Welcome to The BTB – your view into what's driving the conversation in the insurtech industry. This proprietary look at traditional and social media landscapes comprises data from a treasure trove of tools and expert analysis from INK's insurtech team. We pull from mainstream media, trade media, and social media from the previous month to determine who is talking, what they're talking about, and why. In-depth monitoring, analysis, and going beneath the surface of what's trending is critical to bringing value to our clients. The aptly named BTB is just one of the tools we use to Be There Before™ for our clients.
We typically associate storm surges with coastal regions, not communities nestled in the Appalachian mountains. But Hurricane Helene has served as a devastating reminder that even inland areas, like Asheville, NC (over 2,000 feet above sea level), aren’t immune from hurricane flooding and damage.
As the situation in the Southeast unfolded, conversations around the storm, insurance coverage, damage assessments and recovery efforts began dominating feeds and online discussion boards. Top-tier media oscillated between specifics about Hurricane Helene and the storm’s broader implications on the insurance market and homeowner affordability in states like Florida.
Meanwhile, trade media focused on how insurtech can move the insurance industry forward. Insurtechs that align communications and thought leadership to these trends will have the most success in gaining coverage and increasing online engagement, trends like:
•Climate change adoption strategies
•The role of data analytics in underwriting, mitigation, and recovery
•How AI will drive innovation, from risk management to claims management
Risk management dominated September coverage in the wake of Hurricane Helene and its devastating impacts on communities in the southeast. We anticipate this will bleed into next month’s coverage as well, as the P&C damage becomes clear over time. It’s also worth noting that “auto” made a surprise appearance this month, as sky-high auto insurance prices were top of mind for consumers and media alike.
Hurricane Helene boosted overall top-tier coverage of key insurtech terms, most notably with stories involving tech/AI and regulation as questions surfaced about how the industry will respond to future unprecedented hazard events.
Click to ScrollDuring historically slower news months, like August, thought leadership content has a chance to thrive. In September, we saw coverage of events like Helene, executive appointments, and M&A in the industry. Heavy news seasons like this will always take priority for trade publications, and more evergreen content will be set aside.
The volume of tweets skyrocketed throughout September, increasing by approximately 585% month-over-month due to damages following Hurricane Helene and concerns related to flood and home insurance. Many tweets also linked Hurricane Helene to broader conversations about climate change, the outcomes of the Trump-Harris election, and local, state and national government responses to natural disasters and the insurance crisis.
September marked the first time we've seen Trump, or any politician, appear among our most frequently used terms. Many conversations centered around concerns about the future of insurance amid a surge in natural disasters and upcoming election outcomes, specifically Project 2025. A significant portion of users jumped on board a trending tweet to share they believe the government needs to play a larger role in insurance, particularly in protecting the agencies Americans rely on during natural disasters.
#Florida became the top hashtag this month, driven by discussions around Hurricane Helene, Governor Ron DeSantis and state insurance rates. While hashtags like #ai, #insurance, #reinsurance and #insurtech dropped in ranking, their tweet volume remained steady, with the drop in ranking exclusively due to a surge in Hurricane Helene-related tweets.
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Whistleblowers claim insurance companies shortchanged some Florida homeowners after Hurricane Ian
The deteriorating environment is a public concern, but Americans misunderstand their contribution to the problem
90 minutes of "60 Minutes" this Sunday, Sept. 29
For SoCal wildfire victims, California blocks insurance companies from dropping coverage for a year
Biden declares major disaster declaration, tells Florida 'no resource spared' in response
Climate change tests the insurance industry and could lead to the 'next big economic shock' for the U.S.
