This interview is an excerpt from the P&C Insurance Leaders’ Outlook 2026.
“As a carrier, I want a partner who’s been where I am, who understands my priorities and my pain points. When we ask “can it do this?” we want a partner who already knows the answer, not someone guessing or Googling it. That’s when true partnership and innovation happens.”
Jacqueline M. Schaendorf, CPCU, CEO of Insurance House (Southern General Insurance Company) and Co-Founder of Cogitate, sat down with us as 2025 came to a close to share her 2026 outlook for the insurance industry and the role technology will play. Jacque brings critical insurance expertise to Cogitate as a customer of DigitalEdge Policy, Billing, Claims and Distribution Management. Her demands of technology represent the marketplace, offering great insight into the ways technology can support carriers and MGAs today and into the future.
Michael:
Jacque, from your perspective, what does technology need to deliver in 2026 to meet the needs of both the insurer and the policyholder?
Jacque:
Great question. There are many answers depending on the persona. From a carrier’s perspective, it’s about delivering speed and efficiency to the customer. Today’s digital-first policyholders expect carriers to already have their data. They don’t want to enter information or wait for someone to input it manually. They want fast quotes, fast coverage, and an experience that’s as seamless as their bank or utility app.
But beyond the customer experience, technology also needs to improve our internal efficiency, especially our expense and loss ratios. AI tools help with that. The more our teams are trained in using these tools, the faster we can operate across underwriting, claims, service, and more.
We’re also focused on data insights. It’s not just about slicing data, but also about interacting with it in real time. Can I get the data I need now, in the format I want, and act on it instantly? That’s where technology is heading.
Michael:
That aligns with what we’ve heard from others; that policyholders aren’t just comparing insurers to other insurers anymore. They’re comparing their experience to every other service they interact with – banks, entertainment platforms, etc. Why should their digital experience with insurance feel more outdated than everything else?
Jacque:
Exactly. People invest a lot to protect their assets. They expect peace of mind, and that starts with a smooth, fast transaction. Insurance should feel just as modern and responsive as every other digital experience in their lives.
Michael:
You mentioned the need for “real-time insights.” Why is that more critical in 2026 than it was, say, five years ago?
Jacque:
Because we’re trying to find true profit drivers in an increasingly complex market. Where can we be more competitive? Are there risks we could price better, or offer differently, if we had more granular insights? There’s more data available than ever, and with the right tools, we can dig deeper, well beyond three or four dimensions of analysis. We can uncover combinations and patterns we wouldn’t have seen before. But insights are only useful if you can act on them quickly. That’s why agility in your tech stack matters. You want to make a change and deploy it fast, not get stuck in a months-long protocol.
Michael:
And how does AI make getting those insights easier? Is it just about the tools, or is it about how your technology partner applies them?
Jacque:
It’s both. Having the tools is one thing. But the real advantage comes from knowing how to use them, especially in prompting and querying AI systems. That takes domain knowledge. If you’re an underwriter or claims manager with years of experience, you’re now leveraging that knowledge to ask the right questions of your AI tools. But your platform partner also matters. They need to know insurance inside-out. You shouldn’t have to spend hours teaching your vendor basic concepts. It should feel like a real-time conversation, where they not only understand you, but also anticipate what you need next.
Michael:
So it’s about having a partner that understands your business, not just the tech?
Jacque:
Exactly. The baseline now is having good technology. The differentiator is people – partners who have empathy, experience, and a deep understanding of the insurance ecosystem. As a carrier, I want a partner who’s been where I am, who understands my priorities and my pain points. When we ask “can it do this?” we want a partner who already knows the answer, not someone guessing or Googling it. That’s when true partnership and innovation happens.
Michael:
And that’s what makes AI truly useful, not just having it, but knowing how to use it for your business.
Jacque:
Exactly. Saying “We have AI!” isn’t enough. It’s “We have AI and we’ve been where you are.” That shared language and experience makes all the difference.
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