Automated Underwriting in Japan: "from beneficial to essential"

Munich Re Automation Solutions K.K. and Munich Re Japan Life Branch (Life Reinsurance) recently published the results of their second market survey about life insurance new business and underwriting processes in Japan. Named ‘Enterprise digitalization – modern technology to improve business performance’, the survey reveals four key insights into the Japanese life insurance industry: 

1. The trend towards automated underwriting is firmly established. 75% of the participating life insurance carriers have implemented or are planning to implement an automated underwriting system. The survey also confirmed that many of the early adopters are already planning to expand the scope of their automated underwriting system to new products, channels, further decision automation, and deeper integration within their system landscape. Patrick Sallin, CEO and Representative of Munich Re Japan Life Branch says: “Automatization of underwriting assessment has drastically increased since the last survey we conducted four years ago. Automated underwriting systems have transitioned from a beneficial to essential tool.”
   
   
2. Digital underwriting is a natural fit to most companies’ business models, growth strategy and operational goals.
   
   
3. Data Analytics is seen as significant to the future of the Japanese life insurance industry. 93% of respondents state that this subject is “very important” or “important”. The companies surveyed plan to use the new business and underwriting data to guide their business decisions and drive innovation. 
   
   
4. Technology for claims handling and predictive modelling are carefully being looked at. Over half of the insurance companies surveyed consider claim assessment technology as important. Most companies highlighted they were processing between 30 to 50 claims applications per day.

The survey results were revealed at a conference held in the Munich Re Japan offices in Tokyo on February 1, 2017. The participants of the survey represent 65% of the life insurance carriers in Japan and account for 79% of the total premium income of the industry.