Arch pushes industry shift as claims move to the core of strategy

Integrated teams are breaking down silos to transform client trust and coverage clarity.

As clients demand greater transparency, faster decisions and more bespoke coverage, insurers are rethinking how much more their internal teams could interact.

For Arch, using an integrated approach between underwriting and claims is already standard practice. Speaking to Intelligent Insurer, Laura Brahams, head of third party claims at Arch Insurance International, explained how the benefits are immediate and meaningful. She believes integration is “absolutely vital”, saying that “it drives better outcomes for brokers and insureds”. For clients, the effect is seen through “faster and more efficient claims resolution”, clearer communication and the ability to craft  “more clear bespoke coverage”. 

“When a claims and underwriting team are aligned and they are transparent and consistent in their messaging and servicing, this allows trust to be formed with the customer.”

Brahams said: “It all forms a fantastic trust and bond between customer broker and insurer.” The company sees collaboration as a core driver of client value, with demonstrable impact on coverage clarity, service quality and relationships. This is not just a cultural preference but wholly central to how Arch shapes products and resolves claims.

Brahams believes connected claims-underwriting teams do more than improve efficiency; they create alignment at every point in the product lifecycle. She explained that collaboration helped deliver “fairer and faster claims resolution for insureds and brokers”. When claims handlers understand an underwriter’s rationale, they can communicate expectations consistently both internally and externally. She also highlighted that stronger client relationships flowed naturally from this transparency, because aligned teams provide “quicker messaging and servicing”.

Another major advantage is the quality of the policy itself. Brahams noted that integrated teams were better equipped to design “clearer and more client friendly policy wordings”. Claims specialists can identify unclear terms or potential coverage gaps early, enabling underwriters to refine products before issues arise. This blend of perspectives makes coverage more accurate, more bespoke and more reflective of real-world exposures.

Yet collaboration has not always been the industry norm. Brahams was candid about the challenges that historically blocked closer working. Claims, she recalled, was “historically a back office function” which reinforced silos and limited cross-team understanding. Different technical language also created barriers, as “technical jargon has definitely separated the teams and their perceptions”.

At Arch, those barriers have been deliberately dismantled. Brahams said the company had made claims “very much a part of the underwriting proposition”, with handlers and underwriters meeting regularly to share experiences and insights. Cultural resistance, another historic industry obstacle, is also addressed through Arch’s brand ethos, “pursuing better together”, which she said “embodies a real collaborative approach across the company”.

Early claims involvement is another fundamental part of the model and Brahams argued that “the customer is purchasing the claims service”, so claims must help shape the solution from the outset. Early input during product development allows claims professionals to flag unclear terms, identify likely pain points and ensure the final policy is genuinely tailored to the insured. 

She noted that at Arch, underwriters  bring their claims advocates into renewal and new business meetings, helping clients and brokers build rapport with the people who will support them if a loss occurs. This familiarity is an important element for the customer. “If a claim arises, they can pick up the phone. They know who to talk to, and that just offers them additional support.”

When done well, the outcome is felt across the frontline client experience. Brahams repeatedly returned to the importance of ensuring that expectations are aligned from day one. A unified approach produces not only clearer coverage, but also a more reassuring journey if a claim arises. “When a claims and underwriting team are aligned and they are transparent and consistent in their messaging and servicing, this allows trust to be formed with the customer.”

Ultimately, an integrated claims-underwriting model produces better outcomes for brokers, stronger relationships with insureds and products that are more accurate and bespoke. “Collaboration is key regarding the accuracy of policy and coverage provided”, ensuring the policy genuinely reflects the insured’s needs and avoids future disputes, Brahams explained. At Arch, this is not an aspiration but a hardwired way of working, and one that is reshaping the client experience for the better.

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