InsureTalk turns five!

InsureTalk51 took place on 24 April 2025. It was a really special edition, celebrating five years of informing, education and entertaining the South African insurance industry, with our good friends at Global Choices stepping in as event partners.

“Five years ago, almost to the day, we broadcast the first edition of InsureTalk,” said MC Christelle Colman. “Back in 2020 was when the world went quiet and we had time to think about things. And for me personally, it was a very special time because we started working remotely – and I have never gone back to the office!

“Since 14 April 2020, InsureTalk has been a constant in the lives of people attending our webinar here today, this virtual roundtable, this community of people who all work in the insurance industry. And I am so honoured to be here today to celebrate this incredible milestone.”

Christelle introduced the first speaker Patrice Moyal, CIO of Visio Fund Management, who spoke about navigating market volatility – what it means for long term investment portfolios and insurance clients.

Patrice underlined that effective investment management is not purely about chasing returns, but about preserving capital and managing downside risk.

“If you avoid losses or as many losses as possible, you’ll tend to outperform,” he said, echoing Warren Buffett’s famous rule: don’t lose money – and don’t forget the first rule.

Special opportunities

A central theme of Patrice’s talk was the power of concentrated investing and active engagement with company boards to unlock value. He shared several examples of “special opportunities” where Visio has engaged directly with company leadership to drive change and realise shareholder value – including positions in companies like Reinet, Sappi and Alexander Forbes.

“Sometimes you have to raise governance issues because there are too many friends on the board and therefore nothing happens,” he said.

Looking at global markets, Patrice discussed Visio’s selective offshore investments, including Boeing and Japanese small-cap stocks, chosen for their turnaround potential and undervalued positions. He reinforced the need for a disciplined, research-led approach that focuses on downside protection while seeking upside in misunderstood or overlooked assets.

“It’s all about navigating risk,” he concluded. “Buy shares that limit how much downside you’re about to incur. The upside will take care of itself.”

Thokozile Mahlangu, CEO of the Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA), was warmly introduced by Christelle as a “power woman” and a consistent contributor to the forum. Christelle highlighted Thokozile’s recent recognition as a Woman of Stature in Financial Services, calling it a testament to her dedication and impact on the industry.

Quoting Thokozile’s own words, Christelle noted how this accolade reminded her of the work being done at the IISA and the importance of creating a skilled, professional insurance community.

In her talk, Thokozile reflected on the journey of InsureTalk itself, praising the platform for its role in keeping the industry connected and informed since its inception during the hard lockdown of 2020.

“It gave us an opportunity to connect with each other during the hard lockdown and also to learn while we were stuck in our homes,” she said, commending the organisers for their commitment to professional development and collaboration. She reaffirmed IISA’s ongoing partnership with InsureTalk and its shared mission to uplift the insurance sector.

Thokozile went on to share highlights from the IISA’s 2024 financial results, reporting a strong financial position with 22% growth in total assets and a 19% increase in reserves. She attributed this stability to diversified income streams, including leadership and skills development programmes, membership fees and corporate partnerships.

Importantly, she emphasised that these achievements were not hers alone, but the result of the commitment and professionalism of the entire IISA team.

“I’m truly grateful to have such a committed team that buys into the vision we have as executives,” she said.

Addressing the skills gap

A key focus of her talk was the Youth Accelerator Programme, which aims to address the insurance skills gap by equipping young people with technical knowledge and hands-on work experience. She called on employers to support the programme by offering workplace opportunities and encouraged broader industry participation.

Concluding her session, Thokozile reiterated her standing invitation for industry professionals to pursue IISA accreditation, urging listeners to “elevate your standing in the industry and become a professional accredited by the IISA.”

Delegates were invited to register for the upcoming African Insurance Exchange, which takes place at Sun City from 27 to 30 July.

FAnews editor and founder of The Insurance Apprentice, Rianet Whitehead, was next in the hot seat.

Rianet brought us up to speed on the key themes currently shaping the financial services and insurance space. Drawing from the steady flow of updates and opinion pieces that cross her desk daily, she offered what she called a “front row seat” to the industry’s heartbeat.

Underinsurance remains a critical issue, she said, referencing the KwaZulu-Natal floods where only about half of the R54 billion in damages was insured.

“It’s a gap that continues to fuel so many industry conversations,” she said, highlighting the need for broader coverage and better product design.

Technology, as expected, featured strongly in her round-up – particularly AI, automation and fraud detection.

“While these innovations bring speed and efficiency to the fore, they also introduce new risks, especially with the rise of AI-driven fraud such as deepfakes and forged documents.

“The industry really has to up its game here,” she stressed, underlining the balancing act between embracing innovation and managing emerging threats effectively.

On the regulatory front, Rianet pointed to the ongoing discussions around the COFI Bill and the National Health Insurance Act, both of which continue to generate debate on compliance, advice and future execution models.

She also touched on consumer behaviour, price sensitivity and the ongoing challenge of building trust — a topic she has consistently highlighted.

“Despite everything, there’s still a sense that many South Africans remain underinsured or uninsured altogether,” she said. “We need simpler communication and more inclusive product offerings.”

Ending on an upbeat note, Rianet spoke about the sector’s resilience, noting profit growth in the short-term space as a sign of operational agility and strong risk management. She encouraged delegates to tune into FAnews’ platforms, including the recently relaunched website and the new season of The Insurance Apprentice, which promises gripping content and viewer engagement opportunities.

Get your CPD early

She reminded attendees not to leave their CPD requirements to the last minute: “Do it early!” she said. “Preferably in the first week of May. Save yourself the stress, and don’t blame us when the system slows down!”

The InsureTalk51 entertainment section was sponsored by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), an organisation dedicated to developing strong relationships between business and the arts. Lea Marie is a local musical performer who kept delegates stirringly entertained for a few blissful minutes. What a sensational voice she has!  

The Insurance Institute of the Western Cape was up next, with president Chandre Stemmers representing the institute at the conference. Chandre spoke about the charitable work the institute does in the province with organisations such as the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, Zananda Animal Clinic, Percy Bartley House and The Message Trust.

She also mentioned a few of the upcoming events that are being hosted by the IIWC, and shared details on the Rise mentorship programme.

Llewellyn du Plessis, head of CN&CO Events and chief organiser of InsureTalk, took a rare moment in front of the camera to celebrate InsureTalk’s fifth birthday.

Reflecting on the journey, he said, “This is something that started out with 80 people, now over 4 000 people subscribe to it monthly.”

He extended heartfelt thanks to the sponsors, speakers, attendees and the CN&CO team behind the scenes, saying that without their support, it would not be possible to bring “amazing insurance content to the screens of thousands of people across the world.”

“InsureTalk is not just South Africa’s largest online insurance conference,” he said, “but probably Africa’s biggest, with participants joining from across the continent and beyond.”

He also reminded attendees about CPD compliance, stressing the urgency as the end of the cycle approaches on 31 May.

“Please make sure that you don’t leave it up until the day before,” he cautioned, adding that the InsureTalk CPD portal offers easy access to previous sessions and certificates.

He thanked the Insurance Institute of South Africa for consistently accrediting InsureTalk, which ensures attendees’ CPD compliance.

In closing, Llewellyn said, “Happy birthday InsureTalk. Thanks for all your support and we hope that there are many, many years still to come.”

Ari Searlis, prominent South African disability rights advocate and former CEO of the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA), delivered a powerful “Disability 101” session, sponsored by Global Choices.

“We are as disabled as our infrastructure allows us to be, and how society sees us,” he said, challenging many common misconceptions.

A call to create opportunities

Sharing his personal journey following a spinal cord injury 41 years ago, Ari recounted a life filled with achievement, resilience and advocacy. From hand-cycling the New York Marathon (twice!) to spending time with figures like Nelson Mandela and Christopher Reeve, he demonstrated the limitless possibilities beyond physical limitations.

“We don’t want to be fixed,” he said, “but there is an expectation of acquiring skills, employment, good health and equitable opportunities.”

He outlined the types of disabilities, appropriate language to use and the importance of reasonable accommodation in employment, urging companies to move beyond tokenism towards real inclusion. Ari also stressed the value that employees with disabilities bring to organisations, including higher loyalty and retention rates, and encouraged businesses to engage meaningfully with the disability sector.

He urged the insurance industry to take disability risk seriously and to become stronger advocates for people with disabilities. He called for adjustments to prescribed minimum benefits (PMBs) to better accommodate health risks related to disability, and encouraged insurers and medical schemes to create loyalty and wellness programmes that are genuinely inclusive.

Ari also highlighted the urgent need for greater representation of people with disabilities within insurance companies — not just as employees but on boards and among key decision-makers — to ensure that products, services and policies truly reflect the needs of this often-overlooked consumer group.

Our last speaker of the day was Chester Rambau, executive head of underwriting and risk at Emerald, who spoke about bridging the gap in the mid-corporate property insurance space. He explained that in the past 18 months, many insurers have withdrawn capacity from this segment due to challenges such as climate change and supply chain vulnerabilities.

“South Africa used to be deemed a natcat-free zone, but the last 10 to 15 years have shown a different angle,” he said. “As a result, traditional underwriting methods are no longer sufficient.”

A new approach

Chester said that a new, sustainable approach is needed, with risk management and active exposure monitoring at the centre.

He stressed the importance of consistency for brokers and clients, noting that in the current market, “many insurers have different terms and conditions” which complicates placing cover.

In closing, Chester reinforced that long-term sustainability must be prioritised, particularly given the growing impact of external events such as climate change, political unrest and pandemics.

“Underwriting needs to work differently,” he said. “It needs a collaborative effort, which is what we are here for.”

If you missed the live event, click the video block below to watch the webinar from start to finish:

The next session of InsureTalk takes place on 22 May from 10am to 1pm. You can book for the rest of this year’s sessions here. Don’t forget, InsureTalk is free to attend and is worth 2.5 CPD hours.