Moving towards intelligence-driven insurance
For many years, policy administration systems (PAS) formed the quiet backbone of the insurance industry. They processed transactions reliably, issued renewals on time and kept records safe. That reliability remains important, but the demands on insurers have changed. Across the globe, customers are expecting more. Risks are shifting faster and new forms of distribution are emerging. The old role of PAS is no longer enough.
Mobile adoption has already shown how quickly African consumers embrace digital solutions when they meet real needs. Insurance on the continent can follow the same path – but only if carriers invest in platforms that are built to evolve.
McKinsey’s Global Insurance Report 2025 notes that 60% of insurer performance is now driven by operational excellence rather than market geography. This means the winners will be those who rethink how they operate, not just where they sell.
Rethinking the role of the PAS - Instead of viewing the PAS as an administrative record-keeper, insurers need to see it as an intelligence engine. Tomorrow’s systems will not just process data; they will interpret it, recommend next steps and anticipate risks before they materialise.
The possibilities are wide-ranging. Potential uses include:
- Using AI to predict churn and trigger retention campaigns
- Analysing endorsements to refine underwriting and product design
- Integrating IoT and mobile data for real-time risk assessment
- Delivering proactive recommendations to claims and distribution teams
Policy administration as we once knew it is finished. Insurers who prepare now for intelligence-driven systems will be the ones who thrive tomorrow.
A phased approach - At SSP we believe the journey to policy intelligence is not a one-time switch but a staged evolution. We have rebuilt our core PAS on a modern 64-bit architecture, combining four decades of functionality with the scale and performance that insurers require. We are now embedding analytics, AI and ecosystem connections that shift insurers from recording the past to predicting the future.
Each step adds adaptability, ensuring platforms stay aligned with growth ambitions rather than becoming tomorrow’s legacy.
