Claims of the Future, Lessons from the Past: Alan Demers

Alan Demers spent 24 years at Nationwide, building a career in claims, leadership and innovation before stepping out to found InsurTech Consulting.In this episode of Humanizing Insurance, we talk about what claims teaches you about people, pressure and decision-making, and why it remains one of the most misunderstood parts of the industry. Alan reflects on a career spent largely inside one organisation, what loyalty and longevity can give you, and the moments when staying in one place can make you wonder what you might be missing elsewhere.We also explore leadership at scale, the reality of trying to build the “claims of the future”, and what Alan sees now from outside the insurance machine that he could not see when he was inside it. It is an honest conversation about innovation too: not the conference version, but the real thing, with all the bureaucracy, delay and frustration that comes with trying to change a complex industry.This is a conversation about careers, conviction, claims, and the humbling experience of starting again after years at the top of a large organisation.In this episode:How Alan found his way into insurance through claimsWhy claims is far more nuanced than many people realiseWhat 24 years at one company gave him, and what it may have costThe tension between loyalty, longevity and moving to growWhat leadership looks like when you are responsible for thousands of peopleHow close the industry has really come to building the “claims of the future”What insurers still get wrong about innovationWhy external networks matter more than many people thinkWhat it feels like to leave corporate life and build something of your ownHumanizing Insurance is bought to you by Daniel Grimwood-Bird. It's a passion project, driven by the evergreen phrase 'Insurance is a people industry'.Through each conversation, we explore the stories, experiences, and ideas that make our world of insurance more human - from the pioneers and innovators shaping its future to the quiet leaders who hold its traditions together.This podcast exists to remind us that behind every policy, premium, and claim is a person, someone making decisions, taking risks, and protecting what matters most.If these stories resonate with you, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a colleague or friend who still believes in the people side of this business.You can also connect with Daniel on LinkedIn to continue the conversation, recommend guests, or request a topic that you'd like to know more about.Humanizing Insurance — one conversation at a time.