Where to start
The highest-leverage automation targets share three traits: high volume, low judgment, and clear inputs. In commercial intake that is usually:
- Pulling data out of submission emails and ACORDs.
- Clearance and conflict checks against existing policies.
- Producing a structured submission record for the underwriting workbench.
Where to stop
Anything that requires negotiation, broker relationships, or appetite-edge judgment is not automation territory. Those are the moments underwriters earn their pay; automation should buy them time, not replace them.
Measuring ROI
Track three numbers every month:
- Time-to-quote — wall-clock from submission received to first quote issued.
- Touch count — how many people handle a submission before it binds.
- Hit ratio — quoted vs bound. If automation increases quote volume but tanks hit ratio, you are quoting the wrong business faster.
The integration tax
The hardest part of insurance automation is rarely the AI — it is wiring policy admin systems, document stores, and broker portals together. Budget for it.
