Streamlining Commercial Insurance Submissions with AI and Smart Intake Workflows – A Conversation with Sembley

Time is one of the most valuable resources an agency has—and ironically, it’s also one of the most frequently wasted. Producers and account managers often spend countless hours on tasks that don’t directly drive revenue: chasing down clients for missing information, filling out repetitive forms, and manually inputting data into various systems. While these tasks are necessary, they are not where producers create the most value.

In today’s hardening market, the pressure to increase speed, accuracy, and efficiency has never been greater. Submissions are more complex, particularly in excess and surplus (E&S) lines, and the stakes are higher. Agencies that don’t streamline their operations are losing time, energy, and ultimately, opportunities.

Why Traditional Intake Systems Are Failing Modern Agencies

Historically, the insurance submission process has relied on outdated workflows—paper applications, static PDFs, and fragmented systems that do not talk to each other. Producers enter the same information multiple times, increasing the risk of errors and wasting valuable time.

Furthermore, many agencies have overcomplicated their tech stack by investing in “all-in-one” platforms that are rarely used to their full potential. It’s common to see agencies paying for tools with libraries of thousands of supplemental forms—only to use a small fraction of them. This approach contributes to inefficiency and confusion, especially when the systems are not customizable or user-friendly.

In a world where responsiveness is a competitive advantage, traditional systems that slow down the process can cost agencies the business.

A Smarter Approach: Single Source of Truth for Submission Data

The key to a more efficient submission process lies in creating a single source of truth—a centralized intake form that collects client information once and applies it everywhere it’s needed.

Instead of filling out a separate Accord 125, 126, 140, and various supplemental applications individually, smart intake solutions allow data to flow across all forms automatically. If your insured provides a business name, location, or number of vehicles in one section, that data populates wherever it’s relevant.

This reduces redundancy, minimizes errors, and makes it easier to train new producers and account managers. It also improves the client experience by eliminating the need to repeatedly answer the same questions.

Automating the Tedious: Leveraging Document AI for Speed and Accuracy

One of the most promising advances in submission technology is Document AI—a tool that allows agencies to upload existing documents such as proposals, deck pages, driver schedules, or spreadsheets, and have the system automatically extract and map that data into their intake forms.

Imagine receiving a spreadsheet with 30 drivers or an SOV with 137 properties. Manually typing that data into forms is not just tedious—it’s a massive drain on time and resources. With Document AI, that data is auto-imported, categorized, and populated directly into the appropriate Accord or supplemental forms.

The ability to pull structured and unstructured data from PDFs, spreadsheets, or even clear images of documents significantly reduces administrative bottlenecks. It transforms submissions from a burden into a strategic advantage.

Making AI Practical: Integrations with Your Agency Management System

Efficiency is multiplied when your intake platform integrates with your Agency Management System (AMS). Whether you’re using NowCerts, HawkSoft, or AMS360, integration capabilities allow you to pull client data into the intake and push completed forms back into the AMS without double entry.

These integrations also enable features like default responses, custom note fields, and question banks that adapt to your agency’s processes. Producers can build out forms that match the way their agency works, while maintaining consistency and compliance.

This ecosystem approach to data management means that producers can spend more time prospecting and closing deals—and less time managing paperwork.

The E&S Submission Advantage: Capitalizing on Market Shifts

With the hardening of the commercial insurance market, more submissions are being directed toward E&S markets. These submissions are typically more complex, require additional information, and involve more documentation.

That’s exactly why streamlined submission systems are critical. Agencies that rely on outdated tools and manual processes will struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, agencies using automated tools can move faster, respond more accurately, and win more business.

Florida Risk Partners, for example, saw a dramatic increase in the volume and complexity of E&S applications—even in traditionally low-risk classes like service contractors. In response, they adopted a smarter intake and AI-driven solution to handle the new load. This move reduced delays and positioned them as a more attractive partner for both clients and carriers.

Implementation Over Hype: Execution Is Everything

There’s a reason many InsurTech solutions fall flat: agencies don’t implement them properly. They get excited at trade shows or on webinars, sign up for a tool, and then fail to train their team or fully integrate the system.

Execution is the agency principal’s responsibility—and without it, no tool can deliver ROI.

The most effective agencies approach tech adoption with intentionality. They focus on matching tools to their specific workflows, training staff, and setting expectations for usage. It’s not about buying the flashiest platform with the biggest form library. It’s about choosing what fits your agency and executing with discipline.

Evaluating Your Tech Stack for Submission Efficiency

If you’re considering upgrading or changing your submission process, here are key questions to ask:

Does this tool reduce data entry and duplication?
Can it integrate with my AMS?
Does it provide real-time data flow across forms?
Is it customizable for our internal workflows?
Can my clients easily interact with it from mobile devices?
Is the pricing aligned with the actual value I’ll derive?

You don’t need the most expensive or most complex solution. You need one that matches your agency’s priorities and will be used consistently.

Conclusion: Frictionless Submissions Start with Intentional Systems

Streamlining submissions is not just about speed—it’s about freeing producers and account managers from administrative quicksand. With smart intake forms, AI-powered document analysis, and seamless AMS integrations, agencies can cut hours of wasted time and improve accuracy across the board.

The technology exists. The use cases are proven. The only question is whether your agency is willing to implement the systems that will make submissions frictionless.

It’s time to stop wrestling with PDFs and start working smarter with tools that actually fit your agency.

Streamlining Agency Billing and Premium Financing: Leveraging FedNow, 3-D Secure, and Integrated AMS for Faster Funding

July 16, 2025 No Comments

Middle-market insurance agencies have long wrestled with the legacy “buy-bill-collect” model, in which carriers invoice agencies, agencies collect premiums from clients, and only then remit payment to carriers. This antiquated workflow creates operational friction, delayed cash flow, and elevated chargeback risks—all of which can erode profitability and client satisfaction. Today, however, powerful innovations in digital payments and agency management systems are enabling a modern “bill-collect-buy” paradigm that dramatically accelerates fund availability, minimizes disputes, and unlocks new revenue streams through premium financing.

Why Most Salespeople Fail: Mastering the Mindset, Process, and Power Dynamics of Professional Selling

July 8, 2025 No Comments

The truth about professional sales isn’t flashy, and it certainly isn’t about charisma. If you think selling is about having the “gift of gab,” winging it on calls, or leaning on your likability to win deals, you’re doing it wrong—and that’s why you’re struggling. In this post, we’re breaking down lessons from a brutally honest conversation with Benjamin Dennehy, the UK’s Most Hated Sales Trainer®, about why so many producers in commercial insurance and other industries fall short—and what the top performers do differently.

From Policies to Profitability: How Strategic Risk Consulting Can Transform Middle Market Insurance Production – A Conversation with Doug Benz

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Middle market producers often believe that bigger accounts come from quoting better, faster, or cheaper. But in reality, the leap from writing $5,000 policies to closing $1.2 million in premium starts with a different mindset. It starts with consulting over quoting. That’s exactly the story that unfolded at Producers in Paradise when Doug Benz shared how he landed the largest account of his career—not by selling insurance, but by solving problems no one else could.

This post breaks down the step-by-step strategy Doug and his mentor David Carothers used to win a high-stakes, complex account through total cost of risk analysis, claims data visibility, and certificate compliance solutions. If you’re a commercial producer trying to break into the middle market, this blueprint is for you.

Mastering Complex Risks in a Hard Market

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The commercial insurance landscape is evolving—fast. As the market hardens across many lines, producers are learning that generalist approaches no longer cut it. Wholesale partners who specialize, who truly live and breathe their niche, are not just valuable—they’re essential.

That’s where professionals like Dylan Jordan and his team at Amwins come in. With a laser focus on medical malpractice, human services, and life sciences, they’ve become go-to problem solvers for agents navigating the most difficult-to-place risks. If you’re a retail agent walking away from complex accounts—or worse, mishandling them—it might be time to rethink your strategy.

Claim Your Digital Real Estate: How Top Producers Build Personal Brands That Drive Revenue

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At Producers in Paradise 2025, five insurance leaders took the stage to share exactly how they’ve built brands that drive real conversations and real revenue: Patrick McBride, David Carothers, Ciara Gravier, Daniel Wakefield, and Aaron Levine.

From InsurTech to Relationship-Driven Risk Management: Lessons for Modern Insurance Producers – A Conversation with Brett Fulmer

June 27, 2025 No Comments

In a constantly evolving insurance landscape, commercial producers are being forced to adapt—quickly. Between InsurTech advancements, shifting market conditions, and increasing client expectations, producers must learn how to balance innovation with deep relationship-building and technical risk expertise. On a recent episode of the Power Producers Podcast, industry veteran David Carothers sat down with Brett Fulmer, principal at Newport Beach Insurance Center, to talk about navigating these dynamics with authenticity and strategy. What followed was a roadmap for producers who want to succeed in today’s middle market.