Zurich North America, a leading commercial insurance provider and part of Zurich Insurance Group, has announced a strategic integration with Nearmap, a global provider of property and location intelligence for insurers.
The launch of this integration is aimed at enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of Zurich’s U.S. Middle Market underwriting process.
By embedding AI-driven property insights into its platform, Zurich intends to reduce manual processes, improve risk assessment, and deliver tailored property insurance coverage more effectively.
Nearmap, through its Betterview platform, supplies Zurich underwriters with AI-enhanced data, including high-resolution aerial imagery, roof condition scores, and maintenance indicators.
These insights provide underwriters with greater clarity than traditional inspections, allowing them to decide whether in-person visits are required while maintaining speed and accuracy in underwriting decisions.
The product delivers a practical advantage for Zurich’s underwriting teams by centralising updated property data in one system. This allows them to classify risks with greater accuracy, streamline operations, and focus on complex accounts that demand higher expertise.
The initial rollout of the technology produced measurable results. Zurich underwriters identified risks that may have been overlooked using conventional methods, leading to better portfolio performance. This success prompted the company to extend the integration across its U.S. Middle Market underwriting offices.
The partnership builds on Zurich’s long-term commitment to innovation through initiatives such as the Zurich Innovation Championship, which since 2018 has supported startups with forward-thinking solutions.
For Nearmap, this represents one of its most significant integrations with a global commercial insurer, showcasing the scalability of its AI-powered imagery and analytics.
Alex Wells, head of U.S. Middle Market at Zurich North America, said, “This is part of our dedication to being inventive to make underwriters smarter and faster in their analysis and broker consultations. Integrating these insights directly into our underwriting enablement platform reduces friction, supports simplification and ultimately helps us deliver more value to our customers.”
Nearmap chief product officer David Tobias said, “Zurich is proving what’s possible when insurers move beyond experimentation and fully operationalize AI and frequently updated aerial imagery at scale. With direct access to high-resolution imagery, captured and owned by Nearmap, Zurich gains a level of certainty and consistency that traditional methods like satellite data or fragmented public records simply can’t provide. Analysed through the Betterview platform, this proprietary content powers precise, AI-driven property intelligence, enabling Zurich’s underwriters to lead with confidence and precision.”
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