About two years ago, IMA Financial Group began a major effort to rethink how insurance brokers should work in the future. The goal was simple: to figure out what it really means to be the “broker of the future.” But getting there proved to be more challenging than expected.
Garrett Droege, IMA’s senior vice president and head of innovation and digital risk, led the project. He started with a clear idea that stuck with him throughout the journey. Droege believed that most insurance brokers don’t offer a very different experience to clients. “From the client’s point of view, it usually feels the same across the board,” he said.
The issues weren’t just about clients, though. Inside the company, technology was making things harder for employees. Droege explained that workers often had to use many different technology tools every day, and this created confusion and frustration. For instance, someone might need to open one platform to check energy sector data, then jump to another just to handle cyber risk information. This complicated setup was slowing people down.
When consultants came in to help, they found the same two main problems: improving the client experience and cleaning up the employee technology system. To fix these, two groups took charge—the IT department and IMA Labs, the company’s innovation team. Together, they started building a plan.
IMA approached this carefully, taking advantage of its connection to BrokerTech Ventures, an insurtech accelerator it co-owns. Each year, hundreds of startups show their tech solutions, and IMA tests about six to ten in real-world pilots. Droege emphasized how important these pilot programs are. They help the company understand what works and what doesn’t by involving leaders who will actually use the new tools from the very beginning.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic in the industry, and IMA has felt the pressure to include it in their plans. But Droege says many people don’t have a clear idea of what AI should do for them. To handle this, IMA set up a Technology Advisory Group to review all AI requests. Teams have to get support from their local managers and explain how the AI will bring real business value before the group will even look at it.
Droege is clear about how AI should be used: it should support humans, not replace them. The company only invests in AI projects if they can show real savings in time or money, such as reducing the need to hire new employees. “If the numbers don’t add up, it’s just not worth it,” he said.
Through all of this, Droege points out that straightforward communication has been key. Sharing one clear message about why changes are happening has made a big difference. It stops rumors and confusion and helps everyone understand what the company is trying to achieve.
IMA Financial Group’s journey shows how even big technology challenges can be tackled with patient planning, testing, and honest conversations. It’s an example other companies might want to follow as they rethink how to serve clients and support their people in a fast-changing world.