Zurich Financial Services Australia Appoints Morris Garsin to Lead Claims Modernisation
Zurich Financial Services Australia has confirmed the appointment of Morris Garsin as its incoming head of claims excellence for Australia and New Zealand. Garsin is set to begin his role in August, operating from Zurich’s Sydney office.
Garsin moves to Zurich from Suncorp, where he served as head of home claims, overseeing complex claims involving natural events and support for vulnerable policyholders. With over 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, Garsin has held responsibilities across life and general insurance.
At Zurich, Garsin will lead the insurer’s claims innovation and strategic transformation efforts, focusing 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.
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.
However, increased investment has 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.
Public trust remains a critical issue for insurers using AI. Research from GlobalData’s 2024 Emerging Trends Insurance Consumer Survey showed that nearly 74% of respondents believe AI can improve access to customer service, but trust in automated processes remains a barrier. Beatriz Benito, GlobalData’s lead insurance analyst, noted that insurers must prioritise transparency in AI-driven decisions, particularly among those who perceive bias in the tools.
“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. “Insurers must prioritise transparency in AI-driven decisions… Some consumers will have data privacy concerns, while others will simply just prefer interacting with a human.”
