Claims management firms are evolving from their traditionally reactive roles in the insurance industry in response to the increasing complexity and interconnectedness of global risks.
For some of the world’s leading claims and third-party administrators (TPAs), resilience is becoming a core offering. Mike Hessling (pictured above, left), CEO – North America at Gallagher Bassett, sees this shift accelerating.
“We’re now branching out into new areas of risk and claims management,” Hessling said. “We’re looking to expand in the areas of prevention and protection, anything we can do pre-loss to help clients prevent risk.”
Andrew Bart (pictured above, right), CEO of Crawford International Operations, echoes a similar transformation. Crawford & Company is investing in innovation and service flexibility across all lines to handle growing complexity in claims.
“We’re working with artificial intelligence to enhance our service offerings and improve efficiency,” Bart told Insurance Business.
One major shift in the claims space is the rise of pre-loss services: consulting offerings that help clients anticipate and prevent potential risks. Gallagher Bassett is investing heavily here, especially in industries such as construction.
Known for its expertise in workers’ compensation, general liability, and auto liability, Gallagher Bassett is now expanding into new verticals such as healthcare, marine and cargo, and cyber liability.
“We have teams dedicated specifically to the construction space, including individuals who provide on-site safety management,” Hessling said. “Our claims teams also specialize in unique exposures like New York labor law and construction defects.”
For Bart, preparation is the new battleground for resilience. “The old adage applies: ‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail,’” he said. “(Businesses) can’t anticipate every contingency, but you can stress-test strategies and be as ready as possible.”
In many ways, Bart said, this shift in proactive resilience mirrors lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, where reactive responses often fell short and supply chain vulnerabilities were exposed. Global tariffs are proving to be yet another stress test for supply chains.
“We saw the trend (during COVID) toward near-shoring or onshoring accelerate, and tariffs might exacerbate that further,” Bart noted.
Both Gallagher Bassett and Crawford are investing in advanced technologies, not only to streamline claims but also to support better resilience decision-making.
At Gallagher Bassett, the rollout of GB Navigator aims to reduce friction and administrative overhead in the claims process. One of their tools includes a claims summarizer, which can parse hundreds of claim notes and distill the most important information.
“We’re also leveraging generative AI to reduce administrative burdens, like reviewing litigation filings or medical records,” Hessling noted.
At Crawford, AI is also playing a critical role. Last year, the company launched Turvi, an insurtech platform. Turvi offers AI-powered solutions to read and interpret complex policies and help adjusters make faster, more accurate decisions.
Crucially, both leaders emphasize that technology is meant to augment, not replace, the human element in claims. “It’s not about AI taking jobs,” Bart said. “It’s about using AI as a partner.”
Hessling agreed: “This is still a people-driven business. Our professionals are the product.”
In the face of rising claims complexity and global volatility, claims management firms have progressed far beyond processing paperwork. Both Bart and Hessling underscored the ongoing missions of their respective organizations.
“I’ve been in this industry for over 35 years,” said Bart. “We bring certainty to people’s lives when they need it most. That’s something everyone at Crawford, and across the industry, should be proud of.”
Hessling said: “Whether it’s injured employees, customers involved in general liability incidents, or complex auto claims, clients want their brands and balance sheets protected – we help ensure that.”
