Whether she’s chasing after little ones at home or keeping up with the fast-changing digital healthcare market at work, Rebecca Pelling is always on her toes. As CFC’s UK & International eHealth Product Manager, she’s seen the eHealth landscape evolve at lightning speed, giving her a unique perspective on what it takes to protect digital health providers worldwide.
We sat down to uncover her journey at CFC, along with common risks for healthcare providers, how CFC’s eHealth policy stands out and the one piece of advice she’d love to share with brokers.
Tell us about your background
I joined CFC back in 2017 as an underwriting assistant and soon found my way onto the US healthcare team, where I took on an assistant underwriter role. From there, I became an underwriter focusing on the US healthcare market, particularly California and Florida. It was an exciting time because we’d just launched our eHealth policy, and I was underwriting it right from the start.
When the opportunity came up to support digital healthcare providers in the UK, I put myself forward, keen to share what I’d learned from the US. Back then, eHealth was still emerging in the UK, so it was a chance to carve out something new. Now, as the eHealth Product Manager for the UK and international markets, it’s inspiring to look back and see how far we’ve come—from the early days to a full team of underwriters specializing in eHealth. CFC’s always been brilliant at spotting talent and promoting from within, and I’m proud to be part of that story.
How is technology transforming the way healthcare services are delivered?
The pandemic was a real turning point for digital healthcare, creating a huge backlog within the NHS. With people unable to see doctors in person, there was an enormous push to find new ways to deliver care—that meant going online, which opened people’s eyes to how technology could make healthcare more accessible and efficient. Funding poured into digital health companies, allowing them to grow rapidly and explore new tech solutions.
It’s inspiring to look back and see how far we’ve come—from the early days to a full team of underwriters specializing in eHealth. CFC’s always been brilliant at spotting talent and promoting from within, and I’m proud to be part of that story. Rebecca Pelling, UK & International eHealth Product Manager
While investment has slowed since, the market is still growing fast. Telemedicine was so prominent during the pandemic, and now we’re seeing an increase in the uses of AI. It’s all about facilitating virtual healthcare, whether that’s triaging patients, reducing backlogs or assisting with diagnosis. We’re also seeing more proactive approaches to healthcare, like mobile health apps that monitor wellbeing or AI tools that analyze population health to predict who might be at risk. It’s an exciting time, and the innovation just keeps coming.
What are the biggest risks facing digital healthcare providers today?
The biggest risks stem from the rapid shift in how healthcare is delivered. Healthcare services are no longer delivered the same way they were 10 years ago, so they shouldn’t be insured the same way either. Many digital health providers are operating virtually, which opens up a whole new set of exposures, particularly when it comes to cyber risk. Digital health providers are huge targets for cybercriminals because of the valuable data they hold, while their reliance on digital systems means they’re one ransomware attack away from critical disruption to operations and, ultimately, patient care.
Another significant risk is the bodily injury component from tech failures and cyber events. When healthcare services are provided virtually, any failure in technology can lead to bodily harm. Virtual prescriptions, mental health consultations, mix-ups in medical records: the consequences can be severe. Traditional insurance policies often won’t provide cover for such events, but our eHealth policy is specifically designed to protect and pay out in these scenarios, filling the protection gap.
How does CFC’s eHealth policy stand out in today’s competitive market?
CFC was the first insurer to launch an eHealth policy, as we’re uniquely positioned at insuring the intersection of tech, cyber and medical malpractice. We noticed digital healthcare companies were falling through the gaps with traditional coverage, so it just made sense to bring everything together under one roof. That way, we can offer comprehensive coverage that actually meets their needs.
One of the things that sets us apart is how closely we monitor claims trends and other industry developments. We’re constantly evolving our policy to stay ahead of emerging risks. In fact, we recently updated our eHealth policy to make sure it addresses the types of claims we’re seeing, rather than stripping back coverage. Then there’s our experience and knowledge of the market. We insure such a diverse range of accounts, from low-risk fitness apps to high-risk AI and remote patient monitoring companies, meaning our underwriters have seen just about everything—and know how to tailor coverage accordingly. Our 0% decline rate shows that, if we see a need for coverage, we want to be the ones to provide it, using our expertise to offer a solution on every eHealth account.
The biggest risks stem from the rapid shift in how healthcare is delivered. Healthcare services are no longer delivered the same way they were 10 years ago, so they shouldn’t be insured the same way either. Rebecca Pelling, UK & International eHealth Product Manager
What one piece of advice would you give to brokers selling healthcare insurance?
Understand your clients. Just because a healthcare business has been insured on a medical malpractice or tech policy for the last decade doesn’t mean those policies still fit.
The future of healthcare is tech-driven, with more providers adopting a mix of digital and in-person services. As clients grow and integrate more technology, take a fresh look at their coverage—does a traditional policy really protect them from emerging risks? Helping clients stay ahead of change is key.
What makes you tick outside of work?
Outside of work, life can be a bit of a whirlwind—I'll soon have two babies under two, and my cocker spaniel never fails to keep life interesting!
When I do get some downtime, I love traveling—whether it’s hitting the slopes or soaking up the sun. Some of my favorite spots are Thailand, Mexico and Australia, and I always make time for a few trips to the south of France each year.
Learn more about our market-leading eHealth insurance policy here.
