Hercules Featured in The Insurer: AI as a Magnifier in Underwriting
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
May 8, 2026 — Source: AI could be value destructive for undisciplined underwriters: Program Manager panel, published on The Insurer (7 May 2026). Written by Michael Loney. Read the original article.
The Insurer's Program Manager publication has covered the panel "AI in the programs space – first mover advantage?" from the Program Manager Conference in New York, featuring Andrew Fenton from Hercules alongside leaders from Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers, AXA XL, and Testudo.
The conversation cut straight to the practical question facing the market: not whether AI matters in underwriting, but where it actually creates value and where it does the opposite. One idea ran through the whole discussion: AI is a magnifier. It can make a disciplined underwriter exceptional, but it won't fix an undisciplined one, and can even be value-destructive.
On where the near-term value is clearest, Andrew put it plainly:
"The clearest advantage in AI is around submissions. It's not just about speeding up the submissions you win. It's being able to kill off the submissions you have no intention of doing so your underwriters can focus on profitable business."
The panel also dug into the "saving money" fallacy, why governance and humans-in-the-loop are non-negotiable, and why proprietary data may be the real differentiator over the next decade.
It's a sharp, candid read for anyone thinking seriously about AI in the programs space.
About Hercules
Hercules helps insurers and program managers operationalize AI in real underwriting environments, starting with the two places it moves the needle most: submissions and bordereaux.
We automate submission intake and triage, extracting and structuring data so underwriters can focus on the most profitable opportunities and respond faster. We also automate bordereaux processing and validate critical data, embedding governance and quality controls directly into the workflow to ensure reliable performance at scale.
The result is faster, more consistent, and better-informed underwriting decisions without losing the discipline and oversight that make AI an advantage rather than a liability.
