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Press release - WTW and Seyna innovate with parametric insurance against downy mildew

WTW and Seyna announce the launch of a new parametric insurance solution designed to protect winegrowers against downy mildew. The Vign’Protect Mildiou solution covers both the costs incurred in combating the disease and potential crop losses.

Charles Helliet

Marketing Lead

Updated on

12.2.2026

Downy mildew, an uninsured risk

Downy mildew is one of the most feared fungal diseases among winegrowers. Caused by a parasite and favoured by humid climatic conditions, it can lead to significant economic losses due to increased fungicide treatment costs, alongside reduced yields. Climate change is increasing the frequency of irregular and intense rainfall episodes, combined with heatwaves, which further encourage the development of downy mildew.

This context makes risk management more complex, especially as traditional multi-risk insurance policies do not cover damage caused by downy mildew.

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Parametric insurance, an innovative response

To address these exclusions and challenges, WTW has designed, together with its partner Seyna, an innovative parametric insurance solution to secure winegrowing activities against downy mildew. Seyna is an insurer fully specialised in the creation and management of bespoke insurance products for brokers. Predefined trigger thresholds based on rainfall measurements activate automatic compensation, without the need for complex loss assessments.

Vign’Protect Mildiou offers two types of protection. One covers additional input costs compared with a so-called “normal” year. The other covers crop losses resulting from high parasite pressure.

“We are committed to supporting winegrowing professionals, particularly when facing risks that have so far remained uninsured. Vign’Protect Mildiou reflects our determination to develop solutions that address today’s climate challenges. The innovation of parametric insurance lies both in compensating the underlying causes of downy mildew development and in the transparency of a model based on reliable data. The success of our previous Vign’Protect product reinforces our confidence in developing robust solutions that are truly aligned with the real challenges faced by French winegrowers,” says Mickaël Gorecki, Commercial Director of the Agricultural, Viticulture and Agrifood division at WTW France.

About WTW

At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we deliver data-driven solutions, underpinned by expert advisory capabilities, across People Solutions, Corporate Risk and Broking, and Human Capital and Benefits. Leveraging a global perspective and local expertise from colleagues in 140 countries and markets, we help organisations sharpen their strategy, enhance resilience, motivate their workforce and improve performance. By working closely with our clients, we identify opportunities for sustainable success and provide the perspective that drives progress.

Learn more at: wtwco.com

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About Seyna

Seyna is an insurer that delivers unmatched efficiency to brokers. Powered by its technology and the responsiveness of its teams, Seyna supports brokers at every stage of their growth, from the creation of bespoke insurance products to sales and administration tools, product performance analysis and improvement, and regulatory compliance.

Since its launch in 2019, when it obtained its insurance licence from the ACPR, Seyna has won the trust of more than 100 brokers, including Verspieren, WTW, Garantme, APRIL, Marsh and Dalma. They rely on Seyna to protect nearly two million policyholders across six European countries.

Backed by €57 million in funding from GFC, WhiteStar Capital, Elaia and 115K (La Banque Postale), Seyna has global ambitions to transform the insurance industry by modernising the design and management of insurance programmes.

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