How Ansvar uses technology to enhance risk management

Ansvar is a leading insurance and risk specialist in Australia with unique expertise and a genuine focus on protecting and supporting organisations who care for and serve the needs of our communities. The business focuses on the Care Services, Community Services, Learning and Education Services, Faith Communities, Commercial Property Owners, as well as Arts, Culture and Heritage sectors.

With a team of 160 based in Australia, Ansvar is committed to making a positive change in communities through tailored product offerings, specialist service, community education grants, and is often nominated for awards recognising excellence in service. Earlier this year, Ansvar was shortlisted as an Excellence Awardee for the inaugural Philanthropy and Community Service award by Insurance Business Australia.

Ansvar add further value for their customers through their Enterprise Risk Management offering, providing their customers with the tools to better understand risk.  Ansvar are currently finalists in the Risk Management Institute of Australasia’s Risk Management Team of the Year awards.

Understanding and Managing Risk is an intrinsic part of Ansvar’s DNA.

Ansvar is proudly owned by the Benefact Group, a diverse family of specialist financial services businesses, driven by a shared ambition to do right by customers and united by a common purpose to give all available profits to charity and good causes.

Ansvar was looking to streamline operations to efficiently manage the growth of their business.

As an insurance provider, Ansvar was focused on reducing risk, and needed a partner who could bring the knowledge, strategy and responsiveness required for the business’ technology needs.

From government regulation and compliance, through to component compatibility, keeping up with technological advancements can be a challenge. Rather than act on an ad-hoc basis, Ansvar sought a strategic approach, anticipating regulatory changes and that would allow them to be proactive.

This gives Ansvar’s customers peace of mind; rest assured knowing that their insurance company is well-equipped to meet the high standards and compliance obligations expected of them.

For any insurance company, security must remain front of mind. In times of organisational change and development, Ansvar adopt built in controls to prevent leaks, losses, or compromises of any kind.

Heather Santin, IT Manager at Ansvar, saw the need to evolve the organisation’s IT infrastructure and simultaneously embed continuous uplift of its security posture. “In a rapidly changing technological environment, a solution that’s perfect today, may not be suitable tomorrow. When we started our work with Interactive, we were looking for a strong partner to future proof Ansvar, and that’s exactly what we found.”

Cloud Modernisation

In 2018, Interactive’s engineers prioritised understanding Ansvar’s unique network and data centre operations, gaining a deeper understanding of the insurer’s needs and, in turn, the best-fit solution. This led to the development of a strategy to modernise Ansvar’s infrastructure.

Initially this delivered the migration of Ansvar’s data and technology from an on-site data centre to one owned by Interactive, providing Ansvar with access to round-the-clock support from Interactive’s analysts and engineers. Since that time, Ansvar has continued to grow, and so too have its operational requirements. To address this, Ansvar is now migrating to public cloud, supported by Interactive’s cyber security and cloud services. This infrastructure makes it easier to mitigate risks, grow in scale, and streamline and enable end users to work effectively.

Ansvar was also looking to partner with a true cyber security specialist, which they found in Interactive, providing specialist tools and expertise to protect Ansvar from cyber threats. This is especially important to Ansvar as an insurer.

To guarantee a smooth transition, Interactive supplied an onsite engineer to manage the technology transition in the short-term.

Workplace Modernisation

To ensure immediacy of communication, and streamline workflows, Interactive facilitated a comprehensive migration to Microsoft 365. This gave Ansvar access to Teams, Outlook, and a suite of file sharing software to promote synergy and drive efficiencies.

The migration to Microsoft 365 was a strategic move that transformed the way Ansvar operates. The platform enhanced collaboration, productivity, security, scalability, and led to cost savings.

End-to-End Cyber Security Uplift

Interactive recognised that Ansvar was aiming to develop all aspects of its cyber security – going beyond the technology and looking at the human. Stanford research shows that 88 per cent of cyber incidents are caused by human error, and so it made perfect sense to focus on this facet of cyber security. Ansvar understands the importance of a strong culture of risk mitigation, and as such, sought Interactive’s assistance in delivering a suite of cyber security awareness training modules.

More than that, Interactive helped Ansvar develop cyber security materials for its customers and brokers, ensuring all areas of the business remain informed and vigilant – and meeting or exceeding regulatory requirements.

Ansvar’s approach to risk management has been bolstered by Interactive’s full managed services suite.

By proactively investing in cloud migration and a workplace modernisation initiative, Ansvar is well placed to maximise technological opportunities, while achieving regulatory obligations, and is well positioned to better provide value to its brokers and customers.

“It is our business to understand risk. As business needs change and new technology comes about, we need to be agile in identifying and adopting these improved platforms, enabling the business, understanding and managing risk, and gain leverage,” said Santin.

Interactive’s assistance in Ansvar’s cloud migration has streamlined operations too, offering improved scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. The transition to the cloud enables Ansvar to access essential information and applications from anywhere, facilitating remote work and enhancing both excellent customer service, and employee experience.

With a reliable and secure network, Ansvar maintains an uninterrupted flow of critical information, ultimately enhancing service quality and making administrative tasks easy. Interactive’s services continue to empower Ansvar to effectively manage a growing workforce, enabling seamless communication and service delivery for staff and customers.

Ansvar’s partnership with Interactive equips the organisation with the necessary tools to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment. Ansvar’s focus on risk mitigation aligns strongly with Interactive’s comprehensive cyber managed services.

Interactive, through its full suite of managed services, can manage Ansvar’s IT operating environment, sites, and staff, freeing up their resources to concentrate on core business activities. This partnership proves invaluable, particularly given the sensitive nature of Ansvar’s operations as an insurer.

• Cloud migration enables secure data access anywhere, anytime.
• Cyber security informs and protects Ansvar – increasingly important as an APRA-regulated entity.
• 24/7 support at data centres mean Ansvar is only a phone call away from a technology solution.
• A future-proofed roadmap and technology strategy that grows with the business.
• Streamlined services that allow for greater continuity of business across the entire organisation.
• Cyber Security Awareness Training and Resources have heightened Ansvar’s employees’ understanding and awareness of this ever-present risk.
• Cyber Security Awareness Training and Resources show Ansvar’s staff and brokers alike that they champion the protection of their data and fosters a culture of holistic care and support.