The new kid on the block: From struggle to insurance solution with Symbria

Feb 26
4 min read

Updated: Feb 27

What happens when you challenge decades of legacy tech in one of the most risk-averse industries? You get skepticism, setbacks… and surprising momentum. A Q&A session with Director Hidde Wartena on launching the IG&H insurance solution (now with the new name “Symbria”) - and what’s next.

Why is launching a new insurance solution such a big deal?

The sector is known for prioritizing stability, and for good reason: insurance companies are risk-averse by nature. The market’s risk-averse mindset extends to IT portfolios. Legacy systems are a barrier to innovation, integration and talent retention. New talent doesn’t want to work with old tech, and when those who understand it retire, you lose institutional knowledge. And there's the potential risk of losing control over the IT portfolio.

What are the biggest hurdles you’ve encountered?

Legacy software is a major one. Siloed processes, low data availability, inflexible vendors and a lack of integration possibilities all contribute. The belief that legacy software is still better than new technology because of its proven track record keeps you dependent on vendors with software that limits innovation and creates lock-in. In the Dutch market, a limited number of systems dominate, but they all share the same limitations.

Can you give an example of how these limitations show up in practice?

Take the monthly prolongation run - the automated renewal of existing insurance policies for the next term. In traditional systems, you block the system on Friday night, run the process and hope it works. If not, you rerun it on Saturday… or next week. Real-time data access is another issue. Some insurers simulate real-time with mock portals, but the actual administration happens later. That delay affects everything from customer experience to partner integrations. AI integration is also very difficult due to the lack of accessible data.

What would you want the industry to realize?

Success is not about reinventing core processes; it’s about rethinking how they’re used. Circling back to the industry’s common prolongation headache with modern technology, the database doesn’t need to be locked at all. You could run it every minute if you wanted. Technically, it’s possible. However, functionally, it’s not always sensible to change the process.

Instead of asking "Can you do it within a certain time?" the better question is, "Can we keep working while it runs?" New platforms offer this level of flexibility. Still, legacy infrastructure and on-premise setups make it hard for clients to see the possibilities. We’re not just introducing new tech but challenging old habits like blocking systems for routine processes.

What makes your approach different?

One of our clients now has a dedicated resource at a competitor’s site to help them innovate. That’s the ripple effect we’re aiming for. The team focuses on enabling digitalization across the sector, not just within their own client base. We don’t have to do everything ourselves, but we can be part of a modernized ecosystem.

Taking a step back, what struggles have you faced internally?

We started with a small group familiar with the market, but growing with a different approach takes time. One struggle was scaling the organization while we started to deliver to our clients in parallel. As you build the organization, you can hire junior or very senior people. However, hiring people with a few years of experience is very difficult to organize; we need to train them ourselves. It's not the easiest thing, and you cannot rush it. Hiring more senior, experienced professionals also potentially means retraining habits shaped by decades of legacy thinking.

What role does innovation play in all this?

Innovation is not a one-off event; it starts with creating a culture of innovation. Technology is no longer the limiting factor. That’s why the team embraces an iterative approach, constantly learning and improving. We’re not just delivering a product; we’re building a new organization. Internally and externally. The functionality we offer now is completely different from a year ago. That’s because we’re maturing as well.

What lessons have you learned that others can apply?

When you’re disrupting an industry, there’s no blueprint. But over the past year, three lessons stand out to me:

Set clear expectations: Be explicit about what you will and won’t deliver. Your words and your promise are very important. Avoid assumptions. It helps everyone move faster.
Invest earlier in structure and stability: Build a strong organizational and technical foundation before the pressure hits. It makes scaling and adapting much easier.
Control what you can to deliver reliably: Don’t let clients host environments you can’t manage. Why? Because you’ll still get the same questions, but without the tools to fix them.

What expectations and skepticism are you up against? How do you handle them?

Modern technology and a new approach to the market come with high expectations. Our competitors have been around for decades. Clients expect us to match that… and then go further. The team builds based on demand, but not every feature is present from day one.

Some skepticism is understandable, especially when we promise timelines that were previously unheard of. We can deliver a new connection in two weeks, and organizations are doubtful because competitors have taken ages. But the team has proven its capabilities and accepts it will have to do that many times over. We processed 3 million policies in eight hours. Yet, every new client brings fresh demands and the need to prove ourselves again.

What’s next for the Symbria insurance solution, the new kid on the block?

Looking ahead, the focus is on keeping the momentum and further establishing the team and the solution. We are not just a new kid; we want to be a digital leader, delivering end-to-end digital solutions. The mission is to offer best-of-breed software, helping organizations to stay ahead of the current market. And the market itself is shifting with us. In the end, the entire sector will move toward more digitalized platforms, not only IG&H, but also our competitors. Together, we will push the insurance industry forward.

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