Claims adjusters face the constant challenge of balancing speed with thoughtful, judgment-driven decisions. Intelligent automation is proving to be a vital tool in meeting these demands, helping claims organizations streamline workflows and devote more time to high-value tasks. Done well, automation doesn’t replace adjusters — it amplifies their capabilities, helping carriers deliver faster, more accurate, and more consistent outcomes.
However, implementing the capabilities behind intelligent automation can be challenging. Success requires balancing operational efficiency, governance, and compliance while fostering adoption across claims organizations.
These topics were central to a recent webinar I hosted, “Boosting Claims Efficiency and Effectiveness Through Intelligent Automation,” where two claims leaders from Erie Insurance Group (ERIE), EVP of Claims Cody Cook and IT Director Christine Ward, shared practical strategies for overcoming common obstacles, optimizing workflows, and enhancing adjuster performance.
5 Key Takeaways for Intelligent Automation in Claims
While intelligent automation holds significant promise, realizing its benefits begins with forethought, structured processes, and alignment with broader business goals. Intelligent automation should not be thought of simply as a technical upgrade, but rather as a coordinated, organizational approach.
As Cody put it, “Claims doesn’t operate in isolation from the rest of the company; it’s a strategic part. Everybody has their own philosophies. One size doesn’t fit all.”
The following takeaways from the discussion with ERIE’s claims leaders highlight practical strategies for addressing the challenges insurance claims organizations are dealing with and creating measurable improvements in claims efficiency and effectiveness.
1. Prioritize data structure and accessibility.
One of the biggest obstacles for claims teams is sifting through large amounts of both structured and unstructured data from a variety of internal and external data sources. Claims come with a variety of content types, and without the right data structure and technology stack, adjusters must spend significant time on manual tasks, detracting from their ability to spend more time on higher-value decision-making.
Organizing and standardizing how data is managed is imperative for any automation initiative. Advanced automation tools can help identify patterns, flag exceptions, and surface actionable insights reliably. Up-front investments in parsing and categorizing claims data reduce the need for manual intervention later, smoothing workflows and improving operational efficiency.
Beyond efficiency, an effective data strategy supports predictive analytics, enabling organizations to proactively identify trends, reduce bottlenecks, and make better-informed decisions on high-priority claims. This foundational step ensures that automation delivers meaningful value from the outset.
2. Align automation with adjuster workflows.
Automation initiatives that fail to consider the workflow patterns and judgment-based tasks of adjusters risk creating friction instead of efficiency. Insurers need to design automation initiatives around existing adjuster workflows rather than imposing a rigid, technology-first approach. Automation should serve as an enabler, not a replacement, allowing adjusters to focus on complex, high-value activities while routine tasks are handled by intelligent systems.
This alignment reduces friction and improves adoption. Our panelists described how involving adjusters early in the process — for example, by soliciting feedback and mapping daily tasks — helped the team identify opportunities where automation could reduce repetitive work without disrupting critical, judgment-based activities.
“We really focus on keeping things simple for our customers,” said Cody, “To do that, we are eliminating low-value tasks and investing in tools that help our adjusters focus on making smart decisions and serving people in the moments that matter.”
Additionally, seamless integration into familiar systems is essential. Automation that requires extensive retraining or changes to established workflows can hinder adoption and slow down claims processing rather than accelerate it. By keeping the adjuster experience at the center, automation initiatives become more practical and sustainable over the long term.
3. Invest in ongoing training and change management.
Engagement, training, and clear communication are critical to ensure teams understand the purpose of automation, embrace the changes, and leverage these tools effectively. Automation alone does not solve claims challenges; success requires a workforce prepared to leverage new tools effectively. Investing in adjuster training and broader change management efforts is a pivotal step to maximize the benefits of intelligent automation.
Training initiatives should cover both the technical use of automation tools and the strategy behind process changes. ERIE found that adjusters who understood the “why” behind automation were more likely to embrace new workflows and contribute ideas to improve the system.
“We really had to motivate our team to work and think differently,” Christine shared, “We encouraged them to be comfortable working in the uncomfortable, and as leaders, we had to provide the resources to be successful as well as explain that we want them to try, learn, and apply what they have learned.”
Change management also plays a key role in ensuring alignment between IT, operations, and business leaders. Use clear communication channels and regular feedback loops to monitor adoption, identify pain points, and iterate on automation processes to continuously improve outcomes.
4. Focus on measurable business outcomes.
Integrating new technologies into existing systems, maintaining compliance, and monitoring performance all require careful planning. But no amount of planning can identify how successful an initiative is, which means that insurers must define success metrics from the outset.
As Christine put it, “We really wanted to encourage the team to fall in love with the problem and be clear about what we are trying to achieve and how we will know when we achieve those goals.”
Claims organizations should establish KPIs that measure both efficiency gains and improvements in claims quality. Metrics might include reduced cycle times, improved reserve accuracy, higher subrogation recovery rates, or enhanced customer satisfaction scores.
Tracking these outcomes allows insurers to validate the effectiveness of automation initiatives and make informed decisions about where to expand or refine their use. ERIE shared that by closely monitoring these KPIs, the team could adjust processes dynamically, ensuring that automation continued to deliver tangible business value.
5. Continuously refine and scale automation.
Even with a solid foundation, automation is not a one-time deployment. During the discussion, ERIE experts emphasized piloting initiatives in select lines or regions, iterating based on results, and scaling best practices across the enterprise.
Continuous refinement allows claims teams to address unforeseen challenges, incorporate adjuster feedback, and adapt automation to evolving claim types or regulatory changes.
This iterative approach ensures that automation remains effective, maximizes efficiency, and delivers consistent value for both teams and policyholders.
By putting these strategies into practice, insurers can set the stage for lasting improvements by leveraging intelligent automation.
Unlocking the Full Potential of Claims Automation
Intelligent automation offers insurers the opportunity to transform claims workflows, reduce manual tasks, and deliver better customer experiences. ERIE’s insights illustrate that success comes not from technology alone, but from carefully structuring data, aligning automation with adjuster workflows, investing in training, measuring outcomes, and refining processes over time.
With the right approach, claims automation becomes more than a tool — it becomes a catalyst for operational excellence, empowering teams, enhancing decision-making, and creating measurable improvements across the claims life cycle.
Interested in learning more about how insurers are revitalizing their claims organizations? Read our case study, “U.S. Midwest Insurer Drives Efficiency and Customer Experience With Guidewire ClaimCenter.”
About Erie Insurance Group
Since 1925, Erie Insurance (ERIE) has been fulfilling its promise of providing auto, home, business, and life insurance rooted in the principles of honesty, decency, service, and affordability. Our 14,000 local agents and 6,800 employees still live by the Golden Rule — treating people the same way they’d like to be treated. Rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best, ERIE is currently the nation’s 11th largest homeowners insurer, 12th largest automobile insurer, and 10th largest commercial lines insurer. Based in Erie, Pa., ERIE is a Fortune 500 company with more than seven million policies in force and operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia. News releases and company information are available at www.erieinsurance.com
