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Past the thrill: turning promise into outcomes
The AI explosion has ramped up the stress on the world’s high insurtechs to ship and push the boundaries even additional.
The businesses assembly these exacting calls for are acknowledged by Insurance coverage Enterprise because the 5-Star Know-how and Software program Suppliers 2025 and have been decided after the worldwide broking community nominated and ranked their standout performers.
Their options drive enterprise worth, from quicker claims processing to smarter underwriting, allow digital distribution fashions, and supply insurer-specific understanding, whereas introducing AI the place it’s best.
“Though AI is basically new to insurance coverage, boards and C-suites have excessive expectations to take the lead,” says Alan Demers, president of InsurTech Consulting. “These expectations are buoyed with warning for the probabilities of what may go incorrect. It’s a real mixture of concern and thrilling alternatives.”
Proving the purpose, greater than 60 % of all insurtech offers in early 2025 concerned AI, reflecting its speedy rise in underwriting, claims, customer support, and threat modelling, in line with the Q1 2025 World InsurTech Report.
Different key knowledge factors reinforce the momentum:
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World insurtech funding surged 90.2 % quarter over quarter, reaching US$1.31 billion, the best stage since late 2022
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Three mega-rounds over US$100 million have been recorded for P&C-focused corporations: Quantexa (US$175 million), Overtly (US$123 million), and Instabase (US$100 million)
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AI-led insurtechs raised a mixed US$710.86 million throughout 60 offers, with a mean dimension of practically US$ 14 million
For a lot of insurers, the hype has outpaced sensible understanding, however that’s altering. As George Shelton, head of venturing at Alchemy Crew Ventures, explains, “AI, and particularly generative AI, has raised the bar by way of what we count on from insurance coverage software program.”
He describes the sector as deeply advanced and data-dependent, having traditionally lagged behind different industries in innovation. That gradual tempo now leaves room to maneuver.
“There’s loads of low-hanging fruit,” Shelton says. “However we’re loads much less forgiving of AI than we’re of our human counterparts, particularly given the big variety of so-called options flooding the market.”
And he additionally explains that the highest insurtechs don’t lose sight of the tip purpose. “Insurers are grappling with an ideal storm of great challenges, lots of that are more and more advanced and doubtlessly very disruptive,” Shelton says. “The purpose is to assist insurers turn out to be extra agile, resilient, and customer-centric.”
Separating worth from advertising spin
AI has turn out to be the defining speaking level of the tech house, however insurance coverage leaders are cautious of inflated guarantees and one-size-fits-all platforms.
“Practically each answer supplier has ‘AI’ of their URL, someplace on their web sites and advertising collateral,” says Demers. “This makes it tough to evaluate and distinguish amongst gamers, by no means thoughts attributing actual cost-benefit evaluation.”
He warns that whereas generative and agentic AI are displaying potential, many carriers are nonetheless experimenting and struggling to seek out options tailor-made to their enterprise wants.
Demers factors to particular progress in “co-pilot or agent use circumstances,” equivalent to claims reserving. Shelton reinforces the purpose: “AI is a game-changer, however solely when applied thoughtfully.”
The worth lies not within the tech itself however in the way it’s skilled and deployed. “The true worth comes from tailor-made, insurance-specific AI fashions which are rigorously examined for equity and compliance, and which are absolutely explainable and understood by these utilizing them,” Shelton says.
Actual progress is being made with measurable enhancements in:
“Expectations have soared with the emergence of generative AI,” Demers provides. “The bar is raised excessive for brand spanking new innovation, breakthroughs on effectivity and value benefits, in addition to higher threat choice and pricing.”
What units the highest insurtech firms aside
The worldwide market is crowded with distributors providing transformation. Nevertheless, separating worth from business noise requires operational fluency and a deep understanding of how insurance coverage firms function.
4 key patterns emerged throughout the highest insurtech firms based mostly on brokers’ perception:
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AI expectations are rising quick. Generative AI has turn out to be a strategic problem. However off-the-shelf fashions are shedding floor to purpose-built, insurance-specific options.
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Implementation is now a credibility take a look at. If a system can’t combine easily with legacy infrastructure or ship worth on day one, it doesn’t make it by means of procurement.
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Customization is predicted. Off-the-shelf software program is being changed by versatile platforms that adapt to area of interest product fashions and market-specific methods.
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Outcomes are every part. Patrons are awaiting actual affect, lowered loss ratios, quicker processing, and higher CX. Options alone not shut the deal.
For Demers, who beforehand led main claims operations, endurance, area experience, and measurable outcomes stay the hallmarks of top-tier suppliers.
“High suppliers typically carry attendant scale, reliability, and are mature sufficient to carry insurance coverage acumen as an added dimension,” he says. “One of the best tends to offer wealthy benchmarking info as carriers always examine efficiency given the extremely aggressive market.”
Whereas established gamers dominate by means of stability and scale, newer entrants are additionally gaining floor. Demers provides, “New entrants typically achieve traction by providing the newest in expertise and revolutionary influences to set themselves aside.”
Innovation chief Shelton echoes this sentiment. “Nice companions make working with them a no brainer. As effectivity and profitability pressures mount for insurers, the business is ripe with alternative. Nevertheless, potential companions should be capable to ship measurable worth, on insurer’s phrases, from day one, in a versatile, responsive, and collaborative means.”
Tackling legacy drag and threat that gained’t wait
The insurance coverage business is underneath stress from ageing tech stacks, new threat varieties, evolving buyer expectations, and an more and more advanced regulatory atmosphere.
Know-how companions should go nicely past implementation and are anticipated to carry options to systemic challenges whereas minimizing disruptions to core operations.
Demers identifies three crucial areas the place the proper tech makes a distinction:
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profitability pressures in burdened traces like owners and industrial auto
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fragmented methods and costly tech stacks that hinder effectivity
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the push to undertake AI responsibly, particularly round knowledge high quality, privateness, and enterprise relevance
Shelton presents a complementary checklist of challenges that insurers count on their distributors to handle:
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rising complexity of threat, from cyber to local weather
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rising regulatory and knowledge privateness necessities that demand greater than box-checking
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operational inefficiencies because of layered legacy infrastructure
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customers demanding personalization and digital ease, whilst they in the reduction of on spending
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inside stress to launch new merchandise and distribution fashions with out increasing overhead
“From a strategic viewpoint, tech and software program suppliers ought to acknowledge that their providers can lengthen past fixing a technological drawback towards serving to their shoppers to actively innovate, enhance, and develop new services, based mostly on good suggestions,” Shelton says.
Measuring what issues:
the ROI converstion
In an area crowded with demos and advertising noise, insurance coverage leaders don’t wish to purchase guarantees. Effectivity beneficial properties are nonetheless desk stakes, however they’re not the entire story, Demers remarks.
“At current, income progress might be No. 1, as P&C has restored profitability and underwriting appetites are rising shortly,” he says. “Loss ratios can be an in depth second. Resolution-makers wish to see advantages in all, together with buyer satisfaction.”
Shelton agrees that evaluating ROI in insurance coverage tech is essential and have to be a mix of quantitative and qualitative knowledge.
“The magic numbers of loss ratio and expense ratio will at all times be high of a traditional insurer’s thoughts,” Shelton says.
Information evaluation of what the world’s brokers need
Instruments that work shortly, combine seamlessly, and ship measurable worth underneath present enterprise circumstances are the highest necessities.
A comparability of IB’s international scores from 2023 to 2025 additionally uncovers a sequence of developments:
Key patterns and insights
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2024 dip: All standards skilled a dip in 2024, suggesting both greater expectations or market challenges.
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2025 restoration: All standards rebounded in 2025, with some reaching their highest ranges, indicating enhancements in expertise choices or higher alignment with dealer wants.
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Ease of use dominance: This stays crucial issue, highlighting the need for intuitive, user-friendly expertise.
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Customization volatility: The sharp drop and restoration counsel that brokers’ wants for tailor-made options might fluctuate with market or regulatory modifications.
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Consistency in worth and help: Worth for cash and buyer help are secure, underscoring their ongoing significance.
IB’s historic knowledge helps what Shelton and Demers flagged: consumers need platforms that align with their atmosphere, not the opposite means round.
“Implementation is not only a matter of velocity,” Shelton says. “It’s a marker of whether or not a supplier understands how insurance coverage companies function.”
Customization noticed the most important year-over-year achieve, rising 0.22 % illustrating that off-the-shelf options are shedding floor to suppliers who assist insurers tailor every part from workflows to product design. Ease of use, already close to the ceiling, stays the one highest-rated issue. That reinforces a tough reality that if frontline groups can’t use a platform simply, they gained’t.
Inside IB’s World 5-Star Know-how and Software program Suppliers 2025
Function-built innovation and confirmed outcomes
Vertafore, one of many business’s most established insurtech corporations, takes a sensible method to innovation. Its innovation technique prioritizes foundational problem-solving over stacking on pointless options. That ethos drives breakthroughs in every day workflows, boosts relationships, and fuels scalable progress for purchasers.
Vertafore serves businesses, wholesalers, MGAs, and carriers of all sizes. That attain offers the corporate a front-row seat to shifting wants throughout distribution, underwriting, and compliance.
That perception pairs with an open suggestions loop with clients and the NetVU person group, permitting the product workforce to show high requests into actuality.
Time saved is worth delivered
One flagship initiative, Challenge Affect, cuts the time businesses spend on repetitive, high-volume duties. Vertafore workers shadowed greater than 100 servicers throughout AMS360, Sagitta, and WorkSmart to determine ache factors in actual workflows.
The outcome was dozens of enhancements which have already saved practically an hour per day for a lot of customers. “Innovation is crucial for our business to thrive, however to make a long-lasting affect, it must be about greater than merely chasing what’s new,” chief challenge officer James Thom explains.
“Our innovation course of begins with a give attention to what’s going to propel our clients’ long-term success. That ensures improvements ship measurable worth, equivalent to quantifiable time financial savings, improved consumer retention, quicker processes, and enterprise progress.”


“Our purpose is to simplify your complete insurance coverage life cycle so clients can give attention to what issues most to their enterprise”
James ThomVertafore
Launched in December 2024, AgencyOne is Vertafore’s built-in platform constructed on AMS360 and Sagitta, which brings collectively every part businesses have to run and develop their enterprise.
Designed to simplify how businesses function, AgencyOne consists of:
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gross sales automation that optimizes day-to-day exercise
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real-time, aggressive quoting and binding
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trendy digital experiences for right now’s insurance coverage shoppers
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streamlined company administration workflows
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Information and analytics for smarter decision-making
Quicker navigation and improved search features alone can release two weeks per worker per 12 months. “AgencyOne offers a 360-degree view of consumer info with customized dashboards and international navigation, making an agent’s work simpler daily,” Thom says. “That sort of unified expertise interprets into actual time financial savings and lets brokers spend extra time on enterprise progress and consumer engagement.”
Open structure, long-term help
Underpinning Vertafore’s expertise is an open-architecture technique constructed on APIs and microservices, in addition to its Orange Companion program.
This ecosystem permits businesses, MGAs, and provider companions to plug in best-in-class instruments, lengthen workflows, and keep a seamless expertise throughout its suite and complementary applied sciences.
In 2020, Vertafore discovered a everlasting house by means of its acquisition by Roper Applied sciences. That long-term backing permits Vertafore to reinvest practically 1 / 4 of its income in product improvement, UX/UI enhancements, and steady platform modernization.
Current design updates emphasize:
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inclusive ideas
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enhancing accessibility
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decreasing clicks
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overcoming situational limitations that gradual brokers down
“Our purpose is to simplify your complete insurance coverage lifecycle so clients can give attention to what issues most to their distinctive enterprise wants,” he provides. “We’re delivering instruments that work right now and evolve to satisfy tomorrow’s challenges.”
Vertafore will lengthen the Challenge Affect method to new workflows and floor AI-driven suggestions throughout its platform. Its focus stays on uniting the distribution chain, empowering businesses, MGAs, and carriers with customer-centric options that drive actual enterprise outcomes.
Redefining automation with affect, not overhead
In a market the place velocity, accuracy, and expertise set the minimal bar for competitors, automation has turn out to be greater than a cost-cutting software. TCG’s flagship platform, DocProStar, combines AI, legacy integration, and no-code course of design to ship velocity with out including technical complexity.
“Initially, shoppers have been primarily targeted on price financial savings by automating repetitive administrative duties equivalent to knowledge extraction and e-mail triage,” says managing director Frank Volckmar. “These early-stage implementations delivered a powerful return on funding, typically attaining payback in underneath 12 months.”
Growth now sees shoppers utilizing automation to boost each worker and buyer experiences. “Whereas price discount stays vital, the main target has expanded to incorporate broader strategic targets; specifically, enhancing worker and buyer experiences,” Volckmar says.
DocProStar stands out for its no-code, BPMN-based interface, which permits claims managers, underwriters, and operations workers to map, take a look at, and refine workflows with out writing a single line of code.
“This inclusive method accelerates automation rollouts whereas guaranteeing the folks closest to the enterprise challenges can actively contribute to course of innovation,” Volckmar says. “The result’s quicker time-to-value, broader alignment throughout groups, and extra resilient, business-driven automation initiatives.”
Connecting legacy methods with out rework
TCG designed DocProStar to behave as an orchestration layer, connecting legacy platforms to trendy AI instruments and third-party methods. For a lot of insurers, this potential to bridge previous and new is essential.
For instance, one consumer now makes use of DocProStar to ingest claims paperwork, extract key knowledge, classify inputs, and automate choices utilizing AI, all whereas syncing with its core insurance coverage platform for validation.
“In some implementations, shoppers additionally ‘scrape’ knowledge from legacy platforms and merge it with AI outputs inside DocProStar, turning fragmented duties into measurable, end-to-end processes,” Volckmar provides.


“As insurers proceed their digital transformation, we see OCTO enjoying a pivotal function in unlocking new efficiencies and accelerating the sensible software of AI”
Frank VolckmarTCG Course of
What many nonetheless miss about AI
Regardless of robust adoption, Volckmar states that many insurers nonetheless underestimate what it takes to get automation proper:
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lack of standardization throughout groups or departments
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mistrust in AI outputs because of fears of hallucination or inaccuracy
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weak analysis frameworks that fail to weigh privateness, safety, and efficiency
“With so many providers available in the market, it’s vitally vital to work with specialised consultants who can align expertise with precise enterprise wants.”
TCG is concentrated on increasing AI throughout high-volume use circumstances, equivalent to claims and underwriting, by means of OCTO, a brand new orchestration module embedded in DocProStar.
“Use circumstances already rising embrace the combination of AI into legacy functions, validation of incoming knowledge in opposition to enterprise guidelines to boost knowledge integrity, and AI-powered help for information staff embedded straight of their workflows,” Volckmar says.
Quicker whole loss valuations with market-driven accuracy
In Australia’s motor insurance coverage market, whole loss valuation has lengthy been a sticking level. Clunky workflows, inconsistent knowledge, and drawn-out disputes have annoyed assessors and claimants alike.
AutoGrab has stepped into that hole with its Pre-Accident Valuation (PAV) platform, which mixes on-demand market knowledge with human-guided decision-making to streamline the method and enhance belief.
“It was fraught with errors,” recollects Denis Flora, nationwide buyer supervisor for insurance coverage. “In the event that they weren’t choosing the proper car, it meant they weren’t producing the proper worth on a complete loss.”
Constructed for velocity and proof
In the course of the peak of the pandemic, as automotive costs surged and provide chains crumbled, AutoGrab launched its answer to scale back handbook steps and enhance consistency.
By automating the grunt work, matching car identification and outline, and drawing on a deep catalogue of marketed listings, the platform reduces the common time per case to seven to 10 minutes, a 60 % time saving with improved accuracy.
“The ache was acute throughout COVID,” Flora says.
Customers are guided by means of an easy-to-navigate interface and obtain a clear, customer-ready PDF report.
“Our anecdotal suggestions is that 9 out of 10 clients agree with the end result of the report as a result of they’ve obtained the proof there,” Flora provides.


“We provide the proper mix of expertise help throughout the extremely customer-focused and personable technique of the insurance coverage motor claims worth chain”
Denis FloraAutoGrab
Settlement worth complaints stay among the many most frequent insurance coverage disputes in Australia, in line with AFCA. To help transparency, AutoGrab’s reviews embrace comparable listings, worth historical past, and state-specific market dynamics.
“If a buyer is dissatisfied with a complete loss declare’s worth, the insurer can present the AutoGrab PAV PDF report to point out how the worth was calculated,” he explains.
Actual-time knowledge that strikes with the market
AutoGrab’s proprietary catalogue covers 99.3 % of autos underneath 4.5 tons, courting again to 1983. It’s up to date usually by means of its international partnerships.
The protection is increasing quicker than that of different instruments available on the market, due to these partnerships and unique entry to new fashions, making it the quickest available on the market to develop.
Ads are matched to {the catalogue} and monitored all through the gross sales cycle, together with pricing actions, days to promote, and provide and demand dynamics. This knowledge is analyzed to supply an correct market-reflective worth, supported by precise listings and gross sales knowledge.
Human perception nonetheless issues
Whereas the platform makes use of machine studying to counsel an estimated retail worth, human experience stays central to the method, particularly in insurance coverage.
“We current the entire knowledge, insights, and listings to the client, they usually make the decision on which autos to make use of within the valuation,” Flora explains. “Each car is exclusive. It might have totally different equipment, modifications, or pre-existing injury. That’s the place the human interplay is available in.”
What’s modified is the standard of data behind these choices. Along with presenting comparable listings, AutoGrab consists of state-based provide and demand stats, odometer averages, and nationwide pricing developments. Flora calls it a holistic image.
“That worth could also be totally different on the final day of the month in comparison with the primary day of the month as a result of listings might have modified,” he says. “We current all of that to our customers to make that decision.”
From motor claims to full cycle growth
Since its launch in 2020, AutoGrab now serves insurers and underwriting companions in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Asia. Whereas its basis lies in insurance coverage, the corporate is nicely established in different verticals, together with dealership platforms, fleet administration, finance, and authorities.
“Holistically, the automotive business is our oyster,” Flora says. “However we see actually good advantages for insurers, not solely to drive their claims efficiency and coverage portfolio efficiency higher, however to enhance their buyer engagement and transparency, which drives loyalty and retention.”
AutoGrab is now increasing deeper into the claims lifecycle, from lodgment and restore evaluation to underwriting and quote technology.
Internationally, it already gives absolutely automated valuations for insurers. In Australia, the hybrid mannequin, combining machine intelligence with human discretion, stays the optimum match. However the expertise is designed to scale.
Insurtech is not a sandbox for theories. AI could also be within the highlight, however insurers and brokers are targeted on what works. They need instruments that ship outcomes. Tech that cuts the noise, fixes the complications, and helps groups carry out extra effectively.
IB’s 5-Star Know-how and Software program Suppliers 2025 have earned their status by remaining targeted on execution. They’re not promoting software program; they’re fixing issues for brokers and insurers in demanding, advanced environments globally.
- AgencyBloc
- Alert Labs
- Utilized Programs
- Bentek
- Curium
- Decerto
- EcoClaim
- Folio.insure
- Foxquilt
- InsuredHQ
- Life Design Evaluation
- ProNavigator
- Quandri
- QuickFacts
- Quotey.io
- RedBook New Zealand
- SambaSafety
- TCG Course of
- Trufla Know-how