Yesterday at Insurance News Outlook 2026, ClaimsGateway joined industry leaders for a panel on “The Evolution of Claims.” It was a timely conversation - not because claims is a new challenge, but because expectations are changing faster than the industry itself.
At ClaimsGateway, we sit at the intersection of claims, technology, and customer experience. The discussion reinforced what we’re seeing across the market: insurers are no longer benchmarked against each other, but against Amazon, Uber, banking apps, and delivery platforms - businesses that have set a new standard for speed, transparency, and real-time visibility.
That shift matters. And nowhere more than at claim time.
Claims are where insurance becomes real - when a policy moves from promise to outcome. In a trust-based industry, this is the moment that defines the relationship.
What stood out on the panel wasn’t disagreement, but alignment: customer expectations have fundamentally changed, and claims must evolve with them.
Insurance Is Now Competing on Experience, Not Just Coverage
“Customers aren’t comparing insurers to other insurers anymore - they’re comparing us to their last digital experience.”
- Georgia McKelvey
That shift in expectation is reshaping the way claims are experienced.
Customers don’t benchmark their claims journey against other insurers. Instead, they measure it against the everyday digital interactions they’ve come to rely on - tracking a parcel, checking a bank balance, or watching a driver approach in real time.
Historically, the claims process has been built around submission and waiting. Customers provide information, then sit in the dark - with little context, no visibility, and no real sense of progress.
That’s where frustration starts to build - and it’s increasingly measurable.
In 2025, AFCA received 111,000+ complaints, with claims delays cited as the number one issue. This isn’t always a reflection of poor claims handling. More often, it comes down to a lack of transparency and communication throughout the process.
At the same time, expectations have evolved. Today, claimants expect the ability to track their claim digitally via an app, portal, or website. When that expectation is met, trust grows. When it’s missed, the impact is immediate - nearly 30% of customers switching providers after a single bad experience.
In an industry built on trust and long-term relationships, the claims experience is no longer just an operational function - it’s a defining moment.
Technology Doesn’t Reduce Empathy - It Enables It
A recurring theme was vulnerability at claim time and the need for empathy. Too often, empathy and technology are framed as opposing forces. That framing is outdated.
Empathy is about recognising and responding to what someone is going through. Technology doesn’t replace that - it removes the friction that prevents it being delivered consistently and at scale.
Vulnerability isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every customer - and every claim - is different.
ClaimsGateway supports this by identifying vulnerability at first contact and adapting workflows accordingly - whether through simplified communication, adjusted timelines, or alternative engagement channels.
In practice, that means identifying vulnerability earlier, tailoring communication and timing, and enabling accessible, multi-channel interactions without breaking the process.
As Georgia noted on the panel:
“Technology creates the infrastructure. Humans deliver the experience. Neither works without the other.”
Reducing Human Error Without Replacing It with System Error
Technology plays a critical role in reducing human error in claims - particularly in structured, repeatable processes.
ClaimsGateway reduces manual effort, removes duplication, and flags anomalies or potential fraud for escalation. Intake, document checks, duplicate detection, payment calculations, and fraud signalling are all areas where systems outperform manual processes under pressure.
The most effective model is clear: technology delivers speed and scale, while human expertise handles complexity.
If the goal is fewer errors, faster cycle times, and better outcomes, data quality and workflow design must come first. Don’t automate broken processes - and don’t replace human error with system error.
Modern claims require consolidated data, connected systems, and clear orchestration across brokers, suppliers, and internal teams.
Final Perspective
At ClaimsGateway, we see the evolution of claims as more than a technology shift - it’s a shift in expectations, where experience is now the product.
The organisations that lead will be those that create clarity, consistency, and trust at the moments that matter - and give their people the space to deliver real human value when it counts.
Claims will always be the moment of truth. Today, customers expect it to feel as modern, transparent, and responsive as every other experience in their lives.
If you’d like to see how ClaimsGateway is helping insurers, brokers, and TPAs transform their claims experience, we’d be happy to show you.
Book a demo here.
