Innovation Without Borders: Why Insurtech Is No Longer the Play

For years it was all about “insurtech”. 

It gave insurance innovation an identity. It created space for experimentation that didn’t exist before.

But something has shifted.

Talk to anyone leading innovation inside an insurer today and you’ll hear the same story: they’re still exploring new technologies, still investing, still partnering with innovators – but they’re not focussed on insurtech anymore.

It has evolved.

From category to capability

We’ve seen this shift happen up close.

Most of our clients are no longer thinking in terms of “the insurtech ecosystem.” They’re looking at capability – what new technologies, tools, and partnerships can do for them, regardless of where they originate.

It’s less about the label, all about the impact.

AI that improves claims handling? Sure.
Health tech that personalises underwriting? Absolutely.
Retail analytics that enhance customer engagement? Yup.

The best innovation leaders have realised the smartest ideas don’t always come from within insurance. And that’s a good thing.

Why the term “insurtech” stopped serving us

“Insurtech” had its moment. That’s for sure. And it was kind of a must it did.

It attracted investment, legitimised experimentation, and built a bridge between startups and incumbents. 

But it also came with limits.

The label implied separation and containment: insurance versus insurance technology.
It defined the space as niche, even as the technology itself became universal.

As a result, teams started missing opportunities outside that bubble – technologies built for adjacent sectors that could solve the same problems faster or better.

When we track innovation today through Sønr, we see insurers investing in climate data platforms, mobility ecosystems, embedded distribution, and even wellness and financial wellbeing.

None of that fits neatly under the “insurtech” banner and yet all of it shapes the future of insurance.

Innovation has gone horizontal

A few years ago, most innovation was managed from the centre.
Now it’s everywhere across a business.

Underwriting teams are building AI-driven models.
Claims departments are partnering directly with automation startups.
Distribution is experimenting with customer tech that used to belong in retail.

This decentralisation is powerful but it also makes alignment harder.

Each part of the business is exploring new ground, yet without shared visibility, it’s easy for effort to overlap or opportunities to be missed.

That’s why intelligence is becoming the connective tissue.

Seeing across boundaries

When innovation has no borders, neither should your view of it.

Sønr 2.0 was built to reflect that reality – helping teams see the full picture of what’s happening across industries, technologies, and markets.

It’s a single place to explore where the real capability lies (…whether it’s labelled “insurtech” or not!). 

If the last decade was about discovering startups, the next one is about discovering relevance.

Where does this technology actually fit?
How does it move the needle for the business?
And how can teams make those calls faster, with confidence?

That’s what better intelligence unlocks.

From ecosystems to intersections

Insurance is no longer a standalone vertical.
It sits at the intersection of health, mobility, climate, finance and more – all of which are evolving faster than ever.

We’re watching a new kind of ecosystem form, one where insurers don’t just buy or invest in technology – they co-create it.

Where a climate analytics startup becomes a strategic partner in parametric product design.
Where a mobility platform becomes a distribution channel.
Where customer engagement tools designed for retail redefine what insurance feels like.

That’s innovation without borders.

What this means for insurers

The real opportunity now lies in connecting the dots across these intersections.

That requires better intelligence – tools and processes that help teams see beyond the walls of their own industry and turn external signals into internal action.

Sønr 2.0 helps insurers do exactly that.

It tracks what’s changing across sectors, connects it to your business priorities, and turns that insight into context you can actually use.

Because it’s not about chasing the next insurtech wave.
It’s about building the capability to see and act on what matters, wherever it comes from.

The takeaway

Innovation has outgrown its labels.

The boundaries that once defined “insurtech” have dissolved – replaced by a broader, faster, more connected world of capability.

For insurers, the challenge isn’t finding ideas.
It’s knowing which ones deserve attention.

That’s where intelligence becomes an advantage.

Join the Sønr 2.0 waitlist → sonr.global/2-0

This article is part of our Sønr 2.0 series exploring how insurers are transforming intelligence into action.