Meet The Advisors | Andy Rear

What is your previous experience and how does that translate to your advisory role at Taveo? 

I’ve been in insurance for 30 years as an operator, consultant and investor. Most recently I built Munich Re’s Digital Partners which was the largest and most successful insurtech investment and partnership business. We invested around $400m in the platform, returning about $2.5bn to our shareholders.

What initially attracted you to Taveo? 

The winners in insurtech have been those who quickly understand what problem needs to be solved. It’s easy to grow by competing on price, not easy to build something which is genuinely a game-changer for customers. Taveo does that: from the first moment they have been completely focused on removing the trust gap that holds the small business insurance market back.

What do you think is unique about the Taveo offering? 

Most insurtechs have built a single line of business as their product. But that isn’t the product customers actually need: if you own a business you need insurance for every part of it: your activities, employees, assets, premises. Taveo’s product uses technology to offer you transparency and value across all of what you need.

Who do you think will most benefit from the Taveo proposition? 

Customers, through lower prices and a more user-friendly experience. And then investors, of whom I am proud to be one.

What advice would you give to a business owner considering moving their insurance to Taveo? 

Just try it out. If you love your current broker or your current insurer, that’s great, but very rare. Ask your broker how much they are charging you, and then decide if you are getting value for money. Then talk to Taveo, and see that you can get more for less, with the same quality of insurance – often the same insurers. Because every conversation Taveo has on your behalf is transparent to you, you can see exactly what they are doing and whose side they are on.

And what about somebody considering leaving their current employer to begin a career in usage-based broking? 

Usage-based broking is the future. It’s better for the customer – more control, more transparency, lower cost. But it’s also better for the broking professional. Instead of spending your day doing admin, you spend your day advising your customers, using your professional skills, while the Taveo system does the grunt work.

What do you find the most exciting thing about Taveo?

Taveo has the opportunity to change how business insurance works. It’s ambitious, even visionary, and it has a clear customer-focused mission.

What 5 words describe your role as an advisor? 

Chairman, investor, supporter and admirer