AXA Türkiye's Call to the Industry: ''If We Don't Prepare Today, Tomorrow May Be Too Late.''

AXA Türkiye shared its vision for the future of the industry at the Insurance Intermediaries Summit. At the summit, where key areas of transformation—from artificial intelligence and sustainability to preventive insurance and customer experience—were discussed, AXA Türkiye executives emphasized that empathy, prevention and resilience will become the new priorities of insurance on the road to 2030.

AXA Türkiye shared with industry representatives the strategic priorities that will shape the future of insurance at the Insurance Intermediaries Summit, which it supported. During the two-day event, critical issues with a direct impact on the industry were discussed, including the transformation of insurance agencies, life insurance and private pensions, artificial intelligence, big data, sustainability, corporate risk management and preventive insurance.

Speaking at the opening of the summit and in various sessions, Yavuz Ölken, CEO of AXA Türkiye, underscored the need for the industry to prepare rapidly for the world of 2030. Ölken emphasized that, in the years ahead, insurance will undergo a major transformation extending far beyond conventional practices.

"As an Industry, We Need to Return to Our Core Principles"

Highlighting that global developments are redefining the way the insurance industry operates, Ölken said that simply compensating for losses after they occur will no longer be sufficient. He commented: "Risks are evolving, customer expectations are changing, and technology is reshaping the way we do business. The greatest risk facing our industry in the coming years will be underestimating the pace of these changes. If we base the competition of the future solely on pricing, we will be on the losing side. True competition must be built on a deeper understanding of customers and agents, and on assessing risks more accurately."

Emphasizing the need to move insurance away from a structure driven by seasonal discounting, Ölken continued: "We need an industry structure that reduces overall costs, improves efficiency and delivers more accessible solutions to our customers. That is why, as an industry, we need to return to our core principles. Our core principles begin with understanding the customer, assessing risk accurately, empowering agents and maintaining sustainable pricing discipline. At AXA Türkiye, we combine our Empathy Assurance approach with a preventive insurance mindset, while preparing for the future through our Adaptive Insurance 2030 vision. The insurance model that will create value in the future will not simply compensate for losses after they occur; it will protect lives, anticipate risks and strengthen resilience."

“Artificial Intelligence and Data Will Shape the New Era”

During the summit's sessions on digitalization and data-driven customer management, participants explored the impact of artificial intelligence and big data on decision-making processes in insurance. Sanem Çıngay Buçukoğlu, Head of Sales, Corporate Communications and Health at AXA Türkiye, commented: "In the years ahead, the real differentiator will be the ability to transform collected data into more meaningful customer experiences. Artificial intelligence provides us with powerful tools; however, the core values that build customer trust remain transparency, consistency and the ability to establish long-term relationships. It is essential to combine the speed and efficiency enabled by technology with a human-centered approach that understands our customers' needs, supported by our 'Empathy Assurance' approach." 

Aylin Akınlı Kaya, Director of Growth Strategies, Customer and Digital Platforms at AXA Türkiye, noted that insurance has historically always been a data-driven industry, adding that today's transformation represents a new decision-making model in which data further enhances expertise. She stated: "Data now plays a decisive role at almost every stage of the customer lifecycle. The real strength lies in the way data supports existing experience and expertise. While data tells us what has happened and what may happen, experience and expertise enable us to place that information in the right context and make meaningful decisions."

“New Growth Opportunities Are Emerging for Agents”

Selçuk Adıgüzel, Head of AXA Hayat ve Emeklilik, stated that life insurance and the private pension system offer significant opportunities for agents, adding that insurance is increasingly evolving into a model based on lifelong relationship management. He said: "Life insurance and the private pension system (BES) represent an important growth area for agents by strengthening customer loyalty and generating sustainable income. In the future, agents will become more than product sellers—they will serve as trusted advisors who accompany customers throughout their life journey."

“Resilience and Sustainability: The New Competitive Frontier”

Barış Altın, Technical President of AXA Türkiye, noted that corporate risks are becoming increasingly complex and emphasized that risk management will become a key component of companies' competitive advantage in the future. He stated: "Although climate risks are still sudden, they are no longer unexpected. We are experiencing processes and losses that differ significantly from historical patterns. These developments include areas where both policyholders and insurers can take preventive action. That is why we are making preventive insurance a core component of our processes."

“The Future of Insurance Is Being Shaped by Sustainability”

Emphasizing that sustainability has evolved from a discussion topic into a core element of the business model, Seda Bora Arkan, Director of International Business Development and Green Investments at AXA Türkiye, summarized the new era as follows: "The insurance industry of the future will be more than a provider of financial protection. Risk management, resilience and sustainability will become central to the sector. In the future, success will be measured not only by performance after a loss occurs, but also by the value created before a risk materializes."

The vision presented at the Insurance Intermediaries Summit indicated that the industry will evolve into a more data-driven, preventive and sustainable structure that is increasingly responsive to customer needs. AXA Türkiye once again emphasized that it will continue to play a central role in this major transformation through its Empathy Assurance approach.

Click here to watch the summit video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WL1wOU2W6jc