Joseph Iten isn’t waiting for insurtech to catch up. As the CTO of The Iten Agency, he’s tackling the industry’s biggest inefficiencies head-on, from slow loss runs to client transparency gaps. While online quoting tools have streamlined small-business workflows, mid-sized commercial accounts still face outdated processes and manual bottlenecks.
In Florida’s high-risk market, even routine tasks like retrieving loss runs or explaining exclusions carry serious liability. As carriers lean further into automation, Iten warns that brokers are often left to manage the consequences. His goal isn’t full automation, but smarter engagement: helping clients understand their policies without compromising on service or trust.
The insurtech industry has made significant strides in simplifying small-business insurance processes through online quoting and direct payment flows. However, Iten believes that for mid-sized and larger accounts, the current insurtech solutions are not yet a good fit due to the need for more complex underwriting.
One of the biggest challenges is obtaining loss runs, a process that Iten describes as “a bit of a bear” due to slow turnaround times. He suggests that carriers could automate this step by creating a platform where insured parties can order loss runs themselves, significantly speeding up the process.
While faster processes are desirable, Iten emphasizes that too much automation could expose agencies to serious risks, particularly in high-stakes markets like Florida. The key is to use technology to enhance client education and transparency, rather than just streamlining operations. One potential solution is using AI-generated videos to explain common policy gaps at scale.
Iten stresses the importance of clarifying exclusions and key conditions in plain language, as clients rarely read their insurance policies in full. He believes that digital tools can help point out or explain these details better, improving client understanding.
As AI continues to evolve, Iten cautions against assuming that transformative change will happen overnight. The real risk isn’t the technology itself, but losing the personal connection with clients. He advocates for slow, deliberate progress in adopting new technologies, focusing on one system update, one client conversation, and one loss run automation at a time.
