Generali strikes strategic technology partnership with Google

Italian insurer Generali has signed a strategic cloud partnership with technology giant Google in order to customise and innovate products and services for its retail and corporate clients, and transform its customer engagement model.

The collaboration will start in Italy and will extend to benefit the entire Generali Group at a global level.

The insurer earlier announced that it will  invest around €1 billion in internal strategic initiatives for innovation and digital transformation as part of its 2021 three-year strategic plan.

As part of the latest agreement, Generali will establish a technology lab, co–created with Google Cloud, at its “Innovation Park” in Mogliano Veneto, aimed at bringing the latest advancements in digital transformation and other emerging technologies to its customers, leveraging skills training from Google Cloud’s engineering experts.

The insurer will also create a new pan-European mobility platform for connected devices and services that will initially be launched in Italy.

The partnership also includes an intensive training program for Generali technology staff on the new technologies and skills, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Marco Sesana, Generali country manager Italy & global business lines, stated: "This partnership moves our strategic plan forward in being a lifetime partner during the important moments of people's lives: family, welfare, work, and mobility.

"In combining our skills with Google, we will develop insurance solutions with innovative and technologically advanced services. We want to offer a high quality, customised experience to our retail and corporate customers in Global Business Lines”.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said: "Generali is leading the way in transforming the insurance industry in Italy and across Europe, and we're proud to be a part of their journey. By working together to solve business problems using Google's cutting-edge machine learning capabilities and smart collaboration tools, we are helping Generali expedite the development of innovative products and services and improve customer relationship."

Fabio Fregi, Google Cloud country manager for Italy, added: “The partnership with Generali starts from Italy and will be extended to a global level, demonstrating our ability to completely transform traditional industries such as the insurance sector.

"Access to our advanced cloud infrastructure, cutting-edge machine learning capabilities and smart collaboration tools will enable Generali’s development of innovative products as part of their broader goal of digitisation within Generali Group. We are proud to be on this journey together".

Francesco Bardelli, CEO Generali Jeniot and chief business transformation officer Generali Italia, commented: "At Generali we are redesigning the insurance business model as well as customer service: in addition to protection and security we are planning to offer clients more prevention and support services and, together with our distribution network, new ways to interact based on immediacy and simplicity.

"By leveraging on our expertise in advanced analytics and connected insurance, as shown by the recent birth of Generali Jeniot, this partnership will allow us to accelerate the development of innovative services and the construction of new ecosystems."