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AI is Shifting Complexity away from the Customer
Where is the complexity shifting to?
Underwriting sits at the heart of life insurance, determining who gets coverage, at
what cost, and under what conditions. Over the past two decades, life underwriting
departments, have moved from paper applications, physician statements and
manual labs toward rule-based engines that drive dynamic questionnaires and
integrate third-party labs. This evolution slashed cycle times and boosted
consistency, but it also uncovered new frontiers where rigid “if-then” logic can’t keep
pace with exploding data sources and customer expectations.
AI powered underwriting introduces real time decision making, data driven risk
assessment, and greater personalization. It draws on vast pools of structured and
unstructured data, including electronic health records, wearable data, pharmacy
databases, and even behavioural insight, to deliver faster, fairer, and more dynamic
underwriting decisions.
For consumers, this means quicker access to cover. They require instant access to
quotes, and digital onboarding. For insurers, it unlocks operational efficiency, deeper
customer insights, and more precise risk segmentation. The shift is transforming intelligent processing of information away from the consumer, back towards the designers and strategists creating insurance processes. This migration of complexity is creating new demands in the insurance industry giving rise to new roles.
The role trends
Underwriters Become Risk Strategists
Customer Experience and Relationship Management Enhanced
Data Scientists and AI Specialists Grow in Importance
With AI handling data collection and initial risk scoring, human underwriters
will shift focus to more complex cases, judgment calls, and strategy. They will
analyse AI-generated insights to design innovative products and manage
emerging risks.
Data Scientists and AI Specialists Grow in Importance
Customer Experience and Relationship Management Enhanced
Data Scientists and AI Specialists Grow in Importance
Insurance companies will increasingly rely on data scientists, machine
learning engineers, and AI ethicists to build, maintain, and audit underwriting
models. These professionals ensure AI systems are accurate, fair, and
compliant with regulations.
Customer Experience and Relationship Management Enhanced
Customer Experience and Relationship Management Enhanced
Customer Experience and Relationship Management Enhanced
With underwriting accelerating, customer-facing roles will focus more on
education, advising clients, and handling sensitive cases that require empathy
and nuanced communication.
Compliance and Risk Management Roles Adapt
Operations and IT Teams Shift to AI Integration and Maintenance
Customer Experience and Relationship Management Enhanced
New roles will emerge to oversee AI governance, transparency, and bias
monitoring, ensuring that AI decisions are explainable and meet ethical and
legal standards.
Operations and IT Teams Shift to AI Integration and Maintenance
Operations and IT Teams Shift to AI Integration and Maintenance
Operations and IT Teams Shift to AI Integration and Maintenance
Teams will focus on integrating AI systems with legacy platforms, data
security, and continuous improvement rather than manual processing.
New Roles and Career Paths
The shift in role demand reflects the shift in complexity, away from complex case processing towards finding patterns in data that are useable, explainable inline with compliance regulations.
About the Authors
Colm Kennedy
Colm Kennedy
Colm Kennedy
Colm Kennedy is Principal and Managing Director. He leads digital strategy development teams to put clients on a path towards their strategic goals.
He has over 20 years experience leading 100 + Insurtech, Fintech, digital transformations. He has led underwriting, data , claims, AI, trading and fund management systems to market leader. Holding positions from COO, CPO and CEO.
Colm holds a B.Eng, Post Grad Dip Applied Computing, and M.B.A. from UCD.
Phil Daly
Colm Kennedy
Colm Kennedy
Phil Daly is principle Underwriting Strategy Lead. With over 20 years of experience in the Life Insurance industry as an Underwriting Manager, she brings deep expertise in underwriting strategy, risk assessment, and process optimization. In addition, her 15 years in the IT industry have allowed her to bridge the gap between traditional underwriting practices and cutting-edge digital transformation. She has successfully guided insurance companies by integrating their underwriting strategies into comprehensive digital solutions, ensuring seamless end-to-end processes with third-party integrations that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and user experience. Her work enables insurers to leverage data-driven insights and automation, ensuring smarter underwriting decisions and improved business outcomes.