Transforming MAPFRE with a modern core insurance platform

MAPFRE reimagines insurance through modernization

In today’s fast-evolving insurance landscape, customer expectations are high, competition is intense, and technology is reshaping operations. While many insurers are embracing digital transformation to stay ahead, many remain dependent on legacy systems that are costly to maintain and challenging to integrate with modern data sources. These aging platforms can slow innovation, hinder underwriting accuracy, complicate claims, and leave organizations vulnerable to fraud.

This was the challenge facing MAPFRE Insurance, a leading property and casualty insurer whose decades-old IBM AS/400 and mainframe applications were struggling to keep pace with the demands of a data-driven future. Additionally, skill shortages across the industry made system maintenance both costly and time-consuming. As many insurers transitioned away from the mainframe-based policy administration solutions, MAPFRE’s reliance on such a system heightened the impact of the talent gap.

The challenge: Modernize or migrate?

MAPFRE faced the critical decision of modernizing its existing applications and infrastructure or migrating to an entirely new solution. The company chose a faster, more seamless path forward by migrating to a modern platform built on Guidewire Software and Duck Creek technologies.

Building on a partnership spanning almost 50 years and a deep understanding of MAPFRE’s systems, MAPFRE Insurance turned to CGI to guide its transformation. Enrique Laso, EVP of Information Technology at MAPFRE Insurance, explained, “CGI is a very well-established firm with whom we have conducted business for nearly 50 years. They had deep knowledge because of their experience providing our legacy platform, so when we had to transform our processes using new technology, they were a clear choice.”

The solution: A two-phase migration

To minimize risk, MAPFRE Insurance implemented the new system in a parallel environment, independent of its legacy platform. This allowed the company to thoroughly test and minimize disruptions during rollout.

The migration unfolded in two phases:

The implementation of this project occurred at a crucial time during the early stages of COVID-19. The pandemic and the subsequent years created a particularly challenging period for the insurance industry. Although the initiative demanded a substantial company-wide effort, the transformation ultimately enhanced the organization’s offerings and positioned it to operate as a more data-driven business.

Results: Greater agility, improved service

With its new technology stack fully operational, MAPFRE Insurance is seeing significant benefits:

• Improved integration with external partners and internal applications via APIs.
• Modern data analytics tools that make risk forecasting and modeling easier.
• Faster claims processing powered by advanced AI and data-driven insights.
• Enhanced flexibility in underwriting and customer service.

MAPFRE Insurance prioritized the use of packaged solutions wherever possible, integrating with external applications and data sources through application programming interfaces (APIs) to reduce reliance on rigid, hard-coded connections. They placed strong emphasis on strengthening the middleware layer, which significantly improved integration across numerous external partners and internal applications. With APIs enabling a more decoupled architecture, system integration has become far more efficient and adaptable.

Analysts now benefit from modern tools that support forecasting and risk modeling. In the past, operationalizing advanced models within the legacy platform was a complex process, making it difficult to extract the large volumes of transactional data needed to develop and train analytics models. The new system has streamlined this process, providing analytics teams with greater flexibility and faster access to the data they need.

As a result, the organization has been able to implement and operationalize advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence models more effectively. These capabilities have enhanced customer service and accelerated claims processing, reinforcing the company’s ability to respond quickly and intelligently in a rapidly changing industry.

A partnership built on trust

CGI’s decades-long partnership with MAPFRE was central to the success of this transformation. Their deep understanding of MAPFRE’s systems and processes, combined with their decades of experience supporting MAPFRE’s processing needs, ensured a smooth migration and lasting impact.