Question: What does digital sovereignty actually mean for insurance companies? 

Answer: Digital sovereignty means striking the optimal balance between performance, independence and cost-effectiveness. We work with you to analyse your current position within this ‘sovereignty triangle’ and develop strategies to maximise your freedom of action. In doing so, we take into account your specific market situation as well as current regulatory and technological requirements. 

Question: Why is digital sovereignty so important for insurers right now? 

 Answer: Insurers are facing multiple pressures: increasing regulation through DORA and CSRD, changing customer expectations from Generation Z, rising cost pressures from legacy systems, as well as political uncertainty and transatlantic sensitivities. Digital sovereignty is vital to your long-term viability. It enables you to respond flexibly to market changes without becoming technologically dependent. 

Question: How can we resolve the tension between independence and cost-effectiveness? 

Answer: We work with you to identify the areas where independence is particularly important – such as critical core processes. For these, we develop solutions based on open standards and modular architectures. In other areas, it may be more cost-effective to integrate cloud services. The key lies in a nuanced strategy that strikes the optimal balance for each area. 

Question: How can we maintain digital sovereignty despite legacy systems? 

Answer: We analyse your existing system landscape and identify the biggest obstacles to digital sovereignty. Instead of a high-risk, complete overhaul, we develop a modular modernisation strategy comprising manageable sub-projects. Modern API approaches make it possible to modernise legacy systems step by step whilst simultaneously integrating new digital services. This allows you to regain flexibility without jeopardising existing business processes. 

Question: How does Materna support us on our journey towards greater digital sovereignty? 

Answer: We begin with a structured sovereignty assessment that evaluates your current position and identifies areas for action. Building on this, we develop a bespoke strategy with concrete measures. When it comes to implementation, we focus on manageable sub-projects delivering quick wins rather than protracted, mammoth projects. Our experts combine technological know-how with industry expertise to deliver practical solutions. 

Question: What specific benefits does greater digital sovereignty bring us? 

Answer: You gain strategic flexibility to pursue your business objectives unhindered and improve your negotiating position with technology providers. In the regulatory sphere, you benefit from more efficient compliance through greater control over your data. At the same time, you increase your resilience against external disruptions and can reduce your operating costs through automation and self-service. 

Question: How can the automation of compliance processes ease the burden on insurance companies? 

Answer: As strategic advisers, we support you in analysing your compliance processes. We identify opportunities for automation and develop bespoke solutions. Our aim is to relieve your staff of manual reporting processes so that they can focus on their core tasks again. Every situation requires a bespoke strategy. 

Question: How does Materna approach the implementation of DORA requirements? 

Answer: We begin with a comprehensive current-state analysis and gap analysis of your existing processes. 

Building on this, we develop a suitable compliance framework and a regulatory data model. Our process model is tried and tested, but we tailor every implementation to your specific requirements and systems. 

Question: How can insurers ensure that their legacy systems can meet the DORA requirements? 

Answer: Legacy systems do not necessarily need to be replaced for DORA. We work with you to analyse which of your existing systems are relevant for reporting and how we can extract data from them. Instead of costly complete overhauls, we develop intelligent bridging solutions that make your historical data usable. We develop this strategy individually for your specific system landscape. 

Question: How can companies use digital channels to explain complex insurance products? 

Answer: In workshops, we analyse your products and develop suitable digital explanatory formats. Depending on the target audience, these can range from interactive videos to personalised self-service journeys. 

We advise you on the possibilities offered by modern AI and develop digital assistants that present complex concepts in an understandable way – perfectly tailored to the expectations of young target groups. 

Question: How can insurers design digital touchpoints so that they actually reach Generation Z? 

Answer: Generation Z expects seamless digital experiences on their preferred channels. We work with you to develop modern touchpoints such as WhatsApp integration for advice and claims reporting. 

Drawing on our expertise, we design the entire process – from multimedia claims documentation via smartphone to a fully digital application process with voice and chat support. This enables you to reach young target groups where they are active every day. 

Question: How can digital channels contribute to optimising business value as well as acquiring new customers? 

Answer: Digital channels offer far more than just customer acquisition. Our solutions automatically identify cross-selling and up-selling opportunities and address them directly. When policy changes are made, the system immediately checks the impact on premiums and presents the consequences transparently. In the event of major claims such as storms or hail, digital channels enable the necessary scalability to process aggregate claims efficiently. This allows you to boost both efficiency and customer satisfaction in equal measure. 

Question: How do modern AI assistants differ from traditional chatbots? 

Answer: The new generation of AI assistants offers a completely different user experience to traditional chatbots. They actually understand customer enquiries and do not simply provide pre-defined answers. Following an analysis of your service enquiries, we develop an AI service concept that will delight your customers and significantly reduce the workload on your staff. 

Question: What benefits do case handlers gain from using AI assistants? 

Answer: Our AI assistants for customer service staff offer three key benefits: they proactively provide relevant information whilst the staff member is handling a case. They deliver context-sensitive recommendations for action with direct access to functions. And they suggest the next steps in customer support. This significantly reduces the time spent searching for information, allowing your staff to focus on advising customers. 

Question: For which communication channels (telephone, email, chat, etc.) is the use of AI suitable? 

Answer: Artificial intelligence can support communication with customers across all digital channels. Smart channel management utilises AI for data analysis and automation to optimise interactions across all channels. 

Agent-assist solutions can be deployed at three stages of a customer service agent’s workflow: before, during and after a phone call or chat. 

AI assistants handle: 

• Analysing and pre-qualifying the enquiry
• Recording information such as the customer’s name, enquiry and authentication status
• Lead qualification to assess customer value and potential for cross-selling and upselling
• Real-time transcription and documentation of telephone calls
• Real-time coaching
• Analysis of the conversation and follow-up with tips
• Escalation of sensitive cases to a human agent 

Question: What should insurers do before actually modernising their legacy systems? 

Answer: Before investing in new technologies, the rule is: sort things out first, then modernise. We’ll help you start by focusing on your business services and deciding which ones are truly strategically important. We then work with you to streamline your business processes and identify opportunities for automation. This preparatory work is crucial – it reduces complexity, cuts costs and lays the foundations for a successful IT modernisation free from unnecessary baggage. 

Question: How can companies modernise their legacy systems without taking on major risks? 

Answer: We analyse your IT landscape and develop a tailor-made modernisation strategy comprising manageable sub-projects. Instead of a risky ‘big bang’ approach, we opt for a modular, step-by-step transformation. We guide you through the entire transformation process and ensure a secure migration that meets your specific requirements and resources. 

Question: What benefits can insurance companies expect from IT modernisation? 

Answer: Modernising your IT landscape creates new scope for action in line with your corporate strategy. We identify the key potential benefits within your specific context – whether that’s greater agility, better compliance with regulatory requirements or the ability to offer new digital services. Our focus is on measurable improvements that align with your business strategy. 

Question: How effective can AI be in detecting insurance fraud? 

Answer: Its effectiveness depends heavily on your individual situation. Following an analysis of your claims history and the identification of potential fraud patterns, we develop a tailored approach to fraud detection. With optimised, AI-based fraud detection, you can significantly reduce your claims ratio. 

Question: How does Materna go about developing an AI-based fraud detection system? 

Answer: We begin by analysing your claims history and existing processes. Building on this, we develop a bespoke fraud detection strategy and integrate it seamlessly into your systems and processes. We also support you in continuous improvement, ensuring your solution becomes increasingly accurate through ongoing learning. 

Question: How can insurance companies utilise the EU Data Act to develop new insurance products? 

Answer: Following an analysis of your data assets and potential use cases, we develop strategies for usage-based insurance. The EU Data Act requires manufacturers to provide interfaces for the transmission of usage data. We develop a tailored concept for your business and support you with implementation – from the data platform right through to integration with your existing systems. 

Question: What competitive advantages can data-driven business models offer? 

Answer: The competitive advantages are varied and depend on your specific market position. We identify which data-driven approaches offer you the greatest added value – whether through personalised premiums, improved risk assessment or greater customer loyalty. From strategy to implementation, we support you in leveraging your data profitably and differentiating yourself from the competition.