The findings highlight a strong desire across the industry to blend technological efficiency with the empathy and judgement of human professionals.
According to the survey, 86% of claims handlers believe that automation can improve the overall customer experience, primarily by enabling faster and more accurate outcomes. Key areas where automation is seen as beneficial include real-time user updates for customers (cited by 70% of respondents), integration of multiple data sources to improve efficiency (54%), and enhanced analytics to support decision-making (43%).
Despite this enthusiasm for innovation, an even larger proportion—92%—stressed the importance of retaining human involvement in the claims process. More than half (51%) described human oversight as “essential,” while another 41% called it “important.” Only 3% of respondents felt comfortable with the idea of removing human oversight altogether.
Claims handlers pointed to several reasons why human presence remains vital. Among them, 44% cited the need to reduce the likelihood of risk or error, and 39% emphasised the importance of maintaining service quality and demonstrating empathy, especially in sensitive or complex cases. Many handlers noted that while automation is well-suited to routine and data-heavy tasks, it cannot replace the nuanced decision-making required in more challenging claims.
As one survey respondent put it: “I hope that we will work in tandem with automation. Ideally, artificial intelligence and automation will handle the grunt work and provide recommendations, while we claims handlers can spend the right amount of time on difficult decisions in complex claims.”
Mat Vernon, Chief Technology Officer at RDT, echoed this sentiment. “Automation is at its best when it complements people, not replaces them,” he said. “What we’re hearing from claims handlers is that they want to work smarter and faster, not turn the process into a faceless machine. Insurance is a people business at its core.”
Vernon added that RDT’s technology is built around the principle of “efficiency with empathy.” The company’s cloud-native solutions are designed to streamline policy management, claims handling, dynamic rating, fraud detection, and workflow automation—while still keeping claims professionals firmly in control of critical decisions and customer interactions.
The research underscores a broader trend in the insurance industry: the future of claims is not a binary choice between manual and automated processes, but rather a thoughtful integration of both. RDT is positioning itself at the forefront of this balanced approach, helping insurers automate repetitive tasks while ensuring transparency, human override capabilities, and customer-centric service remain central.
By equipping handlers with real-time data and AI-driven insights, RDT’s technology enables insurers to enhance speed and accuracy without losing the personal touch that builds long-term trust with policyholders.
