Brokers Begone
Forbes Africa|June 2019

Two industry outsiders are using AI and do-good marketing to make the centuries-old property insurance business millennial-friendly — and make themselves rich.

Jeff Kauflin And Kristin Stoller
Brokers Begone

IN THE SUMMER OF 2017, a Los Angeles man in his mid-20s put on a necklace, blond wig and makeup and made a cellphone video describing how his camera and other electronics had been stolen. He submitted the video to his renters insurance provider, Lemonade, which paid the $677 claim in two days. Three months later, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and using a different name, email address and phone number, the same man submitted a video claim for a stolen $5,000 camera. But this time, the algorithms that are a crucial part of Lemonade’s highly automated systems flagged the claim as suspicious. Last year, the persistent fraudster, this time wearing a pink dress, tried again, only to be foiled once more by Lemonade’s computers.

Using artificial intelligence, a mobile app and other techcentric methods, Lemonade founders Daniel Schreiber and Shai Wininger are turning the centuries-old business of property insurance into a Millennial-friendly consumer product. In 2018, its second full year offering renters and homeowners insurance, Lemonade took in $57 million in premium revenue from 425,000 customers, 75% of them under 35 and 90% of them buying such insurance for the first time. Already operating in 22 states, the 170-employee New York-based startup expects to double revenue this year and expand to all 50 states and Europe. To fund that growth, Lemonade raised $300 million in April at a valuation, says a source, of more than $2 billion.

That would make the founders’ combined 20% stake worth in excess of $400 million — not bad for two middle-aged guys who until 2015 knew almost nothing about the insurance business.

Denne historien er fra June 2019-utgaven av Forbes Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra June 2019-utgaven av Forbes Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA FORBES AFRICASe alt
TRACK, WATCH, BEFRIEND
Forbes Africa

TRACK, WATCH, BEFRIEND

IN THE PRISTINE WILDERNESS OF GABON ARE THE MAJESTIC AND GENTLE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS. A FIRSTHAND REPORT FROM OUR TRAVEL WRITER ON WHAT GOES INTO HABITUATING THEM.

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
CHALLENGING BUT NECESSARY: THE AI BALANCING PROBLEM
Forbes Africa

CHALLENGING BUT NECESSARY: THE AI BALANCING PROBLEM

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues transforming many industries, providing unprecedented opportunities for innovation and efficiency. However, these advancements bring complex challenges that necessitate a delicate balancing act.

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
BEYOND ACADEMIA: THE SOCIETAL IMPACT OF MULTILATERAL EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
Forbes Africa

BEYOND ACADEMIA: THE SOCIETAL IMPACT OF MULTILATERAL EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

The great poet William Butler Yeats once said, \"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.\"

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
The Business Of Dance: Embracing One's Individuality And Style
Forbes Africa

The Business Of Dance: Embracing One's Individuality And Style

In the dynamic world of street dance, passion and perseverance pave the way for success. Living out this ethos is South African born B-girl turned businesswoman, Courtnaé Paul.

time-read
2 mins  |
August - September 2024
COMPASSION FATIGUE: THE DANGEROUS DESCENT FROM HELPING TO HURTING
Forbes Africa

COMPASSION FATIGUE: THE DANGEROUS DESCENT FROM HELPING TO HURTING

It is a workplace reality that caring too much for your colleagues can hurt you.

time-read
2 mins  |
August - September 2024
IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE CRITICAL TO FIND OUR NICHE
Forbes Africa

IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE CRITICAL TO FIND OUR NICHE

Have you found your niche? I received a lot of advice when I set up my company, but perhaps the most important consisted of just three words: Find Your Niche.

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
HOW TO MAKE AFRICA WIN OFF THE FIELD TOO
Forbes Africa

HOW TO MAKE AFRICA WIN OFF THE FIELD TOO

When all else fails, try sports. It's good for the soul.

time-read
2 mins  |
August - September 2024
BEAN THERE, DONE THAT
Forbes Africa

BEAN THERE, DONE THAT

British author Roald Dahl tapped into every chocoholic's imagination when creating Willy Wonka's bizarre chocolate factory in his 1964 children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

time-read
6 mins  |
August - September 2024
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN WORKING WITH AL PACINO ON BROADWAY'
Forbes Africa

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN WORKING WITH AL PACINO ON BROADWAY'

Arnold Vosloo Actor

time-read
2 mins  |
August - September 2024
BLENDED FINANCE: BRIDGING THE GAP IN EMERGING MARKETS IN SUPPORT OF THE SDGS
Forbes Africa

BLENDED FINANCE: BRIDGING THE GAP IN EMERGING MARKETS IN SUPPORT OF THE SDGS

Amid the widespread global support for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there was an underlying concern among economists and financial advisors in the emerging and frontier markets: public sector and donor funds were stalled, if not regressing, and the funding gap to realize the SDGs was increasing.

time-read
2 mins  |
August - September 2024