From Fax To Fintech: Dragging Commercial Insurance Into The Digital Era
By: Chris Davis
Joseph Iten isn't waiting on Insurtech to catch up. From loss run delays to client transparency gaps, he's tackling modernization - and its risks - head-on.
Insurtech hasn’t solved insurance’s biggest inefficiencies - agencies are still filling the gaps themselves. Joseph Iten (pictured) is one of them, tackling slow loss runs, tech limitations, and E&O exposure from inside his own agency.
Online quoting tools have sped up small-business workflows, but mid-sized commercial accounts still face outdated processes and manual bottlenecks.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 can carry serious liability. As carriers lean further into automation, Iten warns, brokers are often left to manage the consequences.
Now CTO of The Iten Agency, the third-generation agent has spent the past decade overhauling internal systems - from implementing e-signatures and VOIP to exploring AI-powered explainers. His goal isn’t full automation, but smarter engagement: helping clients understand their policies without compromising on service or trust.
He’s lived the business from the inside. “My grandfather was a Nationwide agent, and so was my dad,” he said. When the company shifted its model in 2008, the family transitioned to the independent channel, just as digital transformation became unavoidable.
When Iten formally joined the firm, his mission was clear: modernize a legacy agency without losing its foundation. The firm’s 40% commercial, 60% personal mix has shaped its approach to technology - balancing efficiency with the realities of nuanced, high-touch risks.
The Insurtech Ceiling
Yet for all the digital strides, Iten is realistic about where the industry still falls short - especially when it comes to more complex accounts. “The insurtech companies have definitely solved a big niche with small business,” he said.
Online quoting and direct payment flows have sped up processing. But for mid-sized and larger accounts, “it’s just not really a fit for insurtech yet, it requires a little bit more underwriting,” he said.
One of the biggest speed bumps is still the process for obtaining loss runs. “The turnaround time is definitely a lot slower,” Iten said. “A lot of times, getting loss runs can be a bit of a bear.”
He sees a clear opportunity for carriers to automate that step. “If carriers made a platform where the insured could go on and order loss runs themselves, it would really speed things up,” he explained.
Balancing Speed With Risk
But faster doesn’t always mean safer. While digital self-service is appealing, Iten emphasizes that too much automation could expose agencies to serious risks - especially in high-stakes markets like Florida. “Agencies want to focus on their underwriting process,” he said. “If you open that up too much, it might lead into situations where agencies could have large E&O problems.”
The key, Iten believes, is to use technology not just to streamline operations, but to enhance client education and transparency. “We don't get in front of people and explain coverage as much as we should,” he said.
One possible fix? Deploying AI-generated videos that explain common policy gaps at scale. “At the end of the day, you only have so many people.”
That’s especially important when it comes to the fine print. “Clients don’t ever read all of their insurance policies,” Iten said. “Well, of course not. It’s not an interesting read.”
He sees real value in digital tools that help clarify exclusions and key conditions in plain language. “Just to be able to point those out - or explain them a little bit better - would be a major help.”
Tech Won’t Replace Trust
Even as AI evolves, he warns against assuming that transformative change will happen overnight. The real risk isn’t the technology - it’s losing the personal connection.
“We're improving as an industry, which is a good thing,” he said. “But you’re dealing with pertinent information that can’t be input into a large language model unless you’re able to afford one of those closed systems - which most agencies can’t.”
That hasn’t stopped him from looking for pragmatic uses. But for now, he’s betting on slow, deliberate progress - one system update, one client conversation, one loss run automation at a time.