Behavioral intelligence is transforming how insurers assess risk, enhance profitability, and promote fairness in underwriting. In a recent interview with AAIS Partner Pinpoint Predictive, Inc., we explored how carriers can leverage these insights at key stages of the insurance value chain—from risk selection to renewal strategies. Scott Ham, CEO of Pinpoint Predictive, Inc., explained that by incorporating unconventional technologies and behavioral insights, insurers are gaining a more complete picture of their customers, leading to smarter decisions and more equitable outcomes.

A 2019 article focusing on insurance underwriting by McKinsey stated, “Based on our observations, anywhere from 30 to 40 percent of underwriting’s time is spent on administrative tasks, such as rekeying data or manually executing analyses.”

Carrier Management recently published a release from AM Best revealing that the homeowners insurance sector suffered an underwriting loss amounting to $15.2 billion in 2023. This loss is more than double that of the previous year and marks the worst underwriting results since 2000. This spike is attributed to increased weather-related events and shifting population demographics, leading insurers to confront significant challenges in underwriting and risk assessment.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the underwriting process, offering unprecedented opportunities for efficiency and accuracy in the insurance industry. In this interview with AAIS Partner, Cogitate, we explored how AI is promising a new era in data interpretation and utilization. Jacqueline Schaendorf, CPCU, Co-Founder of Cogitate and President and CEO of Insurance House, discussed the potential of predictive modeling in underwriting and claims processes, significant data challenges faced by carriers, and innovative solutions offered by Cogitate.

Today, there is a lot of buzz surrounding generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its potentially significant implications for the insurance industry. The use of GenAI in insurance is taking a large step forward, leading the paradigm shift in AI and machine learning (ML) due to its efficient and innovative features. In the dynamic realm of insurance, burdened by cumbersome manual processes, traditional AI solutions are limited. GenAI transcends these limitations, offering transformative solutions to streamline insurance workflows and propel the industry forward.

A staggering number of billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events have rocked the United States in 2023. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported in early September that 23 events with losses exceeding $1 billion each had hit the country last year. That marked the most in a calendar year in more than four decades of record-keeping.

Catastrophes, higher building costs, and inflation are all impacting commercial underwriting performance and insurer profitability. Proper portfolio valuation is becoming exponentially important as the reinsurance market tightens. So, how can insurance companies better manage their books of business now and into an uncertain future? The answer is rooted in addressing valuation issues by tapping third-party vendors. The answer is tied to partnering with a robust digital platform provider. The answer is collaboration.

In the past, it was easy for insurers to dismiss data as untrustworthy because they didn’t want to invest in it. Now, third-party vendors present necessary advances that help to paint the bigger picture. Platforms like OneShield are the glue that brings these tools together. And, not just for underwriting purposes. In the commercial lines business, customers are generally good risk management partners. OneShield and its customers have seen tremendous engagement with agents and policyholders who want to proactively manage risk. Failing to enable that is a missed opportunity.

As part of the AAIS Webinar Series, AAIS hosted a virtual discussion on December 7, 2023, featuring Chrp Technologies. Moderated by AAIS President & CEO Werner Kruck, the session explored the state of today’s home insurance market as well as the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Featured guest speakers Chin Ma, President of Chrp Technologies, and Brandi Wyrick, AVP of Experience at Orion180, reviewed how new and emerging technologies like Chrp can improve underwriting results and operational efficiencies. They also touched upon the role of artificial intelligence (AI) across the insurance space and how companies can leverage new capabilities to improve the customer experience.

The National Association of Mutual Insurers (NAMIC) held its 2023 Annual Convention on September 17-20 in National Harbor, Maryland. During the convention, AAIS sat down with Bala Kumar, Co-Founder and Vice President of Jarus Technologies, to discuss top issues insurance carriers are facing, how to address them, how Jarus Technologies is helping carriers and its upcoming initiatives.

In this edition from the AAIS Webinar Series, titled: The Value of Risk Control: Moving Beyond the Basics, Bryon Snethen, Vice President Risk Improvement at EMC Insurance and Jacob Pereira, a Solutions Engineer at Risk Control Technologies identified the purpose and value of risk control to a variety of stakeholders, including agents, insurance companies, policyholders, and society.

In August 2020, AAIS introduced its new Risk Awareness Service (RAS), a digital resource center tracking catastrophic risk and providing risk information in real time. At the inaugural AAIS Pulse Newsmagazine, AAIS VP Data and Actuarial Services Phil LeGrone described the Risk Awareness Service, its goals, and the value it can provide insurance carriers and the customers they serve. He also welcomed Jeff Waters, a Senior Product Manager at Risk Management Solutions (RMS), the leading modeling firms, to add his perspective on emerging modeling approaches and tools.