By Christelle Colman | CEO of Ami Underwriting Managers
Johannesburg, 30 September 2025. Ami Underwriting Managers (Ami) has taken the next step in its underwriting innovation journey, preparing to bring its insureAI partnership to market before the end of this year. The rollout marks a shift toward data-driven pricing models designed to sharpen competitiveness, reward responsible behaviour, and support brokers with greater transparency.
Ami’s vision for underwriting
When Ami was founded, it set out to challenge traditional personal lines insurance by combining strong relationships with digital-first capability. The partnership with insureAI builds directly on that foundation.
“Underwriting has always been about balancing risk and reward,” says Christelle Colman, CEO of Ami. “What excites me about this initiative is that it allows us to move away from blunt adjustments and towards intelligent, adaptive pricing that reflects real conditions. It’s a more modern, fairer way of doing business, and we believe it will give our brokers a real edge.”
Sharper pricing, fairer outcomes
By integrating insureAI’s actuarial technology into Ami’s systems, the goal is to offer:
- More competitive quotes for new, lower-risk clients.
- Smaller, more sustainable increases for long-standing quality policyholders.
- Clearer performance insights for brokers when engaging with clients.
The expected outcome is stronger retention, improved loyalty, and a pricing approach that recognises and rewards responsible client behaviour.
Progress so far
Work on the integration has been progressing steadily since May. Early testing within Ami’s personal lines portfolio is already showing improvements in consistency, portfolio monitoring, and the ability to segment risk with more precision.
Colman notes: “We are not refining models for the sake of technology. Our focus is squarely on launching a practical toolset that brokers can use to deliver better outcomes for their clients. We expect to be ready before the end of 2025.”
Preparing for future risks
The platform is being designed with an eye on the future. As new risks enter the market — from electric vehicles to climate-driven exposures — Ami aims to be ready.
“South Africa’s risk profile is shifting,” Colman says. “Clients are adopting new technologies and facing challenges that didn’t exist a few years ago. Our job is to make sure our underwriting adapts with them. This partnership positions us to do exactly that.”
Broker-first philosophy
Ami remains committed to its broker network of more than 250 intermediaries. The new tools are intended to enhance the broker’s role, not replace it, by equipping them with better data, clearer analytics, and transparent pricing rationale.
“Our brokers remain at the centre of what we do,” Colman concludes. “The insureAI partnership is about giving them sharper tools and creating fairer outcomes for clients. As we move closer to launch, our focus remains on trust, value, and long-term sustainability.”
About Ami
Ami Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd is an underwriting agency for Lombard Insurance Company Ltd. Focused on personal lines, Ami delivers flexible, data-led insurance solutions via a national broker network of more than 250 intermediaries. Its markets include digitally engaged, aspirational millennials and high-net-worth (HNW) clients who value intelligent cover, responsive service, and transparency.
About insureAI
insureAI is a South African actuarial technology firm delivering managed pricing, reserving, and risk intelligence solutions. Combining actuarial expertise with AI and machine learning, insureAI supports insurers across P&C and Life markets with tools that improve accuracy, portfolio management, and regulatory confidence.
BIO: Christelle Colman is the CEO and founder of Ami Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd. Ami is an underwriting agency for Lombard Insurance Co, dedicated to providing bespoke insurance products in the personal lines space to our chosen market segments, namely aspirational millennials and the high net-worth, wealth market. www.ami.co.za