For decades, underwriting was defined by manual processing and a great deal of paperwork. Broker submissions typically arrived by email, requiring underwriters or their assistants to manually re-key information into multiple, disconnected systems. Renewal cycles could consume entire quarters, with teams buried in duplicative forms and document review.
Executive Summary
While freed from endless paperwork by AI, underwriters can no longer rely on defending existing books; their value will come from cross-selling, specialization and advisory skills that fuel growth.
Although by no means extinct, that model is gradually getting outdated.
Today, AI can ingest broker submissions directly, pull payroll or credit data from third-party sources, and even pre-populate policy wordings. Rules-based engines already triage low-complexity risks with minimal human touch.
