Zurich Financial Services Australia has confirmed the appointment of Morris Garsin (pictured) as its incoming head of claims excellence for Australia and New Zealand.
Garsin is set to begin the role in August, operating from Zurich’s Sydney office.
Garsin moves to Zurich from Suncorp, where he was head of home claims, overseeing complex claims involving natural events and support for vulnerable policyholders.
His career spans more than 20 years in the financial services sector, with responsibilities across life and general insurance.
At Zurich, Garsin will lead the insurer’s claims innovation and strategic transformation efforts, with a focus on enhancing the policyholder experience and modernising claims management practices.
His portfolio will include advancing digital capabilities and refining operational models to strengthen Zurich’s service delivery.
Zurich chief claims officer Matt Paterson said Garsin’s role will be central to the company’s ongoing claims modernisation program.
“Claims is our moment to deliver on the promise we make to our customers. As head of claims excellence, Morris will be responsible for ensuring we uphold and continually improve Zurich’s customer-centric claims approach, which centres on care and empathy,” he said.
He added that Zurich is continuing to deploy AI to reduce processing times, identify vulnerable claimants, and improve operational efficiency across its claims division.
“Morris will also play a pivotal role in accelerating our investment in claims technology, including utilising, where appropriate, artificial intelligence (AI), which we are already seeing provide significant benefits across claims management timeframes, vulnerable customer identification, and data processing,” Paterson said.
The appointment coincides with increasing investment in AI by insurers in the region.
A recent study by Snowflake and the Enterprise Strategy Group revealed that businesses in Australia and New Zealand are more likely than global peers to invest heavily in generative AI (GenAI).
According to the data, 32% of surveyed ANZ firms are allocating more than a quarter of their IT budgets to GenAI initiatives, compared to 25% globally. These organisations also reported slightly higher returns, with a 44% average ROI compared to 41% worldwide.
However, increased investment has also introduced challenges, particularly around talent acquisition and data readiness. Approximately 63% of ANZ respondents said the cost of hiring AI expertise exceeded initial projections, and many cited complications related to siloed or inconsistent data systems.
Despite the growing application of AI in insurance, consumer attitudes reflect ongoing concerns, particularly around fairness, transparency, and privacy.
Research from GlobalData’s 2024 Emerging Trends Insurance Consumer Survey, which gathered responses from over 5,500 individuals across 11 countries, showed that nearly 74% of respondents believe AI can improve access to customer service. Additionally, over 70% identified benefits in operational performance and data analysis.
Yet, trust in automated processes remains a barrier. Beatriz Benito, GlobalData’s lead insurance analyst, noted that while many users report positive experiences with AI tools, broader adoption is tempered by doubts about data use and algorithmic decisions.
“Despite the positive perceptions, insurers face challenges in ensuring consumers adopt AI tools. Many consumers find that the technology is not yet sufficiently developed to be adopted at scale, eroding their trust,” she said.
She added that although AI enhances efficiency, human involvement continues to play a vital role in situations requiring judgment and empathy.
“Insurers must prioritise transparency in AI-driven decisions, particularly among those who perceive bias in the tools, such as providing negative claim outcomes. Some consumers will have data privacy concerns, while others will simply just prefer interacting with a human,” Benito said.
