advisors Digital Access to Term Life Insurance Offerings

PR Newswire | January 29, 2024

Today at the T3 Technology Conference, Ladder, the insurtech offering digital, flexible life insurance in minutes announced an integration with Envestnet | MoneyGuide, a leading financial planning software company serving over 107,000 financial advisors. This will empower more financial advisors with the capabilities to provide clients with term life insurance issued by reputable insurers. With this partnership, financial advisors utilizing Envestnet I MoneyGuide Elite's Advanced Lifetime Protection tool will be able to offer their clients digital, convenient, and affordable term life insurance. Financial advisors will be able to estimate clients' coverage needs, generate a quote, and send clients a link to apply—all from within the Envestnet | MoneyGuide platform. MoneyGuide's Advanced Lifetime Protection tool is designed to illustrate how a clients' protection needs can change over time. This tool may help advisors identify an opportunity to improve a client's probability of successfully achieving the goals in their client's financial plan. "Life insurance is a critical piece of a comprehensive financial plan," says Mike Izakov, Head of Financial Institution Partnerships at Ladder. "We believe MoneyGuide has the most robust planning tool in the industry, and we're excited to make it even easier for advisors to get clients the coverage their plans call for." With Ladder's industry-leading digital capabilities and proprietary flexible coverage (i.e. "laddering"), advisors using Envestnet | MoneyGuide will be able to utilize a visualization showcasing how a strategically laddered Ladder policy may save clients up to 40%* over a 30-year term compared to traditional term coverage. "Envestnet's generational research shows that a surprising 50% of Baby Boomers are not formally organizing their long-term finances," said Rose Palazzo, Group President of Envestnet Financial Planning. "Through our partnership with Ladder, our advisors are better equipped to help their clients take action on organizing their financial plans, including the important step of seeking to secure their financial futures through life insurance coverage. Ladder provides our advisors with digital access to term life insurance products, with an integration built right into our protection planning solution." Ladder offers term life insurance for coverage between $100,000 and $8 million, for terms ranging from 10 to 30 years. There are no medical exams required for coverage up to $3 million, just questions about an applicant's health are asked. The pricing is fully underwritten and backed by reputable carriers. Ladder offers a variety of partnership and compensation models to meet the needs of fee-based and insurance-licensed financial advisors. About Ladder Ladder is the first full-stack, digital life insurance company offering flexible online term coverage in minutes that can save policyholders up to 40%* by adjusting their coverage as their life changes. Ladder uses real-time underwriting to make life insurance as accessible, affordable, and beloved as it should be. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, and offers coverage up to $8M with no hidden fees. ABOUT ENVESTNET Envestnet is transforming the way financial advice is delivered through an ecosystem of technology, solutions, and intelligence. By establishing the connections between people's daily financial decisions and long-term financial goals, Envestnet empowers them to make better sense of their finances and live an Intelligent Financial Life. With more than $5.4 trillion in platform assets—more than 107,000 advisors, 16 of the 20 largest U.S. banks, 48 of the 50 largest wealth management and brokerage firms, more than 500 of the largest RIAs, and thousands of companies, depend on Envestnet technology and services to help drive better outcomes for their businesses and for their clients.

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