Avantia Introduces AI Tool ‘Holmes’ to Combat Fraud and Streamline Home Insurance Claims
On 25 July 2025, Avantia Group, the digital home insurance platform behind Homeprotect, announced the launch of ‘Holmes’, an AI-powered tool aimed at improving fraud detection and transforming claims processing in home insurance.
Fraudulent property claims cost the UK insurance sector over £143 million annually, according to the Association of British Insurers. Traditional methods for detecting fraud are often slow and less accurate, which delays genuine claims, raises operational costs, and drives up premiums for customers.
How Holmes Works
Holmes builds on Avantia’s existing proprietary decisioning platform. It analyzes extensive data collected throughout the customer lifecycle to quickly identify potentially fraudulent claims and flag straightforward cases for fast resolution.
During initial trials in Q2 2025, Holmes demonstrated significant improvements in fraud detection accuracy and was effective in highlighting claims ready for swift settlement. The AI tool also provided valuable recommendations on claim coverage, payment calculations, data capture, and next steps, particularly for complex claims.
Performance and Benefits
- Fraud detection became six times more effective.
- Payment calculations achieved 98% accuracy.
- In 50% of cases, Holmes offered recommendations that improved claim outcomes.
These improvements have led Avantia to forecast meaningful reductions in operational and indemnity costs, enabling faster scaling and reinvestment into product enhancements that benefit customers.
Insights from Avantia’s Leadership
Dan Huddart, CTO at Avantia Group, highlighted that Holmes supports claims handlers rather than replacing them. The AI processes large volumes of data in seconds, providing insights that claims teams use to make informed decisions.
“We started our AI journey in 2016, building in-house machine learning capabilities to automate intelligent decisions across our business,” Huddart said. “Holmes emerged from a hack day focused on tackling fraud differently and has since exceeded expectations.”
He added, “The best results come from combining AI’s data processing speed with human judgment. We’re now structuring our entire operation around AI because it delivers faster, more consistent claims handling.”
Mark Eastham, CEO at Avantia Group, noted the impact of fraud on customers: “Fraud slows down claims and pushes up premiums. Holmes tackles this issue directly and positions us to deliver a faster, fairer experience for home insurance customers.”
Looking Ahead
Holmes is set to be fully integrated into live claims processing starting September 2025. This launch is part of Avantia’s ongoing efforts to lead in digital innovation and customer service within the insurance sector, focusing on speed, fairness, and transparency.
For insurance professionals interested in the evolving role of AI in claims management, exploring practical AI training and certification can be valuable. Relevant courses can be found at Complete AI Training.
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