I’m thrilled to sit down with Simon Glairy, a trailblazer in the insurance and Insurtech space with a deep expertise in risk management and AI-driven risk assessment. With years of experience navigating the complexities of the industry, Simon has been at the forefront of leveraging technology to solve some of the most pressing challenges in insurance. In this conversation, we explore how innovation is transforming policy interpretation, the power of combining legal expertise with AI, and the future of clarity and efficiency in the insurance world.
How did your journey in the insurance industry lead you to focus on solving the challenge of policy interpretation?
My background in risk management and insurance technology exposed me to a recurring frustration: policies are often incredibly dense and difficult to decipher. Whether it’s brokers trying to compare coverage options or claims teams handling disputes, the lack of clarity slows everything down and creates unnecessary friction. I saw an opportunity to use technology, particularly AI, to bridge that gap and make policies more accessible and actionable for everyone involved. It became a mission to streamline a process that’s been bogged down by manual effort for far too long.
Can you share a specific example of how unclear policy language impacts professionals or clients in the real world?
Absolutely. Take a broker working with a small business owner looking for property insurance. The client might be presented with two policies that seem similar on the surface, but buried in the fine print are exclusions or conditions that drastically change the coverage. Without a clear way to break down the legalese, the broker spends hours—sometimes days—manually reviewing documents, delaying the decision-making process. For the client, this can mean missed opportunities or even choosing the wrong coverage. It’s a ripple effect that starts with unclear language and ends with frustration and inefficiency.
What role does AI play in addressing these challenges, and how do you ensure it’s paired effectively with legal expertise?
AI is a game-changer because it can analyze massive amounts of text in seconds, identifying key terms, exclusions, and conditions that a human might take hours to spot. But AI alone isn’t enough—it needs context. That’s where legal expertise comes in. By embedding knowledge of insurance law and policy nuances into the AI’s framework, we ensure the analysis isn’t just fast, but also accurate and relevant. It’s like having a seasoned attorney and a supercomputer working together to deliver insights that are both precise and practical.
What hurdles did you face when developing a platform that combines cutting-edge tech with the intricacies of insurance law?
One of the biggest hurdles was striking the right balance between technological innovation and legal accuracy. Building an AI that understands the nuances of insurance policies required training it on vast datasets of legal documents while ensuring it didn’t misinterpret ambiguous language. Another challenge was gaining trust from industry professionals who are understandably skeptical of automating something as critical as policy analysis. We had to demonstrate through rigorous testing and real-world results that the technology could deliver without sacrificing reliability.
How do you see the collaboration between legal and tech expertise shaping the future of Insurtech solutions?
I think this collaboration is the future. Insurance isn’t just a business—it’s a legal contract at its core. Tech can handle the heavy lifting of data processing and pattern recognition, but it needs the guidance of legal minds to interpret context and intent. Together, these disciplines can create tools that don’t just solve isolated problems but transform how the industry operates, making processes faster, more transparent, and ultimately more client-focused. It’s about building trust through innovation.
Why is it so important to prioritize the insured’s best interests when designing solutions for the insurance space?
At the heart of insurance is a promise to protect, and that promise can only be fulfilled if the insured’s needs come first. Too often, complex policies and conflicts of interest create barriers to fair outcomes. By focusing on clarity and objectivity, we can empower policyholders and professionals alike to make informed decisions. It’s not just about efficiency—it’s about rebuilding trust in an industry that sometimes feels opaque to the average person. Aligning solutions with the insured’s best interests ensures that insurance delivers on its fundamental purpose.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of working on innovative solutions for the insurance industry?
Hands down, it’s seeing the impact on real people. When a broker tells me they’ve cut days off their workflow or a claims team resolves a dispute faster because of a tool we’ve built, that’s incredibly fulfilling. Insurance often gets a bad rap for being slow and complicated, so being part of a movement that’s changing that perception—making it more accessible and efficient—feels like we’re solving a puzzle that’s been unsolved for decades.
What is your forecast for the future of AI in the insurance industry?
I believe AI will become the backbone of the insurance industry over the next decade. We’re already seeing it streamline underwriting, claims processing, and now policy interpretation. Moving forward, I expect AI to evolve into a more predictive and personalized tool, helping insurers anticipate risks before they happen and tailoring coverage to individual needs. But the key will be balancing automation with human oversight to maintain trust and accountability. It’s an exciting time, and I think we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.
