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"From claims manager to risk manager": ERGO receives Digital Leader Award

We have already reported on //next that ERGO not only offers insurance on its new platform nexsurance, but also technology products for risk avoidance. This - according to Computerwoche - "successful disruptive and at the same time strategic approach" has now also secured ERGO a place in the ranks of the "Digital Leaders" for this year.

Jacob Spönemann from the management of nexsurance at the award ceremony of the Digital Leader Award 2021 Jacob Spönemann from the management of nexsurance at the award ceremony of the Digital Leader Award 2021

The Digital Leader Award 2021 was once again dominated by the pandemic and, according to Computerwoche, showed once again: "As in the previous year, the digital pressure to act acted as a catalyst for unique digital stories" (link in German). 

The jury, consisting of Eva-Maria Bledau (Head of Digitalization, Volvo Car Germany), Anja Hendel (Managing Director, diconium), Hanna Hennig (Chief Information Officer, Siemens), Florian Jörgens (Chief Information Security Officer, LANXESS Deutschland), Sylvia List (General Manager Go-to-Market Solutions, NTT Germany), Ellen Rettig (Head of Digital Academy, TÜV NORD), Harald Schirmer (Manager Digital Transformation and Change, Continental), Prof. Christian Schlereth (Digital Marketing, WHU- Otto Beisheim School of Management), Sabine Scheunert (Vice President Digital & IT Sales/Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars), Tobias Schlottke (Co-Founder, omr.com), Lynn-Kristin Thorenz (Associate Vice President Research & Consulting Germany & Switzerland, IDC), Bettina Uhlich (Chief Information Officer, Evonik Industries), Heinrich Vaske (Editorial Director COMPUTERWOCHE and CIO, IDG Germany) and Anna Waege (Agile Leader Center of Business Excellence Health, Generali Deutschland) were once again spoilt for choice.

In the end, 28 finalists made it to the final round. ERGO was one of the winners at a large, virtual "Winners Night". In the "Digital Products & Services" category for the new nexsurance platform and its approach of "bundling risk-avoiding technologies with insurance", as ERGO CDO Mark Klein sums it up on LinkedIn.

According to Computerwoche, this independent subsidiary also allows non-insurance business to be conducted digitally: "Risk-avoiding security products are sold via the nexsurance platform. These include devices for tap water alarms, burglar and smoke detectors, and even smart bicycle locks. The benefit for the customer: For example, they can combine bicycle theft insurance with a bicycle alarm system and a GPS tracker. A successful disruptive and at the same time strategic approach."


CIO Magazin had already presented this innovation in mid-June in the article "Mit IoT zum digitalen Risiko-Manager". In that article (link is in German only), the editors also asked Gregor Wiest, the second managing director of nexsurance alongside Jacob Spönemann, about the idea for the new platform. His answer: "We perceive a strong disruption in the insurance industry and want to take advantage of the newly emerging business opportunities."

With the new offering, ERGO is placing an emphasis on risk-avoiding products: Customers are to benefit from a triad of insurance, service and technology in the form of sensors, for example. "Up to now, insurers usually only appear with their services in the event of a claim," Wiest explained the background. "But our customers want us as insurers to take on more of the role of risk managers instead of risk insurers.

Text: Ingo Schenk

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