Insurance Giant Zurich Launches New Enterprise Solution Developed with Siemens Low-Code Platform

Insurance Giant Zurich Launches New Enterprise Solution Developed with Siemens Low-Code Platform

Zurich Insurance is using Siemens’ low-code platform to build next-generation solutions and drive a comprehensive digital transformation program

Zurich built a new terrorism data collection solution on the Siemens low-code platform in just 12 weeks, replacing critical legacy applications and streamlining more than 700 underwriting workflows

● More than 1.5 million customers easily access their accounts through the new My Plans Portal

● To prevent shadow IT, Zurich Insurance is using Siemens low-code to replace more than 1,400 legacy Lotus Notes applications

Beijing, China - July 19, 2022 - Mendix, a Siemens business, a global leader in enterprise low-code application development, announced that insurance giant Zurich has launched two important new enterprise solutions that simplify underwriting workflows and improve the experience for 1.5 million users. Both solutions are built using the Siemens low-code platform.

Zurich Insurance uses Siemens' low-code development platform to improve application development processes and achieve faster and more efficient iterations. Based on the original policy system, Zurich Insurance used low-code to reconstruct an application that captures data and calculates premiums for terrorism insurance. In addition, they also used low-code to build the "My Plans Portal", enabling 1.5 million customers to log in to the portal and obtain pension and investment information in one stop.

Providing Terrorism Insurance for the Modern World

Terrorism insurance is one of Zurich Insurance's key products, generating millions of pounds in premiums and accounting for about two-thirds of Zurich Insurance's policies (about 20,000). Underwriters previously relied on a legacy application to calculate premiums and obtain customer data when performing the terrorism insurance underwriting process.

“Our first project with Mendix was to completely transform a legacy application that managed the terrorism insurance underwriting process,” said Barrington Clarke, Director of Development and Operations UK at Zurich Insurance. “We used Siemens Low Code to replace the legacy system and built the Terrorism Data Capture (TDC) application in just 12 weeks. The new application reduces manual processing, improves reporting accuracy, speeds up the preparation of terrorism policy reports and provides a better experience for underwriters through a unified workflow.” 

Create My Plans Portal

In addition, Zurich Insurance also uses Siemens' low-code platform to build applications that improve customer experience. For example, the newly launched "My Plans Portal" allows customers to log in and access all their retirement and investment information in one place. The application can also transmit data back to Zurich Insurance's Salesforce platform, integrate with back-end systems, and ensure that tasks or activities can be reflected in the workflow.

“We have around 1.5 million customers in our insurance business. Although we already had a digital portal, it didn’t provide all the customer data and information, and we sometimes had to communicate with customers over the phone, which was time-consuming and a poor user experience for them,” said Clarke. “Now, with the new ‘My Plans Portal’, we can provide a seamless experience for our customers, and we plan to further expand its capabilities in the future using the Siemens low-code platform.”

Say goodbye to the old Lotus Notes app

One of the latest projects being conducted by Zurich Insurance is a comprehensive transformation of legacy Lotus Notes applications. From simple forms that can be easily converted using automated processes to complex UI workflows that are more difficult to redevelop, Zurich currently has more than 1,000 similar applications handling business processes. Compared with low-code technology, if Java is used to re-transform old applications, it will take five times as long and the cost will be much higher.

“These Lotus Notes applications were old, some were developed more than five years ago, and no longer fit the way we operate our business,” Clarke said. “Employees were finding faster solutions on their own, which led to a lot of problems, including shadow IT. Siemens low-code enabled us to do that quickly, providing us with the ability to replace, modify and update these applications.”

Paul Fondie, global head of insurance at Mendix, said: "Zurich is a great example of how the insurance industry is leveraging innovative technology to provide the best experience for its customers and employees. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of online users, and companies in the insurance industry are in urgent need of various types of digital solutions. Low-code can provide companies with the tools they need to drive digital transformation."