Paul the Insurer 11: From a One-Man Show to a Successful Team Play

At a spring event high above Lake Zurich, the scene could not have been more picture-perfect: the Alps glowing in the sun, trees in bloom, finger food worthy of a Michelin star. In this idyllic setting, Paul the Insurer met John – a young consulting actuary eager to expand his client base.

IPaul the Insurer, always willing to support ambitious newcomers, offered his help – but with a twist. “My support comes with a price,” he said. Seeing John’s puzzled look, Paul clarified: “Not money. You simply don’t qualify. You’re a one-man show, and your profession is about to be replaced by artificial intelligence.”

The young actuary was visibly shaken. He defended his freelance status as a mark of flexibility and independence, doubting that AI could ever handle the complex formulas of actuarial science. Paul countered with a story: a Spanish colleague already using ChatGPT to calculate solvency ratios.

One year later, fate reunited the two at a risk management event in London. John had grown a beard – and an entirely new business model. His website revealed a limited partnership with nine highly qualified partners, offering AI-powered actuarial solutions alongside traditional services.

Paul was impressed. In less than twelve months, the young actuary had turned skepticism into strategy, and a solo act into a thriving ensemble.

The moral? In insurance, as in life, seeing problems as opportunities is the true path to resilience. Insurance is more than a career. It’s a way to shape the future.

Binci Heeb

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Read and listen to: Paul the Insurer 10: Pavel – The smart chatbot of the insurance world