Zurich North America launches AI-powered underwriting with Nearmap
October 3, 2025
Zurich North America has integrated Nearmap property and location intelligence into its U.S. Middle Market underwriting platform. The move embeds AI-driven insights into day-to-day underwriting to cut manual steps, sharpen risk assessment, and deliver more precise property coverage.
What's inside the integration
Through the Betterview platform from Nearmap, underwriters can access high-resolution aerial imagery, roof condition scores, and maintenance indicators. These insights provide more clarity than traditional inspections and help teams decide when an in-person visit is truly needed.
- High-frequency, high-resolution aerial imagery owned by Nearmap
- AI-derived roof and property condition indicators
- Centralized, continuously updated property data inside Zurich's platform
- Faster triage to prioritize complex accounts
Operational impact for underwriting teams
With updated property intelligence in one place, underwriters can classify risks more accurately and streamline workflows. The integration reduces back-and-forth and supports cleaner broker conversations by putting evidence at the point of decision.
Early results and rollout
The initial rollout surfaced risks that traditional methods may have missed, improving portfolio performance. Based on these results, Zurich extended the integration across its U.S. Middle Market underwriting offices.
Why this matters for insurers
- Fewer unnecessary inspections and faster quote turnaround
- More consistent risk selection and pricing confidence across regions
- Clear, visual evidence to support underwriting decisions
- More time for underwriters to focus on complex accounts
Executive perspective
Alex Wells, head of U.S. Middle Market at Zurich North America, said, "This is part of our dedication to being inventive to make underwriters smarter and faster in their analysis and broker consultations. Integrating these insights directly into our underwriting enablement platform reduces friction, supports simplification and ultimately helps us deliver more value to our customers."
Nearmap chief product officer David Tobias said, "Zurich is proving what's possible when insurers move beyond experimentation and fully operationalize AI and frequently updated aerial imagery at scale. With direct access to high-resolution imagery, captured and owned by Nearmap, Zurich gains a level of certainty and consistency that traditional methods like satellite data or fragmented public records simply can't provide. Analysed through the Betterview platform, this proprietary content powers precise, AI-driven property intelligence, enabling Zurich's underwriters to lead with confidence and precision."
Part of a broader innovation push
This integration aligns with Zurich's ongoing innovation initiatives, including its startup-focused programs that back practical solutions for underwriting and claims. For more on the company, visit Zurich Insurance Group.
What to watch next
- Expansion of AI-driven property intelligence into additional lines and segments
- Deeper links between underwriting insights, pricing, and loss control
- Use of consistent imagery and scores to support portfolio-wide governance and audits
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