. In fact, 2019 saw a 90% increase in the size of investment rounds that exceeded $40 million, and nine rounds recorded transaction values of over $100 million. This suggests larger insurtechs are now increasingly becoming front-runners in their respective coverage areas and geographies.
Early stage funding, in contrast, took a significant hit across the year. Between 2012 and 2019, seed and angel rounds accounted for 40% of total insurtech funding. However, when looking at Q4 2019 funding in isolation, there's a significant decline in investments at these stages, accounting for only 19% of deals — less than half of the historical average. This suggests investors are increasingly wary of backing players that have yet to build out their business.
That larger insurtechs are snagging the lion's share of funding suggests the space is beginning to mature — but it will also likely force smaller players to turn to new niche coverage areas. Players responsible for some of the largest raises in 2019 have increasingly begun to scale their operations. In some instances, this is evidenced in geographical expansion: For example, US-based