Setting Up for Insurance

Insurance organisations run complex, regulation-driven portfolios where delivery timelines are often set by external authorities, not internal preference. StartConsole is well-suited to this environment — but it helps to configure the workspace to match the way insurance strategy is actually structured.

Recommended pillar structure

Most insurance organisations find that five pillars cover the strategic territory clearly:

• Regulatory Compliance — all programs driven by prudential, conduct, or reporting obligations
• Claims Excellence — initiatives improving claims handling, speed, fraud detection, and customer outcomes
• Distribution Growth — broker relationships, digital channels, direct-to-customer programs
• Digital Transformation — core system modernisation, data platforms, automation
• Risk Management — risk framework programs, capital modeling, reinsurance strategy

Start with these five and adjust once your leadership team has reviewed the structure. Pillars should reflect the language your ExCo uses — if your CEO calls it "Customer & Claims" rather than "Claims Excellence", use that label.

Recommended theme names

Themes sit beneath pillars and group related initiatives. Common insurance themes:

• Under Distribution Growth: Motor, Life, Health, Commercial Lines, SME
• Under Digital Transformation: Core Systems, Data & Analytics, Customer Digital
• Under Regulatory Compliance: Prudential, Conduct & Complaints, Reporting

Use themes to filter your portfolio by business line during SteerCo reviews — this makes it easy to see all Motor initiatives together without mixing them with Life programs.

Typical initiative types

Insurance portfolios tend to contain these initiative categories:

• Regulatory programs — IFRS 17, Solvency II, Consumer Duty, local insurance act obligations. These have hard external deadlines and should always carry a delivery signal watch.
• Product launches — new policy products, endorsement changes, pricing model updates. Gate approval maps well to product committee sign-off.
• System migrations — policy administration system replacements, claims platforms, data warehouse modernisation. These are typically Tier 1 initiatives with full gate governance.
• Distribution programs — broker portal upgrades, aggregator integrations, agency network development.

Gate approvals in an insurance context

Gate approvals in StartConsole map naturally to your existing product and investment approval committees. Set the gate to mode for any initiative with an allocated budget above your internal capitalisation threshold. Map your approver roles in StartConsole to the committee members who hold sign-off authority.