AI experimentation is everywhere in insurance. Turning those experiments into meaningful business results is another challenge.
In our webinar, “AI Mythbusters: From Pilot to Production in Insurance,” Benjamin Thompson, VP of Technology Strategy at Reagan Consulting, and Dave Rose, Head of bolt Agency, unpacked the top AI assumptions holding agencies back. Here are the five biggest myths they busted, and how top P&C agencies are moving past experimentation into real execution.
Myth 1: AI is replacing agency staff
The Reality: Winning agencies use AI to elevate producers and service teams, not replace them.
Agency teams are stretched thin by renewals, administrative work, and growing customer demands. By supporting intake, triage, and outbound engagement, AI gives agents more time to focus on what they do best:
- Building relationships
- High-value strategic advice
- Nuanced risk conversations
“What my agents are really good at is being consultants, coverage counselors, relationship builders. That's what they're good at. So I want to make sure that that is optimized for them and they can do that, and they're not stuck in other work that's preventing them from doing what they are great at.”
— Dave Rose, Head of bolt Agency
Myth 2: AI only drives efficiency
The Reality: AI can accelerate growth and improve customer experiences, not just reduce costs.
Efficiency is only part of the opportunity. AI can help agencies re-engage prospects, improve responsiveness, and support retention through proactive outreach.
At bolt Agency, AI-powered workflows have helped deliver:
- 10% top-line growth from outbound AI engagement
- 20% lower call abandonment with an AI receptionist
- Proactive renewal and payment outreach to support retention
“Don't just think about it as, how do we make this one piece go quicker. It's, if we were going to restart, how would we design this and how would this make our company and our customer experience better?”
— Benjamin Thompson, VP of Technology Strategy, Reagan Consulting
Myth 3: AI is a technology project
The Reality: Successful AI adoption starts with people and processes, not technology.
AI shouldn't be treated like another system implementation. Agencies need to understand their operational challenges, involve frontline teams, and select solutions that fit insurance-specific workflows.
A business-first approach means:
- Identifying employee and customer pain points
- Involving staff in workflow redesign
- Prioritizing insurance-specific solutions
“AI is a people and a process project first. It is not a technology process. This is going to rapidly evolve your business. And if you don't have the process and the people right, the technology will never work.”
— Benjamin Thompson
Myth 4: Agencies need a full AI strategy before they start
The Reality: You need clear direction and alignment, not a perfect roadmap.
Waiting for a comprehensive AI strategy can delay progress. Agencies can start with a focused use case, learn from early results, and adjust as the technology evolves.
To get started:
- Identify a few high-impact opportunities
- Establish leadership ownership and shared objectives
- Build on early wins while refining the roadmap
“I don't think you need a full AI strategy because the truth is, if I did that, my AI strategy would have been way over here. It ended up being over here. And so because it's dynamic and always changing, you're better off not going too far down the road.”
— Dave Rose
Myth 5: AI pilots are about picking the right tool
The Reality: Successful AI pilots are built around business outcomes, not technology selection.
The right vendor matters, but pilot success depends on identifying the process you want to improve and defining what success looks like before testing.
Effective pilots should:
- Focus on a specific business challenge
- Establish clear KPIs and team expectations
- Measure results, gather feedback, and refine before scaling
“AI pilots are about picking the right process, the right piece that you want to improve. And ‘right’ might even be sort of right. It doesn't have to be perfect.”
— Dave Rose
Move beyond the myths and put AI to work
The biggest opportunity for AI isn't simply automating more tasks. It's giving agency professionals more time to build relationships, advise customers, and grow their business.
Moving from pilot to production starts with the right problems, measurable goals, and a willingness to learn.
Want to hear the full breakdown? Watch “AI Mythbusters: From Pilot to Production in Insurance” to hear Benjamin Thompson and Dave Rose challenge common assumptions about AI and explore practical strategies for moving from experimentation to execution.