AI is no longer a future ambition for the insurance industry. It is already changing how insurers operate, serve customers and compete. For insurers, this creates enormous opportunities, but also poses a challenge: how to move beyond experimenting with AI and turn its rapidly evolving capabilities into tangible business value?
The opportunities across the insurance value chain are significant. Automation can eliminate repetitive manual work, reduce errors and release employee capacity. AI can accelerate claims assessment, improve decision-making and create engaging new customer experiences.
There are challenges to deal with too: many insurers are still dealing with fragmented processes, legacy systems and inconsistent data. The real challenge is connecting AI ambitions to the operational realities of the business: Where is the greatest value? Which processes should be transformed first? And how do insurers move from individual pilots to scalable impact?
Many of the opportunities start with everyday processes. Processing invoices and insurance statements, authorizing payments, renewing policies or verifying claims documentation may still require significant manual effort. Standardizing and automating these activities across markets can unlock substantial capacity and cost savings.
The impact can be significant. One European insurer operating across more than ten markets has automated more than 150 processes, saving more than 50,000 working hours. Automation is no longer simply about replacing manual tasks: it can fundamentally change how an organization operates.
And the next wave is already emerging: AI-powered claims assessment can analyse damage from images and cross-reference repair costs to support faster, more accurate decisions. Agentic AI goes even further, with systems capable of reasoning, taking action and supporting employees in solving complex operational problems.
Of course, none of this works without the right foundation. Process maturity and data quality are becoming strategic differentiators. Insurers that understand their processes, standardize where possible and build strong data foundations will be better positioned to scale AI successfully.
Ultimately, AI and automation should not be viewed simply as technology investments. They are levers for reducing costs, increasing capacity, improving accuracy, accelerating growth and strengthening customer trust.
The competitive challenge is shifting. It is no longer about who has an AI strategy. It is about who can turn that strategy into real business value, at scale and at speed.
At our upcoming Executive Event, From AI Strategy to Business Value, we will explore the practical path from ambition to impact: where to start, which use cases deliver value, how to scale beyond pilots, and what the insurance organization of the future could look like.
Executive Event “From AI Strategy to Business Value”
29 October 2026 | 13:00 – 18:30 | Restaurante Saddle, Madrid
Insights and practical examples from Simplify and Banca Intesa (Intesa Sanpaolo)
For Insurance and Banking leaders
Are you interested in joining us?
Please send an email to Emma and we’ll get back to you.
In cooperation with Simplify