Member Spotlight: Appian
What does your role as Insurance Industry Leader involve at Appian?
I have worked in the insurance industry for over 15 years, at companies such as Hiscox and PartnerRe. My role is to support our insurance partners, customers and prospects in using Appian to accelerate their operations and IT functions.
What does Appian offer to insurers?
With Appian clients can build applications and unlock dispersed data using no- or low-code software. We provide administration workflow systems to support business process and case management across property and casualty (P&C), life and health (L&H) and pension and annuity insurance businesses. Appian software can integrate into many different administration platforms, such as insurance core systems, CRM systems, and document management systems, to provide an end-to-end experience for the user and customer.
Using the power of low-code, Appian customers can build workflow applications with speed and agility. Insurers can automate processes and increase speed to market with new products and services.
Can you explain what Appian’s low-code/no-code implementation means in practice?
There are a lot of no-code elements in Appian, but there are also elements that allow users to code. Appian has decided to offer both no- and low-code because every insurer faces complex issues. The ability to code if needed brings flexibility. Automated no-code elements on the Appian platform include features to design workflow and case management applications quickly. Appian also offers intelligent document processing (IDP), artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation (RPA) capabilities.
Which insurance companies are you working with?
Appian is working with over 50 large and mid-size insurers across Europe, the US, and the Asia-Pacific region. Some of our customers I can name include Aviva, Aon, Aegon, and Munich Re.
What is the biggest problem that Appian is trying to solve for its insurance customers?
A lot of insurance companies are reliant on multiple systems across which customer data is dispersed. Appian unlocks this data and ensures it can be used efficiently within the company, including by claims handlers and underwriters or externally by intermediaries, partners, or experts.
What features of Appian differentiate do your clients find particularly appealing in the UK and Europe?
The Appian Low-Code Platform includes no-code features and automation capabilities, like Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and intelligent document processing. This results in a better user experience where the human is always in the loop. Insurance clients can build applications quickly but also change them quickly where needed. This is useful when business requirements or regulations change because insurers are enabled to adapt to changing needs quickly.
Where do you think the biggest opportunities for Appian lie in insurance?
Appian aims to eliminates silos within insurance companies to streamline processes end to end. We are also looking to extend collaboration between intermediaries, insurers and brokers to enable customers’ needs to be met at speed.
What is the focus of your innovation activities for 2022?
Appian upgrades its platform every quarter, and upgrades are available to our customers automatically. In addition, Appian is extending our investments in pre-built solutions, which are developed by Appian or our partners. These are built on top of our platform and can further accelerate and extend the needs of our customers. Last year, we launched the Appian Connected Claims solution, which allows insurers to improve their customer claims service and control potential claims leakage*. We intend to launch another solution for connected underwriting. For the next quarter, Appian will be releasing new functionalities on our platform to enable even faster application development.
Why did your company join InsTech?
Appian is an open platform, so it is important to connect with customers who want to unlock their own data. The InsTech community and events allow us to connect with potential partners and customers to support the development of a connected insurance experience.
*Claims leakage is a term used to describe excess cost due to fraud or delay in paying the claim