Episode #168
Oct 16, 2025
Driving Innovation at the Nation’s Largest Lawyers’ Malpractice Insurer
with David Bell from ALPS
SPONSORED BY
David Bell from ALPS shares his expertise in driving innovation at the nation’s largest lawyers’ malpractice insurer. Discover how insurers in legal malpractice and P&C are rethinking risk, driving innovation, and shaping the next decade of change.
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Rethinking Innovation in Niche Insurance Markets
In the latest episode of the InsurTech Geek Podcast, we sat down with David Bell, President & CEO of ALPS Insurance, the largest direct writer of lawyers’ malpractice insurance in the U.S. What followed was a candid and insightful conversation on how ALPS is pioneering innovation in one of the most complex and specialized corners of the insurance industry.
From AI adoption to digital UX optimization and distribution channel strategy, Bell’s approach offers powerful lessons—not only for insurtechs but for legacy players navigating digital transformation in regulated, niche spaces.
ALPS: From Boutique Origins to a National Leader
Founded during the S&L crisis to fill a vacuum in legal malpractice coverage for small firms, ALPS was designed by lawyers, for lawyers. Bell joined ALPS in 2012, after a successful executive run at Allied World Assurance in Bermuda, and helped the company scale both its operations and strategic focus.
“ALPS was born out of a crisis, and we’ve maintained that DNA of responsiveness and specialization ever since,” Bell noted.
Today, ALPS provides a full suite of commercial products for small law firms while maintaining a sharp focus on legal professional liability (LPL)—a space it knows inside and out.
The Legal Profession is Changing—Fast
One of the most striking themes from the episode is how rapidly the legal profession is evolving. Bell pointed out a significant cultural shift: attorneys are increasingly leaving large firms in search of better work-life balance, starting solo or small practices.
“The billable hour gerbil wheel is really a grind,” Bell said. “More and more attorneys are choosing independence over institutional prestige.”
This trend plays to ALPS’s strengths: it is structured to support small law firms with low premium, high-friction policies that aren’t always attractive to brokers.
Embracing the Direct Channel—But Now, Also Brokers
For years, ALPS was exclusively a direct-channel insurer, handling policies in-house through its digital platform. But in 2024, they acquired LawyerCare from ProAssurance, a broker-channel brand, enabling them to enter new markets and meet customers where they are.
“The industry thought it could disintermediate brokers overnight. It’s taken longer than that,” Bell admitted. “With LawyerCare, we’re now balanced—direct and broker channels.”
This shift represents a strategic understanding of the insurance market’s complexity, especially for niche lines where trust and relationships matter.
What Makes ALPS Tech-Forward?
While many insurers talk about digital transformation, ALPS walks the walk. Under Bell’s leadership, ALPS rebuilt its entire tech stack five years ago, leveraging custom code and integrating best-in-class tools.
“Very few things we do aren’t A/B tested,” Bell shared. “We’re obsessed with pipeline abandonment data.”
They’ve transformed their user experience (UX) to be hyper-optimized: every step of the policy application and renewal process is measured, refined, and adjusted using customer behavior data.
Their site, for example, puts the three top actions—Apply, Renew, and Report a Claim—front and center, mirroring successful B2C tech strategies.
The AI Question: Disruption or Opportunity?
Naturally, no conversation in 2025 is complete without talking about AI.
Bell offered a nuanced take: AI won’t eliminate lawyers, but it will change who succeeds.
“Some law firms will thrive with AI, others will be obliterated if they resist it,” he stated.
He emphasized a “human-in-the-loop” approach, where AI supports but does not replace licensed legal professionals. In this model, AI helps with document generation and research, while attorneys provide final review and accountability.
This balanced approach also reduces ALPS’ claims risk—after all, if a lawyer relies entirely on AI and makes an error, that could spell malpractice.
Key Takeaways
✅ Specialization is strength: ALPS’s niche focus has enabled deep market understanding and loyalty.
✅ Direct + Broker = More Reach: The LawyerCare acquisition allows flexible distribution models.
✅ UX is a growth lever: Optimized customer journeys reduce abandonment and improve conversion.
✅ AI is a tool, not a threat: Adoption with accountability will separate leaders from laggards.
Final Thoughts
David Bell offers a masterclass in measured innovation. He’s not chasing trends for the sake of it—he’s implementing technology to solve real business problems, serve customers better, and position ALPS as a long-term leader in legal malpractice coverage.
This episode is a must-listen for insurtech leaders, legacy carriers, legal professionals, and anyone interested in niche innovation.