A Chat with Sarah Vaughan, Founder and Director at Angelica Solutions

Tell us about Angelica Solutions 

We are a specialised consultancy focused on harnessing data to transform various aspects of the insurance industry. Our expertise includes pricing, product design, actuarial modelling, claims analysis, and financial forecasting. We collaborate with partners ranging from innovative Insurtech start-ups to established industry leaders to tackle complex challenges such as risk pricing, claims analytics, and price optimisation.

Our approach promotes not only traditional insurance practices but also risk prevention and behavioural change. This commitment reflects our strategy of leveraging data insights to empower insurers to make informed decisions that enhance profitability and competitiveness.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

Founded in 2019, Angelica Solutions was created with the vision of giving insurers the capability to realise their potential by leveraging our practical experience and deep industry expertise. Our team brings nearly 30 years of collective experience, primarily from within the insurance sector offering a wealth of knowledge that sets us apart. 

We focus on innovative approaches and practical solutions to help clients not only respond to current industry demands but anticipate future trends. We are friendly, approachable and work closely with internal teams to ensure our analysis can be readily adopted into business as usual for our clients. Our commitment to excellence underscores our unique position in the industry.

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Supporting aspiring entrepreneurs is important to me, echoing the guidance I received at the start of my career. I find joy in mentoring new graduates as they enter the workforce, aiding them in acquiring skills and confidence for their professional journey. Creating nurturing environments for talent involves recognising strengths, encouraging learning and innovation and welcoming diverse perspectives. It might sound glib but do the ‘right’ thing – integrity is key and what goes around comes around; do the right thing for your staff, your clients and your customers and it will pay dividends.

Building meaningful connections and networks is crucial for personal and professional growth; many of Anglica’s clients are from contacts that I made right at the start of my career and it’s great to be working with people I’ve seen grow over the last 20 years. By being resilient, viewing challenges as opportunities, and maintaining a balance of support and passion, entrepreneurs can navigate their journey with purpose and fulfilment.

What most excites you about Angelica Solutions?

The variety of clients we see and different business problems our clients face. On one level we all work in the insurance industry but on another, every team in every company is unique and everyone’s circumstances are unique to them. I love getting a call or an email from a potential client looking for support, I see everyone as a puzzle that has an answer.

I also genuinely love being able to help our team of analysts and consultants to develop their own capabilities, it’s brilliant when a project comes along that I know one of the team is going to relish being part of.

How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?

Since its inception in 2019, Angelica Solutions has earned a reputation for developing sophisticated but practical pricing models and data-driven solutions that support insurers to improve their offerings and financial outcomes. Our evolution is rooted in nearly three decades of collective industry expertise.

We’ve expanded from a one-person consultancy to a small, skilled analytics team, actively recruiting fresh talent interested in this field. This growth mirrors our broader commitment as a business building a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. By fostering collaboration and encouraging diversity, we’re looking to help shape the industry’s future, not merely reacting to its changes.

What can we hope to see from Angelica Solutions in the future?

We remain dedicated to addressing complex challenges in pricing, claims, and risk prevention. In addition, we leverage insights to improve road safety, aiming to reduce fatalities and serious injuries. Using the vast data from car insurers, we seek opportunities to make meaningful strides towards safer roads.

We’ve recently undertaken industry analysis addressing real-life road collision risks, uncovering insights like increased collision risks near major UK airports and the 80% higher fatality likelihood in dark conditions. Such findings are shared to encourage industry-wide improvements, demonstrating our commitment to intertwining industry success with societal benefits.