Year 2020 - CAPITALIZING ON PROFESSIONALS AND INSURTECH TO REACH GREATER HEIGHTS 善用專才與科技 保險中介創高峰

36 2019 年刊與 2020 展望 YEARBOOK 2019 & PROSPECT 2020 “Capitalizing on professionals and InsurTech to reach greater height” According to historical record, the first insurance policy was issued to a Genoa shipowner covering his merchant ship going for a sea voyage by an Italian merchant in mid-14th century. Insurance industry has continued to flourish and extensively developed following the active trading activities and subsequent industrialization in the western countries since then until now. At all time, insurance practitioners always serve the customers to best by providing professional advice and assistance in arranging appropriate insurance covers to protect their assets and liability. Insurers are manufacturers and providers of a broad range of insurance products whereas the insurance intermediaries are the specialists who can prepare a customized insurance and risk management programme for customers, and, when claims arise, can assist the customers through the process and liaise with the insurer to pursue settlement on behalf of the customers. Over the past two decades, increasing natural catastrophes and man-made disasters, such as hurricanes, windstorms, flooding, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, etc., have relentlessly generated huge economic losses to many countries in the world. Businesses and individuals are painfully suffering from the mishap, if under-insured or lack of insurance. Again, the insurance practitioners are the key professionals who play an important role to help out customers to manage their risks and to offer insurance solutions for providing protection against losses on their investment and wealth. Today, the world’s business has been changing rapidly, and insurance is no exception. Following technological advancement, the emerging risks including cyber risk, drone liability, parametric insurance, etc. are found within the insurance industry. Insurance practitioners need to have a comprehensive understanding of the exposure and impact of the new risks as well as the relevant products that suit the customers so to mitigate risks when they are facing with new challenges in business and in life. While insurance products become more sophisticated and complex with time amid market evolution and changes, insurance practitioners, particularly the insurance intermediaries, are expected to broaden their professional knowledge and upgrade their skill-set through continuing professional development from time to time in order to enhance professionalism and capability. The insurance guru always advocates the insurance practitioners to pursue lifelong learning as ongoing learning helps nurture the development of future leaders for the industry. Clearly, this is the expectation from the industry as well as the insuring public for insurance practitioners reaching new height in their professional development. 專題探討 FEATURE