The Hidden Cost of Claims Complexity & Why AI Won’t Fix It
October 28, 2026
What’s more valuable when it comes to AI in the claims sector: making claims decisions faster or giving experts more time to make better ones? In this episode of Serious About Process, host Gijsbert Cox sits down with Nick Errington, Global Head of Claims Governance and Performance Excellence at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, to discuss how AI, unstructured data, and simpler processes can improve claims handling. Covering everything from fraud detection to claims governance, Nick breaks down why insurers must balance efficiency with control while keeping human judgment at the heart of every decision.
How can insurers improve claims performance as cases grow more complex and the volume of information continues to increase?
In this episode of Serious About Process, host Gijsbert Cox is joined by Nick Errington, Global Head of Claims Governance and Performance Excellence at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, to explore just that. Nick explains why the biggest opportunity for AI is to give claims handlers more time for work that requires real expertise by reducing repetitive tasks, bringing together unstructured data, and simplifying claims processes.
What you’ll learn:
- Why increasing claims complexity makes human expertise more valuable
- How AI can reduce repetitive claims administration and free up time for complex decisions
- Where unstructured data can improve fraud detection, recovery analysis, and claims handling
- How insurers can balance operational efficiency with strong controls and governance
- Why clear business cases and measurable outcomes matter when prioritising process improvements
- How simpler core systems help insurers scale automation across regions and business lines
- Why fraud detection tools need to explain their findings instead of producing unexplained scores
- How claims handlers can work alongside AI while retaining responsibility for final decisions
Nick Errington is Global Head of Claims Governance and Performance Excellence at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, where he supports claims operations through governance, control frameworks, process improvement, and performance management.
Nick began his insurance career handling motor claims at AXA before moving through roles at QBE, Chubb, and Swiss Re. His experience includes claims system implementations, change management, software integration, auditing, and claims process improvement, including involvement in a Guidewire implementation at QBE.
With extensive experience across commercial insurance, Nick brings a practical perspective on how technology, data, and governance can help claims teams manage increasingly complex risks while maintaining strong customer relationships and human oversight.