Insurable Interest Canadian Insurance Blog

With most applicants already receiving decisions in seconds, PolicyMe’s new AI copilot has cut underwriter turnaround time on complex cases by 59% Toronto, ON (Nov. 2, 2022) – PolicyMe, a Canadian insurance distributor and technology company, is pleased to announce its AI-powered underwriting copilot, built by its in-house engineering team to help underwriters review complex life insurance applications faster. The copilot brings case records into one workspace, summarizes them, suggests a decision with supporting evidence for underwriter review, and drafts plain-language explanations for customers. Since launching, it has cut underwriter turnaround time on complex cases by 59%. Today, the majority of PolicyMe applicants receive an underwriting decision in seconds, thanks to years of investment in automated underwriting technology. Applications that need a closer look at medical records, lab results, and other evidence can take days to resolve, especially as experienced medical underwriters remain in short supply across Canada. The 59% reduction, based on internal PolicyMe data, is measured from when an underwriter receives a complex case to when they return it reviewed. The copilot combines advanced AI models with custom-built technology, all operating within PolicyMe’s secure, isolated cloud environment. It helps underwriters with several of the most demanding parts of...

First-of-its-kind research finds Canadians score 60 out of 100 on longevity preparedness, with care, housing and health emerging as key gaps Manulife brings its Longevity Symposium series to Canada for the first time, convening leaders across health, finance and aging to advance longevity preparedness Toronto, ON (Oct. 27, 2026) – Canadians are living longer,[1] but many are not fully prepared for the realities that accompany longer lives, according to the inaugural Longevity Preparedness Index (LPI) for Canada from Manulife and the MIT AgeLab. The innovative new research[2] found Canadians are only modestly prepared for longer lives, scoring just 60 out of 100 on the LPI. The findings show that aging well depends on more than finances alone, with health, housing, care, social connection and community all playing critical roles. “Canadians are entering a new era of longevity, and the findings reinforce what we’ve long believed at Manulife: living longer, healthier lives requires a holistic approach,” said Patrick Graham, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Canada. “Our health, sense of community, financial security, and plans for care all play a role in how well we age. At Manulife, we’re committed to helping people navigate those important decisions to feel more prepared for...

As the market consolidates around acquired AI, Insurity argues the defining question of the next decade isn’t whether carriers have AI, but whether they control the intelligence that runs their business Hartford, CT (Nov. 4, 2026) – Insurity, a leading provider of cloud-based software for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs, is calling on the insurance industry to rethink who controls the intelligence powering its core operations. As core platform providers race to acquire AI capabilities and integrate them into existing systems, Insurity is reaffirming its AI-native strategy that gives carriers greater control over their models, data, and decisions, with governance and auditability that operate independently of any individual AI model. The wave of AI acquisitions confirms what the industry already knows. AI is no longer a differentiator in core insurance technology, it is the baseline. As AI becomes embedded in underwriting, pricing, and claims, the ability to maintain control over the intelligence making those decisions, and the cost of changing it, will increasingly determine how insurers compete and innovate. “Every major technology shift in insurance has created a new form of lock-in, and AI is on track to create the most consequential one yet,” said Jatin Atre, Chief Executive Officer...

More than one-quarter are more anxious about the financial impact of a critical illness than the illness itself Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Gen X Canadians are worried about a critical illness diagnosis More than one-third (35%) of working Canadians estimate their savings would be exhausted within six months if they were unable to work due to a serious illness or injury One in five (20%) working Canadians are unsure how they would cover living expenses if they could not work for six months or more due to a serious illness Toronto, ON (Oct. 28, 2026) – Canadians are increasingly worried about being diagnosed with a critical illness or condition such as life-threatening cancer, stroke or heart attack, according to a new RBC Insurance survey. Concern about critical illness rose 10 points from 57% in 2025 to 67% in 2026, while the proportion of Canadians who are “very concerned” (25%) also climbed nine points in just one year. Gen X is most likely to be worried, with nearly three-quarters (72%) concerned about a critical illness diagnosis. Are Canadians financially prepared to face a critical illness? Despite the growing concern, only 10% of Canadians reported they currently have critical illness insurance –...

Insurers gain speed and precision across the insurance lifecycle to launch products faster, assess and price risk more effectively, and resolve claims sooner San Mateo, CA (Oct. 27, 2026) – Guidewire has launched a new platform approach to agentic insurance, giving insurers an open, secure, and complete foundation for putting AI to work across the insurance lifecycle. By bringing together the applications, data, workflows, and controls insurers need, Guidewire sets out a practical model for moving from isolated AI experiments to governed agents that improve the speed and precision of insurance decisions and actions. “Insurance is a business of decisions and actions made in context,” said Mike Rosenbaum, chief executive officer, Guidewire. “By embedding agentic capabilities where insurers already run their core operations, Guidewire gives agents the context and controls they need to work with speed and precision on a proven durable foundation.” Guidewire agents run on the same trusted platform as its core applications and work with an insurer’s current data and workflows. For agents to work effectively, they need to know what is true, what has already been done, and what they are allowed to do. The platform’s controls enforce those boundaries with consistent security and a clear audit...

New document-review agents flag missing, inconsistent and unsupported information in claims, case files and regulatory submissions, with human oversight and a full audit trail built in Waterloo, ON (Oct. 27, 2026) – Expeflow is pleased to announce it has launched governed AI agents for document review. The agents help regulated organizations catch errors, gaps and inconsistencies in high-stakes documents before those problems turn into delays, compliance exposure or costly rework. The agents check each document against approved sources, systems of record and policies. They flag contradictions, missing data, incomplete sections and unsupported claims. Every finding links to the evidence behind it, so reviewers can see what was flagged, why it was flagged and what needs follow-up. “Organizations need to process more information without taking on more risk,” said Terry Stepien, CEO of Expeflow. “Our document-review agents add a controlled verification layer to document-driven work. Teams catch issues earlier, skilled reviewers spend their time on the exceptions that matter, and there is a clear record of how every finding and decision was reached.” Built for regulated, document-heavy work Expeflow is designed for workflows where inaccurate or incomplete information carries real consequences. These include healthcare and financial administration, insurance claims, applications, contracts,...