Darren Bex: ‘We must rethink the whole ecosystem and how customers interface with insurance’

Seven candidates have been shortlisted to pick up the prestigious accolade of Technology Champion of the Year at Insurance Times’  Tech and Innovation Awards 2023.

First up is Darren Bex, who co-founded digital health insurtech Peachy.

The Homerton-based business describes itself as “the UK’s first truly digital health insurance” firm. 

Bex has worked as the insurtech’s chief technology officer for more than three years and built all of its systems from scratch.

He is now looking into artificial intelligence (AI) integrations to improve claims processing capabilities and data extraction.

Peachy is also preparing to build Doogie Howser, a data intelligence layer which will aim to lay the foundation for machine learning and AI.

Bex told Insurance Times that he was both “shocked and delighted” to be shortlisted for Technology Champion of the Year.

He said: ”We must rethink the whole ecosystem to revolutionise how customers interface with insurance, care delivery systems and their own health information.

”Advances in interoperability, trust solutions, embedded devices and the exponential potential of AI will drive the next wave of innovation and blur the distinctions between service providers.

”This is basically the mission statement at Peachy and this nomination gives us assurance that we are on the right track.

”I must immediately share the kudos with the whole team of nimble ninjas here at Peachy.”

’Pivotal moment’

Bex added that the health care industry was at a “pivotal moment” where digital transformation was “no longer enough”, with time and technology “moving fast”.

”The goal for all players in this space must be to provide efficient access to personalised preventative medicine at scale, for as many people as possible,” he said.

”Simply digitising our legacy systems will not cut it. The future belongs to companies that rapidly harness new technology, forge partnerships and collaborations and yet keep the person at the heart of healthcare.”

Prior to Peachy, between September 2012 and May 2020, Bex was the chief technical architect  at UnderwriteMe – a life insurance technology provider.

He also worked at AIG Life in a technical architect and senior developer role between 2007 and 2012.

The Technology Champion of the Year will be revealed at an awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster London hotel later this year (21 September 2023).

And this year there will no voting – instead the final decision will be in the hands of the Insurance Times editorial team.

For table bookings for this event, contact account manager Serena Giampieri: Serena.giampieri@insurancetimes.co.uk

Meanwhile, for sponsorship opportunities, contact head of commercial Aisha Roberts: Aisha.roberts@insurancetimes.co.uk