diff --git a/named_type.hpp b/named_type.hpp
index 8dd47fc..5511c99 100644
--- a/named_type.hpp
+++ b/named_type.hpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class NamedTypeImpl : public Skills<NamedTypeImpl<T, Parameter, Converter, Skill
     using UnderlyingType = T;
 
     // constructor
+    NamedTypeImpl() = default;
     explicit NamedTypeImpl(T const& value) : value_(value) {}
     template<typename T_ = T>
     explicit NamedTypeImpl(T&& value, typename std::enable_if<!std::is_reference<T_>::value, std::nullptr_t>::type = nullptr) : value_(std::move(value)) {}
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ class NamedTypeImpl : public Skills<NamedTypeImpl<T, Parameter, Converter, Skill
     T& get() { return value_; }
     T const& get() const {return value_; }
 
+    // explicit cast to underlying
+    explicit operator T() const { return value_; }
+
     // conversions
     template <typename Converter2>
     operator NamedTypeImpl<T, Parameter, Converter2, Skills...>() const
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ class NamedTypeImpl : public Skills<NamedTypeImpl<T, Parameter, Converter, Skill
     };
 
 private:
-    T value_;
+    T value_{};
 };
 
 template <typename T, typename Parameter, template<typename> class... Skills>
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ StrongType<T> make_named(T const& value)
 {
     return StrongType<T>(value);
 }
-    
+
 } // namespace fluent
 
 #endif