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Commercial underwriters say AI cuts admin time but weakens decision quality
A survey of 350 senior commercial property and casualty underwriters found 51% credit AI for saving time on manual admin, while only 21% say it improves decision quality.
Most senior commercial underwriters say AI is helping with administrative tasks, but far fewer believe it improves underwriting decisions, according to the Underwriting Edge 2026 survey published by hyperexponential (hx). The report, based on a June survey of 350 senior commercial property and casualty underwriters across the US and UK, also suggests the technology focus is misaligned with what underwriters say actually drives decision quality.
Among underwriters who use AI, 51% say its biggest contribution is saving time on manual administration, while 21% say it improves the quality of their decisions. The survey points to context-related issues as the biggest drags on underwriting performance, including inconsistent submission data (44%), pressure to bind quickly (38%), and lack of context on similar prior risks (35%).
Workflow blockers also include manual data entry across systems, cited by 42% of respondents. Underwriters say they want AI applied to context at the moment of decision, such as how similar risks performed and what writing a risk would do to the book, rather than trying to make fully autonomous calls.
The report also finds carriers are deploying AI broadly but unevenly, with confidence lagging behind tool rollout. Underwriters' top concern is losing senior judgment without capturing it for future underwriting, named by 44% as a top-three worry, while investment priorities over the next 12 to 18 months rank coaching and knowledge transfer last.