Where technology meets trust: Blockchain is humanizing insurance | Opinion

Insurance is one of those areas that can often feel so impersonal. Customers are frequently reduced to data points, and customers typically view insurance agents as little more than sales channels. The whole process has become a confusing quagmire of policies and premiums. 

But I see the possibility for something better in the industry. Insurance can be shaped by people rather than by policies, moving from a cold, transactional model to one grounded in personal connection and trust. That evolution is driven by blockchain technology.

Blockchain insurance promises a personal future and innovation

The traditional insurance model is a series of impersonal transactions. Customers buy a policy, pay their premiums, and when something goes wrong, they file a claim. No wonder it feels more like a business deal than a relationship.

For too long, customers and agents have had no meaningful connection beyond the occasional transaction. This distance breeds skepticism and disengagement.

The solution is to re-center the insurance industry around relationships. Transparency can build confidence, and ownership can foster loyalty on both sides. Transparency will also support compliance and eliminate misrepresentation, ensuring that everything is visible and there is no manipulation of the system.

Blockchain technology is the path to this transparency and ownership. This innovation keeps insurance data transparent in a way that everyone controls. Instead of the insurer holding all the information, customers own and manage their policy details. When customers can help tailor an insurance policy to their history and needs, the experience becomes far more personal.

On the blockchain, policy updates can occur instantly and transparently. That way, customers don’t have to wait or wonder about the status of their claims and rewards because they are already ‌part of the process. This involvement builds trust and makes insurance feel like a partnership.

Because blockchain technology can securely collect and share a customer’s verified information, insurers can offer personalized policies that exactly fit their needs. For instance, information about a customer’s safe driving habits or home security can make their policy much more relevant. Suddenly, insurance is less like a clinical transaction and more like an ongoing relationship.

Best of all? The new technology enables a mindset change by helping agents remember that behind every policy is a human being seeking security. After all, our shared mission should be so much more than selling coverage. We are partners in lifelong protection. We are creating spaces where everyone shares in long-term value.

Blockchain insurance builds a company that empowers employees as entrepreneurs

Agents of insurance companies typically have fixed roles with limited control or ownership. But imagine a company where agents don’t just work for a paycheck; they are active entrepreneurs who have a real stake in the company’s success. Blockchain technology helps make this possible.

Blockchain allows companies to issue digital tokens that represent ownership. When agents earn or buy these tokens, they gain real ownership in the ecosystem. They are no longer just workers. They are part-owners and benefit directly when the company does well.

With this insurance innovation, important decisions can be made through secure voting systems. It gives agents a genuine voice. Decentralizing control allows employees to propose ideas, vote on policies, and help steer the company’s direction like true entrepreneurs.

Smart contracts also automatically reward agents based on their sales or contributions without delay. This fairness motivates agents to innovate and take initiative, much like how entrepreneurs are motivated to invest effort for clear returns.

Insurance innovation uses blockchain and a purpose-driven culture to create agent ownership

Insurance companies need to revive and refocus their mission. The goal was never to be centered on sales and profits. Instead, the true vision is to protect people and build stronger communities, but this vision will only succeed with a focus on long-term value. Combining blockchain technology with a renewed purpose-driven culture is the way to make this happen.

Blockchain securely tracks contributions, performance, and impact over time. With smart contracts, companies can fairly and automatically reward employees, agents, and partners who help create lasting value, such as keeping customers happy or improving community safety.

When a company rallies around a mission to help people and make a difference, employees and partners join in to work with the company toward bigger goals. This purpose-driven culture can be tracked on the blockchain. Celebrating positive impacts with transparent ownership and reward systems allows everyone in the company to share in the success. It encourages everyone to adopt a focus on long-term thinking and sustainable growth. When insurance companies use this exciting innovation to reward those who truly build lasting value, it makes the whole company stronger.

The transformation of insurance from cold transactions to warm relationships is already underway. We are using technology to build systems that foster trust with every interaction and put people front and center. We won’t find the future of insurance in products or premiums; it’s in purpose and partnership.