Digital Transformation: Use of AI in Insurance Underwriting

In digital vocabulary, the UX isn’t good. There are, however, those working to change the game. REALYTIX ZERO, a corporate start-up within Munich Re, represents a shift away from these legacy constraints. In the most recent episode of Digital Product Talks, Tanja Amling, Chief Product Officer from REALYTIX ZERO, explains that their ambition is to make insurance processes feel as intuitive as building a modern digital store in Shopify by investing in UX and AI.

How does it work? Let’s get into it.

How digital underwriting platforms enable insurance transformation

“Our goal is to make insurance processes as intuitive as buying a product online – even for complex offerings.” Tanja Amling, Chief Product Officer for REALYTIX ZERO

REALYTIX ZERO is a German cloud-based, automated underwriting platform. Its primary purpose is to enable organisations to digitally configure new insurance products, adapt existing ones, all in an environment that supports scalability.

A defining element of the platform is its no-code/low-code approach. Previously, product development required heavy IT involvement and rigid system dependencies, but now, instead of relying on lengthy development cycles, insurers can configure product logic, workflows, and pricing structures directly within the platform. Simply put, it reduces dependence on IT resources and lowers overall costs.

One of the biggest hurdles in digital transformation in the insurance market is a full system replacement. REALITYX ZERO effectively removes this barrier and allows modernisation without starting from scratch. Thanks to the platform’s interoperability, insurers can connect existing systems, external data sources, and advanced analytics components. They configure products, automate workflows, and deliver faster decisions without sacrificing complexity or compliance.

Ultimately, the platform transforms underwriting from a slow, manual process into a modular, fully digital experience.

Future of UX in digital underwriting

What’s unique about REALYTIX ZERO is its startup mindset within a corporate giant. Teams iterate quickly, test ideas in real time, and adapt fast, all while backed by the resources and stability of Munich Re.

Digital underwriting transformation is as much about leadership and organisational design as it is about platform capabilities. Technology alone does not drive transformation. Cultural alignment, cross-functional collaboration, and product-centric thinking are equally critical. Business, IT, and data teams work together through agile delivery cycles, ensuring that platform evolution reflects real operational needs rather than abstract technology roadmaps.

Usability plays a central role in this approach. Insurance software has historically prioritised technical completeness over user experience, often leading to low adoption and process workarounds. As UX has likewise long been underestimated in insurance, processes like self-service, onboarding, and sales must be rethought to support digital adoption.

REALYTIX ZERO reverses this dynamic through guided onboarding, clear interfaces, and workflow structures that support both expert users and less technical stakeholders, and the benefits extend across multiple dimensions: faster time-to-market, improved efficiency, reduced reliance on legacy technology, and stronger data-driven decision-making.

Generative AI in insurance

A major recent development in REALYTIX ZERO is the introduction of CoPilot, which integrates generative AI and LLMs directly into product design and underwriting workflows. 

The CoPilot allows insurance teams to use natural language prompts to design products, modify underwriting logic, and understand existing pricing structures. Instead of devoting a lot of time to manually translating business requirements into technical specifications, teams can interact with the platform conversationally to generate product components, explore configuration options, and refine logic.

Aside from saving time, the CoPilot also improves accuracy by assisting with data processing, logic validation, and product documentation. With AI-assisted product configuration, manual errors are reduced, and underwriting teams are freed to focus on higher-value decisions.

The CoPilot’s capabilities gained industry recognition when presented at ITC DIA Barcelona 2023, where the REALYTIX ZERO team received a DIAmond Award. The recognition highlights the growing relevance of AI-assisted product configuration within digital underwriting ecosystems.

Implications for digital underwriting and the broader industry

The efforts of REALYTIX ZERO show there is a shift in insurance toward configurable platforms, AI-supported product development, and ecosystem-based integration. The ability to launch or adapt products within days or weeks rather than months creates a meaningful competitive advantage, especially in markets where regulatory requirements and customer expectations evolve quickly.

This is where external partners often play a critical role. Designing and delivering digital underwriting solutions requires not only technical implementation but also product thinking, UX expertise, and the ability to navigate organisational complexity. This makes MVP-driven development, rapid feedback loops, and close collaboration between internal teams and external specialists recurring success factors.

“We aim to create a modern insurance ecosystem, not just a product.” Tanja Amling, Chief Product Officer for REALYTIX ZERO

Looking ahead, platforms like REALYTIX ZERO signal a future where the German insurance market becomes increasingly automated, modular, and user-centric. This means deeper AI capabilities, seamless integrations, and evolving self-service models that will continue to shape how insurers design products and interact with customers.

The long-term vision here is not just to build better software, but to create a more connected and human-centred insurance ecosystem.

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Want to know more? Listen to the full episode on this topic on the Digital Product Talks podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.