Suncorp drives AI more deeply into insurance processes

Suncorp Group is restructuring some of its digital oversight functions as it looks to accelerate its use of AI in the “manufacturing” and “distribution” of insurance products and services.

The group has created a new role of chief executive, customer, brand and digital, which will be taken on by current chief risk officer Bridget Messer.

These functions were previously overseen by Lisa Harrison who, at one time, was the chief customer and digital officer before her title changed and remit expanded in mid-2020.

Messer will now oversee a “dedicated function [that] brings together existing brand, marketing and digital distribution teams,” Suncorp said in a statement.

Distribution, in an insurance sense, refers to the channels through which insurance products are brought to market.

One reason to create the new dedicated function is to “ensure Suncorp realises the opportunity AI provides for faster and more efficient distribution of insurance products and services,” the group said.

Harrison is staying with Suncorp, but will now lead its commercial and personal injury portfolios. 

She also retains accountability for the rollout of Suncorp’s digital insurer program, which is its core platform modernisation powered by software from Duck Creek.

CEO Steve Johnston told an investor call that “the structural changes we’ve announced today will ensure that we are able to leverage our new platforms and AI capabilities to maximum effect.”

Harrison, together with newly-appointed consumer insurance chief executive Michael Miller, “will be responsible for product and claims across consumer and commercial, leveraging our digital insurer investments to deliver personalised products and marketing leading claims experiences,” Johnston said.

Johnston highlighted the increasing influence of AI in all parts of the insurance business, from the way policies and products are made, to the way they are sold to customers.

“Insurance is changing,” he said.

“Customers increasingly expect products and services that reflect their individual circumstances. 

“If a customer invests in making their home more resilient and improving the maintenance of that home or reducing risk, they will increasingly expect that will be recognised in the price they pay for their insurance. The same is true for motor and commercial. 

“But to deliver that future, insurers need modern infrastructure, modern policy administration systems, strong data capabilities, and to utilise AI decision-making and AI-enabled distribution systems, and that’s fundamentally why we’ve made the investments we’ve made. 

“The future is ultimately about reshaping how insurance products are manufactured and distributed, and we see opportunities for highly-personalised customer experiences and AI-orchestrated customer journeys.”

Across the business, Suncorp declared [pdf] there is “momentum” around AI enablement.

It highlighted that 15 conversational AI assistants now handle 3 million-plus “annual customer interactions”.

Internally, Suncorp said that employees had built “3900-plus productivity agents”, and that this had been enabled by upskilling, with 14,300 “AI learning experiences undertaken by our people”.
Suncorp reported a net profit after tax of $1.027 billion for FY26.