leaders at ITC Vegas 2025
AI is transforming the insurance industry, but it needs smart humans at the controls.
That was the key message that insurance professionals, tech providers, and thought leaders from throughout the industry took away from ITC Vegas 2025.
As a sponsor and InsurTech leader, Vertafore was leading the conversation about how AI, connectivity, and data are redefining the way insurance work happens.
Here are some key takeaways from the conference on what’s shaping the insurance industry and what they mean for professionals seeking to transform with confidence in AI era.
AI isn’t replacing agents—it’s redefining their role
The agency of the future relies on AI-powered workers: If there was one takeaway from the leaders standing at the front of ITC sessions, this was it. Machines should handle efficiency and data while humans bring empathy, trust, and nuanced decision-making. In our relationship-first industry, those people who embrace this partnership will succeed, and the agencies operating this way will lead in the next era of insurance distribution.
AI tools are promising to help agents quickly become experts with better insights and cleaner workflows. Smart technology helps agents work faster, close deals more accurately, and deliver a higher-quality customer experience.
However, success in this new era depends on how organizations implement AI tools. In the conference's opening keynote, Liberty Mutual Insurance chairman and CEO, Tim Sweeney, urged attendees not to go after solutions that don’t have problems to solve. Vertafore’s Mike Erlandson, Director of Agency Partnership Account Management, spent the conference finding tech partners that are solution-focused and solve problems agencies are struggling with. For agencies, working with a trusted technology partner can help make sense of problems and find tools that offer real solutions.
Connectivity breeds success
The next frontier in insurance lies in connected agencies that turn information into actionable insights. Many agencies and carriers use legacy systems with data silos, slow workflows, and disconnected tools. However, InsurTech leaders promoted solutions that solve this problem and make workflows that operate as a connected system.
With these tech ecosystems becoming more common, industry professionals should embrace the idea that connection is a competitive edge: Those who can bridge gaps between technology, compliance, and business strategy will have better efficiency, more accurate data, and stronger connections with the end insureds.
Erlandson said he heard from many agencies at ITC that struggle with the burden of keeping up with the work that comes across their desk, even as the market continues to soften. Connected tech ecosystems are streamlining their work and offering efficiencies.
Tech partners like Vertafore that offer a connected platform make it easier to share data across software tools, which ultimately creates a more effective and efficient organization. Vertafore’s AgencyOne platform—built to connect data, people, and workflows—embodies the connected agency model discussed on the ITC floor.
Data transformation is leading industry transformation
The ongoing data transformation is changing underwriting, claims, and the client experience. Carriers are moving from assessing risk with static data, annual updates, and one-size-fits-all pricing to real-time data, behavioral analytics, and IoT devices providing a stream of information.
Having real-time data doesn’t do much without real-time data analysis, and moving from static to live data also provides the possibility of moving from reactive claims processes to proactive education and damage mitigation. As data continues to transform the insurance industry, organizations need the processes, technology, and training to make the most of it.
Many carriers are looking for data that lets them know what’s happening in-market at any given time in order to adjust their risk. Christian Egoavil, Vertafore’s senior director for field carrier and MGA sales, said he heard a theme among carriers looking to understand the book of business at the agencies they’re working with. Vertafore is leading in this area with RiskMatch, which provides insights to identify growth opportunities, optimize the distribution network, and elevate the work of carriers and agencies.
Key takeaways from ITC 2025
- The insurance industry’s evolution is powered by people using technology with purpose.
- Agencies and carriers are looking to AI to help their human workers be more efficient, more agile, and more informed.
- By relying on a trusted technology partner, agencies and carriers can find the right tools to navigate the industry’s digital transformation.
Learn more about how Vertafore is powering your possibilities with AI