A loss run can look complete and still leave an underwriter with the wrong picture of risk. Carrier formats differ, valuation dates vary, claim descriptions are thin, and the most meaningful change may be buried in a spreadsheet or an emailed update. The top loss history review methods bring structure to that uncertainty: validate the source, normalize the data, investigate the claims that matter, and document the decision path.

Berkley Alliance Professional’s pollution liability, professional liability (E&O), and faulty workmanship coverage for artisan contractors is now available through Appulate, giving agents easier access and a simpler submission process.

A useful insurance OCR comparison starts where commercial insurance work actually starts: with a mixed submission package in an inbox. An ACORD application may be complete, a supplemental may hold the exposure details an underwriter needs, a spreadsheet may contain location schedules, and loss runs may arrive as scanned PDFs. Reading text from each file is only the first task. The real test is whether the technology turns that information into data people can review, use, and move through an existing workflow.

Introduction

For those of us in the Insurtech world, the fall tradeshow season brings a blend of excitement, exhaustion, and education. After participating in multiple fall insurance industry events, the Appulate team experienced a healthy dose of all three. As I reflect on the common themes that emerged this year, I wanted to share a few observations about where our industry is heading and why I’m encouraged by the opportunities ahead.

A commercial submission can arrive looking complete: an ACORD application, a few supplemental forms, loss runs, a statement of values, and an email that says coverage is needed by Friday. Yet the underwriter may still spend days waiting, sorting, validating, or asking for information that should have been available from the start.

Renewal teams lose time long before a carrier makes a pricing or appetite decision. The renewal arrives as last year's ACORD forms, a revised schedule of values, three loss-run PDFs, an email with new locations, and a spreadsheet that uses different names for the same insured. To standardize insurance renewal data is to turn that fragmented package into one reliable view of the risk - early enough for producers, account managers, and underwriters to act on it.

A commercial submission rarely arrives as one clean, complete record. It arrives as an ACORD application, a spreadsheet with location data, loss runs in a scanned PDF, a supplemental questionnaire, and an email that changes a key exposure detail. AI underwriting automation gives teams a practical way to turn that fragmented package into organized information that can be reviewed, enriched, routed, and acted on without rekeying the same data across systems.

A commercial submission can look complete at 9:00 a.m. and still force three rounds of follow-up before it reaches an underwriter. A required location schedule is missing. Payroll on the supplemental application conflicts with the ACORD. Loss runs are outdated. The named insured is entered differently in three documents. These are not minor administrative issues. They determine whether a team can quote quickly, route accurately, and protect underwriter time for actual risk decisions.

A commercial submission rarely arrives as one clean, complete record. It may include an ACORD application, a spreadsheet of locations, several supplemental forms, five years of loss runs, an email thread, and a schedule of values in a scanned PDF. Before an underwriter can evaluate risk or a producer can move the account forward, the information in those materials must be understood, standardized, and placed where the workflow needs it.

A submission arrives as an ACORD application, two supplements, a loss-run PDF, a spreadsheet of locations, and an email with a late-breaking exposure detail. The underwriting clock starts immediately, but the information is still scattered. A useful underwriting workflow design guide begins with that reality: commercial underwriting is not a single task. It is a chain of information decisions, handoffs, and exceptions that must work even when a submission is incomplete.

A commercial submission rarely arrives ready to rate. It arrives as a mix of ACORD forms, emailed attachments, loss runs, schedules of values, supplemental applications, and spreadsheets that may contradict one another. Insurance rating system integration determines whether that information becomes a quote-ready risk record quickly or creates another round of manual entry, follow-up, and delay.

A commercial submission rarely arrives as one clean package. It comes through email, portals, shared inboxes, and producer follow-ups, often containing ACORD forms, supplemental applications, loss runs, spreadsheets, schedules of values, and supporting PDFs. Learning how to digitize commercial submissions means turning that fragmented information into trusted, usable data without asking producers or underwriters to abandon the way they work.

A producer has a prospect ready to move, but the account arrives as an ACORD form, three supplemental PDFs, a loss-run spreadsheet, a property schedule, and an email with critical details in the body. The team knows the market opportunity is real. The problem is that the submission is not ready to market. Broker workflow optimization addresses that gap by turning scattered insurance information into a process that moves from intake to placement with less rekeying, less back-and-forth, and more confidence.

This month, I wanted to try something a little different. I wrote a short story that follows an underwriter through a single challenging submission to show just how much time Appulate can give back along the way.

Westlake Village, CA (10/9/26) – Appulate, the leading submission intelligence solution for property and casualty insurance, has been named to the 2026 InsurTech100,...

A commercial submission can look complete and still fail the first underwriting review. A named insured may differ between the ACORD application and loss runs. A building value may be present but unsupported. A prior-carrier field may be blank even though the coverage history says otherwise. To validate insurance application fields effectively, teams need more than required-field checks. They need a process that tests whether the information is complete, consistent, credible, and ready for the next workflow.

A commercial submission can be approved in minutes and still take days to become a usable policy record. The delay usually is not the underwriting decision. It is the work that follows: rekeying applicant details, locations, schedules, coverages, classifications, and forms into another system. Insurance policy administration integration closes that gap by moving reviewed, structured information into the policy workflow without asking teams to start over.

A commercial submission can look complete at first glance and still create hours of preventable work. The ACORD form may be attached, but the schedule of values is in a spreadsheet. Loss history may arrive as a scanned PDF. A producer’s email may contain the one detail that changes the exposure. Submission quality is the operational discipline of bringing those pieces together early enough for the next person to use them.

A commercial submission rarely arrives as one clean, complete record. It comes in through an ACORD form, a supplemental application, a loss run PDF, a spreadsheet, email attachments, and follow-up messages from the insured. The work required to improve commercial submission quality begins before an underwriter sees the account. It depends on how reliably an organization captures, structures, validates, and delivers the information that moves with the risk.

A producer sends an ACORD application, a schedule of values in Excel, three supplemental forms, loss runs, and an email with the details that matter most. An operations...

 

 

 

The Million Dollar Milestone

For years now, the insurance industry has talked about automation through AI tools and what that could look like. But today, proving value matters more than promising it.

Last week, I wrapped up my 100^th business day as President of Appulate and thought I would share some observations and insights I have garnered over the past few months. During this time, I have spoken with executives from roughly 50 of our current and prospective customers, including carriers, MGAs, wholesale brokerages, and retail agencies. I’ve noted several common themes throughout these conversations:

Big news to share at Appulate!

The Hidden Bottleneck of Every Insurance Workflow 

Join our very own CEO and co-founded Jeff Harris alongside the Power Produces Podcast hosts David Carothers and Kyle Houck as they go into all things Appulate. From...

Every carrier knows the pain of loss runs and claims documentation. They arrive late, they arrive messy, and they don’t arrive in a format that plays nice with your systems. A single submission might include: 

 

Appulate solution bridges agent / broker submission data to help Guidewire clients improve connectivity to their distribution partners. 

Westlake Village, CA - Appulate, a leader in insurance automation, is proud to announce the latest evolution of Appulate FORMS AI, its advanced document intelligence engine that redefines how insurance submissions are processed. Marking a major step forward in Appulate’s 20-year legacy of innovation, FORMS AI now supports all lines of business while delivering instant, accurate data extraction from a wide variety of document types. 

I’ve written about industry trends, AI, quoting speed, and agent insights in past newsletters… but somehow, I’ve never shared the full story of Appulate itself. 

AI is everywhere right now, especially at insurance conferences. But with so many vendors promising revolutionary tools, it’s tough to separate real innovation from shiny distractions. 

The workflow of a networked insurance agent has been synonymous with its tedious as well as time consuming tasks. From repetitive processes in various markets to rekeying data, the overall flow of insurance submissions can be stressful. How can agent workflow be improved while maintaining efficiency? It’s simple – through the insurance technology solutions found in automation!

Let’s talk about what actually works. 

AIU Partners with Appulate to Deliver Premier E&S Commercial Property Insurance Opportunities Nationwide.

Westlake Village, CA — Snyder Specialty LCC, a Managing General Agency, Surplus Lines Broker, and Lloyd’s coverholder, announced today that it will be teaming up with Appulate – the #1 digital distributor of P&C insurance, to enhance their exclusive Homeowners Insurance programs for hard-to-place risks.

For all the talk about AI transforming insurance, much of it misses the point. 

If you’ve spent any time on our social media, website, or received our latest emails, you’ll have inevitably heard something about “Appulate Forms AI”, a brand-new addition to the Appulate family of tools. Sure, it looks impressive, but what exactly can it do? Glad you asked: 

Appulate proudly stands with Project 55 to offer one of the most advanced mental health training courses available to the public. Completely free and fully self-paced, this groundbreaking program equips you with essential, real-world skills proven to make a life-saving difference: 

This month I wanted to focus on some eye-opening industry research.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2025

We are officially 20 years old!

As one of the original “insurtechs”, we are still a top choice for agents and markets for both distribution and automation of P&C business.

Westlake Village, CA– July 31,2024, 11:00 am (ET) - Tokio Marine HCC – Casualty Group announced today that it has partnered with Appulate to offer their ArtisanEdge™ general liability products, tailored to meet the needs of small to mid-sized artisan contractors. Appulate is the #1 digital distributor of P&C insurance, enhancing submission processing through automation for hard-to-place risks across the country. 

Appulate Joins Guidewire’s PartnerConnect Program for Property & Casualty Insurance Software

Appulate’s data submission solutions help Guidewire clients improve connectivity with agents.

Happy Birthday Appulate.

Today officially marks 20 years since Appulate was first launched back in 2005. While that may feel like a lifetime ago, looking back, I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built together. From the fantastic Appulate team to the countless Agencies, Carriers, and MGAs that make Appulate part of their everyday life, I thank each and every one of you. 

Over the past several years, the insurance industry has seen incredible changes, both with overall thought leadership and with increased pressure to incorporate better technology throughout the entire quoting and policy management lifecycle.  

I’d like to share with you a question in today’s newsletter that’s been brought to me a couple of times: 

Westlake Village, CA– January 29, 2025, 11:00 am (ET)- Flow Specialty, a leading wholesale brokerage of specialty commercial insurance in executive liability, has announced its collaborative partnership with Appulate, the premier digital distribution platform for P&C insurance. Flow Specialty enables agents who use the Appulate platform to connect with highly rated cyber carriers while receiving best-in-class service, insights, and recommendations from expert brokers.

Westlake Village, CA – October 1, 2024  Appulate, Inc. announces that it has promoted Vanessa Camara to Chief of Staff. Camara, who was previously Appulate’s Vice President of Operations, has been with the company for 13 years.

Appulate Unveils Latest Generation, Enhancing User Experience with Advanced Quoting and Submission Tools 

September 10, 2024, 10:00am (Eastern Time) Westlake Village, CA - Appulate, the world’s leading insurance submission, application, and renewal platform, announces the launch of its 13th generation today.

With almost 20 years in the industry, Appulate has continually raised the bar for its users through unmatched customer service and a long-standing track record of technological achievements.

With this new release bringing a dynamic quoting extension for agency websites, streamlined accounting with QuickBooks Integration and more, that count among the multiple new additions that both agents and brokers have anxiously been waiting for.

Discover how Appulate significantly streamlines the time-consuming data entry process for insurance agents.

Explore how leveraging multiple carriers can streamline operations and enhance your business's insurance processing capabilities.

Appulate is the best way for insurance agents to save valuable time in their day-to-day operations. With its innovative insurance technology systems and user-friendly interface, agents can streamline their underwriting processes, from quoting to submissions, all within a single platform. In this blog, we will explore the various features of Appulate that make it a must-have tool for insurance agents looking to work more efficiently and effectively in today’s digital insurance application process.

Today, we are going to be highlighting a specific area of our platform that can make but new business renewals easier. We call it Ask Insured. 

Ready to effortlessly navigate the complexities of agency accounting in no time at all? Introducing QuickBooks integration for Appulate, an efficient and more cost-effective solution for your needs. From simplifying your financial management system to providing assistance for complex insurance transactions, this blog will be going over a short overview into what you can expect.

Here at Appulate our goal is to simplify your insurance workload by automating routine tasks and streamlining how your business operates. Bringing together networked agents, insureds, MGAs, and carriers on a single platform to provide industry-leading technology to all, creating the ultimate one-stop insurance experience. Not to mention helping 300,000+ agents find success through industry-leading automation. In this blog, we'll be going over how you can streamline your data entry and collection processes through one of Appulate's newer features: InsuredConnect.

Hundreds of thousands of companies are taking advantage of Appulate Premium each year to streamline their quoting and submission processes faster than ever before. With an entire new set of features, alongside comprehensive staff training, there's never been a better time to become a Premium member. In this blog, we will be going to be going over the most popular features available right now, as well as how agents can start making full use of them as soon as possible.

For nearly 20 years, Appulate has redefined Insurtech through modernizing quoting and submitting processes. Providing the features that agents want such as instant quoting and the ability to submit to multiple carriers at once. In this blog, we will be going one of those features, so you’ll be able to learn how to request loss runs in 5 easy steps. With Appulate’s LossRunner technology, you can create an easy (and trackable) way to request loss runs on behalf of customers or prospects.  

Innovations like Insurtech and the digital insurance application process have revolutionized how insurance services are delivered. Among these advancements are the development of user-friendly quoting software and automated quoting systems. The choice between traditional standard quoting and modern automated quoting is crucial for insurance companies aiming to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. This blog delves into the benefits of quote automation versus standard quoting, providing insights into how each approach affects the commercial insurance landscape. 

In the rapidly evolving world of insurance, efficiency is key. With the advent of quoting software and advancements in insurtech, insurance companies are transforming their operations to better meet customer demands. One of the most significant innovations in this space is quote automation. This ultimate guide will walk you through the benefits, features, and implementation of insurance automation, focusing on how technologies like Appulate can revolutionize your quoting process. 

November 28, 2023, 10:00 am (Eastern Time)– Appulate, an industry-leader in insurance technology, proudly announces the launch of Appulate InsuredConnect. A groundbreaking new feature for its Premium users, designed to make the quoting process more efficient.  

Appulate’s Compare quotes page contains all quotes that are available on the Quote request page for the current company.

BOSTON, June 7, 2023 – Simply Business, LLC, a Boston-based digital insurance company focused on small businesses, today announced that it will offer general liability insurance on Appulate, a digital submission management system used by retail insurance agencies to easily conduct business with their markets of choice.

What is insurtech besides an essential component of insurance professionals’ workflow and success? Insurtech is defined as the use of technology innovations designed to find cost savings and efficiency. A realistic example of insurtech is Appulate. Appulate delivers insurance technology solutions that empower networked insurance agents, MGAs, Wholesalers, and Carriers to do business more effectively through automation. In this article, we will uncover more about what insurtech means for specific insurance professionals. We will also share some essential insurtech solutions provided by Appulate to save time on insurance submissions, loss runs requests, insurance distribution, and other common tasks within the industry. Let’s begin by discussing what insurtech is for agents.

Westlake Village, CA – May 19, 2022 – Maryland’s largest workers’ compensation writer enhances the agent submission process with Appulate’s automation technology to deliver instant quoting and a better customer experience.

November, 2023 

Just as a chef makes the restaurant world revolve alongside other kitchen staff – networked insurance agents make the insurance industry revolve alongside MGAs, nationwide carriers, and wholesalers. If the other entities of a restaurant do not communicate with the chef, the flow of business will be altered. The same is true for the insurance industry if the voices of agents are not considered.

For those that have been in P&C insurance for 20+ years, you know the core system investment cycle. Every 10-12 years a shiny new PAS system replacement project takes place. Based on what has been seen in the market, 2021 was the end of the last big cycle. This wind-down seemed to start in 2020 as is illustrated by investment priorities shown in Commercial Line priorities outlined by AiteNovarica1. There was a sudden focus shift to distribution and underwriting. Was this driven by COVID? Maybe, but executives are tired of spending tens of millions of dollars on insurance technology that doesn’t impact the top line.

Living in a digital world requires specific security measures which will ensure the protection of your company’s trustworthiness to consumers, and the protection of your company’s data. This is accomplished through cybersecurity. In this article, we will discuss the best practices for securing your companies data, innovations in cybersecurity relevant to the insurance agency technology, and information on next steps if you feel that your company could benefit from better data protection.

In an ever-changing world, convenience and innovative technology solutions are the keys to easily evolving with insurance industry standards. When two powerful and heavily relied upon companies join forces – it produces a more sustainable foundation for its users to do business more effectively using insurtech solutions. A tangible example of this kind of relationship is the Appulate and IPFS partnership. This partnership combines automated insurance technology with premium IPFS financing and agency bill to benefit both agents and the insured.

One of the main aspects of an insurance professional’s day is processing ACORD data and supplemental forms. These common tasks should also be the easiest to complete. Therefore, in this article we will explore one of the most commonly used forms in P&C insurance while outlining a more effective way to access it, and process client information. Let’s begin by explaining what the ACORD 125 is used for.

Have you found yourself wondering what some of your colleagues have been doing to expand their business amidst the pandemic? Or maybe you have maintained success during the pandemic, but still face restrictions with the in-person contact needed to properly network. In this article we will discuss how the proper insurtech solutions can make your business “pandemic-proof” and prepare you for the future. Let’s start by briefly highlighting the main issues that accompanied the pandemic and how it affected insurance professionals.

As we know, standard loss run requests are conducted by sending a letter to previous insurers or brokers asking for detailed policy information which includes a disclosure of all claims processed – a very time-consuming process. Loss run requests of the future will provide a more streamlined approach and provide more discretion for the insured requesting to obtain the necessary data. How will this process be enhanced in the days, months, and years to come? Or, has this innovation already been implemented? In this article, we will discuss what the future of loss runs will look like, how it will benefit the insurance industry, and how you can get your business on board with it NOW!

Insurance technology is now evolving at a faster pace than most industry professionals are accustomed to. However, with change being inevitable, the question that arises is, “Are you investing wisely in your insurance agency software?” In this article, we will discuss the importance of insurtech solutions, the best insurance technology to invest in and why, and what to look forward to in the future.

An Insurance Loss Run Report is a report on the claims history of a policy.

As insurance technology solutions advance, so should your company’s insurance agency technology and AMS integration tools. If you were to evaluate your company’s overall success, you would be drawn to the data stored within your agency management system to determine the real numbers. With that in mind, having the proper software implementations and digital resources available to retrieve and process data is essential. In this article, we will determine what a healthy agency management system looks like, how the proper evaluations, upgrades, and user interactions are vital, as well as the next steps that you can take to improve your agency management system now.

Many major companies are diving into API. In this article, we will discuss what an API is, its benefits to the insurance industry, and how MGAs and Carriers are using API to create a more effective workflow and become more successful. Let’s start by uncovering the mystery of API and see why everyone is so excited about it.

If you have been following the small commercial insurance market and commercial insurance software, you can agree that current insurtech trends are mimicking personal line trends from the early 2000s. Therefore, it is not a matter of “if” but “when” rating comparison engines, automated quoting, and online binding will be the norm.