Envisioning a Commercial Submissions Process Infused with AI-Powered Tech   

The number of opportunities to leverage AI to transform commercial submissions processes is nearly limitless – with huge potential to deliver smarter processes and better outcomes. While tasks such as repetitive data entry and the cumbersome updating of submission statuses have long been the norm in the insurance industry, they’re also an opportunity for positive change. Change isn’t just coming – it’s already here.

At Applied Systems and Ivans, we’re championing digital transformation to reshape operational workflows and eliminate frustrations for professionals across the insurance ecosystem. We’re harnessing a wide range of AI capabilities to create smarter, faster, and more seamless processes for distribution, underwriting and beyond.

The Power of AI in Insurance

Here’s a scenario you may recognize: an agency submits a quote request, the carrier realizes key information is missing, and then someone picks up the phone or sends an email to the agent, the account manager or (hopefully) someone who can address the issue. Days, even weeks, of back-and-forth ensue, with everyone feeling like they’re stuck in a frustrating loop. Sound familiar?

Now imagine a reality where AI-powered solutions manage not just the extraction of data needed to complete the underwriting process but also prioritize submissions to work on first, enhancing the underwriting teams’ decision-making and capacity management through algorithms designed to streamline workflows. With the use of AI, you have the power to remove the inefficiencies that have historically plagued the underwriting process. If you haven’t heard, Cytora (an insurance AI platform that digitizes and extracts risk information) is now a part of the Ivans and Applied Systems family.

AI changes the game entirely. When fields are incomplete or inconsistent, AI helps fill the gaps. An AI agent can help ensure the information you have is there before you hit send, keeping everyone informed with minimal human intervention. The missing information is then automatically routed back to the right place for the carrier to process.

What once took weeks now takes hours – or less. That’s better for everyone involved. Agencies can spend more time building relationships or working on new business and renewals, insurance carriers can focus on assessing risks, and insured parties aren’t getting buried in redundant communication. It’s a win-win-win situation as we heard from Applied Systems President Graham Blackwell at Ivans Connect:

“Many of our carrier partners have invested in an underwriting workbench, a pricing system, or an internally developed workflow that enables their underwriters to, hopefully, get the information they need. What Cytora does is sit in front of all that. It allows you, with AI, to extract what you want, triage it based on your rules and send the data to the system where the work gets done.”

Graham Blackwell President,
Applied Systems

Bringing Clarity to Communication

One of the beautiful things about AI is its ability to create a single thread of communication – even when that thread stretches across multiple platforms, formats, and timelines. Take emails, automated agentic messages, or digital submissions – they’re all brought together, synced, and displayed cohesively. Whether you’re an agency using Applied Epic or a carrier underwriting a policy, you’ll have all the context in one view. The AI-powered tech within Cytora and other evolving tech within Ivans and Applied Systems make collaboration across the submission process smoother and smarter than ever.

From Frustration to Transformation

Here’s the bottom line: the current commercial submission process is often inefficient, redundant, and painfully slow. AI is redesigning the foundation. By automating data extraction, triaging tasks, routing communication, and unifying submission threads, AI is doing what it does best: simplifying the complex.

And if you’re worried about people becoming irrelevant in this process, don’t be. What AI is really doing is allowing the humans in the loop – underwriters, CSRs, and agents – to operate at their best. Instead of drowning in admin tasks, they have the bandwidth to focus on delivering expertise where it counts most. It’s not about replacing people; it’s about empowering them.

What’s Next?

The insurance industry is at the forefront of change with the help of new technologies, machine learning, and applications for AI-powered underwriting. From actionable datasets to AI agents that provide clarity for decision-making, we aim to streamline processes for agencies and insurance carriers alike. And what’s most exciting is that the growth opportunities don’t end with underwriting alone. We see AI having a role in every step of the insurance lifecycle, making your job easier.

Ready to explore what AI is available to you now? Contact Ivans to see how you can start using AI and automation within your daily workflows. And be sure to check out the Ivans Connectivity Report for the latest information on what agencies are looking for from their carrier partners.