why the traditional insurance model falls short
for a long time, insurance was viewed as a collection of separate products: one policy per risk, one renewal per year, one premium per line. in that model, the role of the insurance broker was often limited to placing and managing individual covers, while in reality risks rarely operate in isolation.
in practice, we at mawyc insurance increasingly see this model clash with the complexity in which organizations operate today. claims experience shows us ever more clearly that the issue is not the absence of insurance, but the way risks are analyzed, structured and insured.
many organizations are insured, yet only discover after an incident whether their risks were truly and thoughtfully managed. they may have a comprehensive insurance program, but without a coherent risk framework.
this usually only becomes apparent when something goes wrong. overlapping or missing coverages, unclear boundaries between policies (f.i. between liability, D&O, cyber or property), assumptions about coverage that prove incorrect at the time of a claim, or limits and conditions that are misaligned with the actual exposure.
in such situations, the policy may be technically correct, but the program is operationally fragile.
for us, an insurance program is only as strong as the risk analysis on which it is built.
that is why any meaningful insurance advice must start with identifying and assessing:
- the nature and scale of risks,
- their potential impact on continuity, liability and solvency,
- the way risks interact or escalate,
- and the risks an organization consciously chooses to retain.
this is also how we approach every dossier at mawyc insurance: not from the perspective of the market, but from the organization’s specific risk profile.
that analysis determines not only whether something should be insured, but also how, under which conditions and at what limits. without this framework, insurance remains fragmented. with it, insurance becomes a strategic instrument.
this is where the role of the insurance broker fundamentally shifts. the added value of a modern broker today lies in structuring risk transfer, not merely passing risks on to the market.
at mawyc insurance, this means:
- placing risks within the appropriate insurance framework,
- ensuring coherence between different policies,
- anticipating grey areas between coverages,
- and translating operational reality into insurable structures.
this requires technical expertise, but above all a deep understanding of how risks manifest themselves in practice. it is precisely in this thinking that we see our role as a broker today.
when risks are clearly identified and structured upfront, insurance solutions can be far more precisely aligned. preventive measures become more concrete, conditions more realistic, and unpleasant surprises at the time of a claim can be avoided. sound risk management not only improves the quality of protection, but often also strengthens long-term insurability.
this way of working also presupposes a long-term relationship. risk management cannot be reduced to a single placement or renewal. it takes time to truly understand an organization, its activities and its evolution. only within a durable partnership can risk thinking deepen and insurance structures evolve alongside the reality of the business.
prevention as a lever for coverage
prevention, governance and internal procedures are not separate from insurance. on the contrary, they directly influence how risks are assessed and priced. from our experience at mawyc insurance, we increasingly see how the quality of prevention has a direct impact on insurability, acceptance conditions, exclusions, premiums and retentions.
we therefore do not view prevention as a separate exercise, but as an integral part of a strong insurance program. a well-founded risk management approach allows for substantive discussions with insurers, rather than merely comparing prices. prevention is not a cost, but a lever within the insurance program.
technology as an enabler, not a solution
technology also plays an increasingly important supporting role in risk management. digital tools help to monitor risks more effectively, structure data and organise processes more efficiently. but technology is never the starting point.
without a clear risk framework and well-defined choices, technology remains a tool without direction. it strengthens risk management; it does not replace it.
also when things go wrong, risk management remains decisive.
strong claims handling – from correct notification to negotiation and follow-up – requires not only file knowledge, but also insight into the original risk structure.
claims are therefore not a standalone process, but the ultimate stress test of risk management. as a broker, we see that claims often reveal more about the quality of prior risk thinking than about the policy itself. organizations that truly understand and structure their risks also regain control more quickly in the event of a loss.
strong claims handling is not an add-on, but a logical extension of the thinking that took place beforehand.
in conclusion
in an increasingly complex and regulated environment, insurance is becoming less of a commodity and more of a strategic instrument.
a robust insurance program today requires:
- a clear vision on risk,
- coherence between prevention, insurance and governance,
- technical expertise in structuring the program,
- and a broker who looks beyond individual policies.
not to insure every risk, but to structure risks consciously, correctly and sustainably.
that is also how we at mawyc insurance define our role as a broker: not as a seller of policies, but as an architect of risk transfer.
that is where modern risk management makes the difference today.
'in a world where uncertainty has become the norm, it is not the policy that makes the difference, but the quality of the risk thinking behind it. an insurance broker who delivers real value today supports organizations in understanding risk, making deliberate choices, and remaining prepared when theory collides with reality.' - jacques m.l.m. wyckaert
contact & questions
any questions?
please feel free to contact your trusted contact person for further clarification or specific questions regarding risk analysis or prevention advice, or get in touch with us using the contact details below:
