Innovation then and now: a prevention first approach for 325 years

This year we celebrate 325 years of providing risk management services, and we've been looking back on some of our rich history. According to the Aviva archives, our first commercial lines survey was conducted in 1697 for the owner of a brewery. Whilst technology has changed dramatically since this time, and exponentially over the last couple of years, the premise of a Risk Consultant / Surveyor is the same - being the eyes and ears of the Underwriter and providing insight into the business including a site plan to help visualise the risk. And being, in many cases, one of the only faces of the Insurer to our customers.

Looking at today, technology wise from a risk management perspective is increasing in momentum and we need to embrace it - not only what it can do to help us assess risk but more importantly, to be able to provide more solutions to our customers to help them manage the changing face of risk. If we can take any positives from Covid, aside from the significant human effort to overcome these difficult times and the resilience the world has showed, is the advancement of and adoption of digital tools prescribed to us by the situation as a necessity to many to be able to carry on.

At Aviva, and like many other risk management specialists, we’re using digital technology to provide in the moment risk advice, including our online resources, Virtual Risk Management, our video survey capability, and our Self-Assessment systems, Aviva Self-Assess. We’re also increasing our aerial survey capability this year with Risk Consultants, trained as drone pilots, to complete both internal and full 360 degree external inspections and utilising mobile learning tools to assist all in the education of risk. Our solutions continue to increase, tapping into the Internet of Things and the use of data and sensors to identify hazard and protect businesses with leak detection systems, flood alerts, and other connected devices and wearable technology with our latest partnerships in our Specialist Partner space – this connected space is an area that continues to evolve and will play a significant part of the future.

I don’t know what the next 325 years holds and I’ll be long gone or cryogenically frozen, but risk management has never been more important than it is now. The evolving nature of risk and technology, evironmental, social and governance and climate change, the various situations impacting supply chains and an ever-changing risk landscape delivered through the changing world around us. Whilst a huge challenge, it's one that we'll continue to be set up for to support our customers and brokers in whatever the world throws at them next.

If you’d like to learn more about our risk management solutions history view our timeline. For more information on how we’re responding and building our capability with our prevention first philosophy, to support our customers and brokers for now and in the future, watch our latest video.