Implementing digital transformation in insurance will revolutionize the bottom line

Digital opportunities for insurance

The Internet of Things (IoT) has made digital transformation a reality among various business sectors. Digital transformation, in its turn, has reimagined the insurance industry, one of the most traditional and cautious in adopting new trends.

In general, today’s consumers demand a speed in services, whether it is food delivery or the processing of their insurance claim. More and more people are using their smart devices to fill out claim forms, upload supporting documents, set reminders, receive updates, and make payments on their insurance policies.

As a result, there are digital applications emerging to help insurers communicate with clients and provide quicker turnaround on various aspects of the insurance process, from policy quotes to payments and paperwork.

The insurance industry is keen to digitally transform business, and the wins can be huge.

Data-driven imperatives for digital transformation in insurance

Digital transformation has recharged vital components in the insurance industry, and early adopters are seeing the benefits across the following key areas:

Driving excellence and efficiencies

In a low-interest, low-growth setting, insurers have to look out for cost efficiencies and long-term gains wherever possible. Digital transformation makes this easier by introducing novel approaches such as integration, APIs, automation, system transformations, outsourcing, shared services, and partnership. Some other ways to transform insurance companies are migrating operations to the cloud and bringing about dynamic utilization of resources and assets.

Against this backdrop, AI-powered digital transformation is most likely used in the area of digitized claims processing, which contributes to customer satisfaction.

Personalizing service offerings

Customers’ changing needs and demands shaped digital transformation to include a more personalized service portfolio and product repertoire. AI is used to offer customers personalized packages, targeted precisely at their needs. Add-ons and tailored insurance solutions means that the old one-size-fits-all model is obsolete.

Master technology disruption

Companies within the InsurTech sector are pioneers of innovative business models. This is a time when new players are emerging on the scene, armed with technology like AI, advanced analytics, and robotic process automation. Digital transformation establishes synchronicity across various processes, increasing sales, productivity, and revenue.

Faster communication and reduced time to market

Digital transformation boosts development and shortens the time-to-market for new insurance products and services.

Advantages of digital transformation in insurance

Here are the main advantages of digital transformation in the insurance sector:

• Critical business insights gained via predictive analytics allow for faster business decisions in real-time
• Better management of resources, reduced cost, and a shorter timelines in business operations
• More efficient claims processing and more proficient underwriting
• Fewer complaints along with enhanced customer experience and relationships

How insurance companies can achieve true digital transformation

For any insurance company aiming to evolve into a digital insurance provider, the process has to commence with an in-depth assessment of current operations. This includes a look into their current systems, processes, and infrastructure to shortlist which elements should be moved to a digital setting or migrated to the Cloud and in what order. This prioritization process is vital to reach the right investment figure, schedule optimal disbursement of funds, and build a digital workspace that serves current needs and scales for future ones.

Strategizing for long-term scale-up and evolution should go hand in hand with short-term value addition when looking at building a digital enterprise.

A phased roadmap for the digital transformation of an insurance company looks like this:

Stage 1: Evolution

• The company looks at setting up integrated systems to work with typical user devices, such as smartphones. They set up interfaces and portals for customer interaction as part of their process shift from conventional to digital. Evolution involves a deliberate and well-thought-out recalibration of the business to take it to the next level through cloud-based transformation.

Stage 2: Maturation

• The company explores technologies such as blockchain and automation, incorporates predictive analytics, and explores big data enablers. This, coupled with standard enterprise portal solutions, factors in changes and trends into product development and shortens the time-to-market.

Stage 3: Optimization

• The company applies the various insights from data and inputs from AI and ML toward future aspects of their business, such as dynamic pricing and new product development.

Trends in digital transformation for insurance

As more insurance companies move their business to a digital landscape, trends are emerging that will shape the insurance industry of the future:

1. Going Omnichannel: Phasing out or consolidating legacy technologies into a single, leaner, coherent, and efficient portal that serves a common purpose.
2. Creating Dashboards: A high-level and comprehensive view of different aspects of performance provided through a dashboard. For the consumer, this means a real-time snapshot of their policies, pricing, maturity, and payment deadlines.
3. Compare Options Before You Buy: Aggregator platforms that allow consumers to get a look at various comparable policy options so they can make more informed decisions when settling on a policy. AI manifests in the form of chatbots working as digital advisors and consultants, helping prospects choose the best policy for their needs.
4. Digital Disbursement and Claims Management: Customer service calls may soon become a thing of the past with communication between the insurance providers and consumers becoming digital. From policy purchase, payments, reminders, claims, supporting image or document uploads, to the final payout and closing, all aspects of the process are digital.
5. InsurTech: Smart gadgets such as beacons and GPS tracking are deployed on vehicles and industrial transports to monitor usage. From an insurer’s perspective, this data provides insights for the development of custom products and services. In the health insurance sector, there will be an uptake of wearable devices and gadgets that monitor patient health states, such as heart monitors that allow both the user and the insurer to take appropriate measures.

Digital transformation rewards outweigh the challenges

Before investing in digital transformation solutions, insurance companies remove hurdles such as incompatible or obsolete legacy technologies, a lack of acceptance of technological solutions by employees, or a gap in communication or collaboration between stakeholders. In cases of workforce concerns, the prognosis is that digital transformation may help employee retention and stem turnover by improving job satisfaction levels.

Organizations that go digital successfully can expect a larger customer base, increased efficiencies within the business, happier customers, and a successful future.