How AI is cracking complexity for underwriters

Recognizing these challenges, the underwriting profession is embracing innovative solutions to streamline information retrieval. A prime example is the Underwriter Guidance Tool, known as BRIAN at Allianz UK. This tool uses generative AI to simplify the process of accessing essential information.

Following a successful pilot phase with nearly 3,000 questions from 190 users, BRIAN is now in full production and ready to scale. BRIAN digests underwriting guides – currently all Property and Casualty (P&C) and Specialty line documents – and allows underwriters to ask specific questions and receive concise, accurate responses.

For example, when asked, “How do I calculate the Estimated Maximum Loss for a block of flats?” BRIAN scans the relevant guides and summarizes critical points, including the required calculation. Crucially, the information is sourced exclusively from the uploaded documents, ensuring compliance and reliability.

“What sets BRIAN apart is its dual functionality,” explains Benjamin Blackie, Transformation Business Owner at Allianz Insurance, UK. “It provides a concise answer, and it also includes a direct link to the specific section of the 800-page guidance document used to generate the response. This allows underwriters to delve deeper if needed, without manually searching hundreds of pages."

The tool is especially useful for junior underwriters to increase and accelerate familiarity with the vast documentation. BRIAN’s interface ensures smoother navigation, while its database significantly boosts speed and accuracy when answering questions. These streamline day-to-day tasks and create a foundation for the addition of more guides and materials planned for 2025.

Currently, BRIAN is being used by 260 Property and Liability Underwriters across all Allianz UK commercial offices, with plans to scale to all 600+ underwriters within 12 months as more documents and business lines are added. Beyond this, Allianz is looking to expand BRIAN’s capabilities to include guides for other lines of business in Commercial. BRIAN is also being positioned as a foundational tool for similar AI-driven innovations in other business areas, such as Claims, reflecting its potential to transform various operational processes.

Similar initiatives are underway at Allianz France and Allianz Commercial echo this success, highlighting a broader effort to revolutionize underwriting processes. Brian is expected to deliver a significant annual impact for Allianz UK and Allianz Commercial in time previously spent combing through documents.

“This is not about replacing decision making, but equipping people with better tools to access information they need, at the moment they need it,” says Blackie.

He notes that with the extra time saved, underwriters can focus on deeper risk analysis, enhancing customer relationships, refining pricing strategies and staying updated on emerging market trends and regulatory changes. BRIAN was developed as a collaboration between Allianz UK business, transformation and technology teams, together with datalab, the advanced analytics and data science function with the Data & Analytics unit.

By reducing inefficiencies and improving decision-making, BRIAN and similar tools empower underwriters to make better-informed decisions faster. These innovations transform traditionally cumbersome processes, enhancing agility, accuracy and confidence in underwriting practices and showing how generative AI addresses the complexities of modern underwriting.

But why is it called BRIAN? Is it an acronym? “It’s actually named after the first underwriter I sat next to who answered all my questions when I was a newbie at Allianz”, says Ben. “I still remember him and how great it was  to have a knowledgeable, cooperative colleague. With agile working and hybrid options, not everyone gets to have a human Brian in real life, but at least we have BRIAN. This will help new starters to onboard themselves significantly.”