AI continues to help CED BeLux scale without losing sight of human expertise

"We can't simply multiply our experts tenfold if a major storm hits tomorrow. But the workload can increase tenfold overnight."

According to Tiemen Schotsaert, Operations Director at CED BeLux, that statement perfectly captures the challenge facing the claims industry today.

Insurers expect short turnaround times. Customers want clarity and high-quality service. At the same time, extreme weather events and other large-scale incidents can cause claim volumes to surge from one day to the next.

The challenge is not only having enough experts available. Equally important is everything that happens around them: opening files, processing documents, scheduling appointments, and keeping customers informed.

That is why CED BeLux has been investing in technology for many years. Not to replace people, but to ensure the organisation can continue delivering the same level of quality and service during peak periods.

What started as process automation has evolved into a broad range of AI applications that support employees throughout the entire claims journey."For us, AI is not about replacing people," Tiemen explains. "It is about supporting our employees so they can spend more time on the work where their expertise truly makes a difference."

Staying scalable when pressure increases

No two days are the same in claims handling. A quiet period can suddenly be followed by thousands of additional claims as a result of a storm, flood, or other major incident. At those moments, pressure increases not only on experts but also on the processes surrounding them.

"Our challenge has never really been the experts themselves," says Tiemen. "We can usually organise that expertise effectively. The real challenge lies in everything around it: processing information, opening files, scheduling appointments, and informing customers."

The more time employees spend on administrative tasks, the less time remains for the work that truly requires their knowledge and experience.

"Every minute an expert spends on administration is a minute they cannot spend assessing damage or helping a customer. That is where technology can make a real difference." This insight forms the foundation of many of the innovations now being deployed across CED BeLux.

From automation to intelligence

Although AI has attracted significant attention in recent years, CED BeLux's digital transformation began long before the current AI wave. Incoming assignments have been processed automatically for some time. Relevant data is extracted from communications, and integrations with insurers enable claims files to be created more quickly.

What began as traditional automation has gradually evolved into a far more intelligent way of working.

"In the past, a system had to know exactly where information was located," Tiemen explains. "If a field in a document moved a few centimetres, the automation could already fail."

Modern AI solutions work fundamentally differently. Instead of simply following fixed rules, they can interpret, understand, and process information, even when documents look different from what was expected.

The result is greater flexibility, more consistent data processing, and less manual work.

Charlie: a new generation of file processing

One of the latest developments within CED BeLux is Charlie, an internally developed AI agent that supports the processing of new assignments.

When a new claim arrives, Charlie automatically analyses documents, photographs, emails, and other available information. Documents are structured, images categorised, and relevant data processed directly into CED's systems.

Where documents were previously stored as generic attachments or quotations, Charlie can now analyse their content and link relevant information directly to the claim file.

"Previously, a file would simply contain a document labelled 'quotation'," says Tiemen. "Charlie can now recognise that it is a quotation for a specific amount, submitted by a particular company and linked to a specific claim."

As a result, file handlers and experts have access to the right context more quickly and can focus sooner on the substance of a case.

"The goal is not to make decisions for people," Tiemen emphasises. "Charlie helps our teams by reducing administrative work. The substantive assessment always remains a human responsibility."

Charlie will be rolled out further across the organisation in the coming months.

Data protection by design

Data protection remains a core principle throughout this process.

All information processed by Charlie and other AI applications remains within CED's secure IT ecosystem. No customer data leaves the organisation's environment. The large language models (LLMs) used operate exclusively within this protected infrastructure and fully comply with GDPR requirements.

Less administration, more room for expertise

According to Tiemen, this is exactly where AI delivers its greatest value.

"We are not trying to create AI experts," he says. "Customers choose us because they need knowledge, experience, and professional judgement when it matters most."

That philosophy runs through every AI initiative at CED BeLux.

Technology is used to automate repetitive tasks, enabling experts, claim handlers, and fraud investigators to focus on work where experience, specialist knowledge, and judgement are essential.

"Technology should strengthen our people, not replace them."

Smarter communication through AI

AI is also playing an increasingly important role in communication.

Automatically recognising claim numbers, vehicle registration details, and other relevant information has already become part of daily operations. New AI applications are making these processes even more accurate and efficient.

AI can also identify the sender of a message automatically and summarise lengthy emails into the most important action points. This enables employees to understand a file more quickly and respond more efficiently to questions from customers, brokers, and insurers.

The next step is already planned: AI that helps employees by generating draft responses to frequently asked questions, which can then be reviewed and refined before being sent. This allows straightforward enquiries to be handled more quickly while maintaining full human oversight.

Fraud detection supported by technology

Technology is also becoming increasingly important in fraud detection.

At CED BeLux, specialist fraud experts investigate and assess potential fraud cases every day, supported by a range of technological solutions.

Claims can be checked automatically against external data sources such as weather data. Documents and photographs can also be analysed for anomalies and unusual patterns that may warrant further investigation.

New AI solutions even make it possible to detect documents that have been wholly or partially generated or manipulated using AI.

"Technology helps us identify signals more quickly within vast amounts of information, but the final assessment always remains the responsibility of our specialists." It is precisely this combination of human expertise and smart technology that creates a robust and reliable approach.

The right expert at the right time

Another area where AI adds significant value is expert scheduling.

Matching the right expert to the right assignment requires balancing multiple factors, including specialist expertise, availability, location, travel times, and existing commitments.

CED BeLux uses an advanced planning solution that automatically matches experts to new assignments. AI helps identify the type of claim involved, allowing the system to determine which expert is best suited for a specific case.

Integrations with GPS data and mapping technology further optimise routes and improve the utilisation of available capacity.

Customers benefit as well. Through an online platform, appointments can be scheduled, confirmed, or modified 24 hours a day, while automated text messages keep customers informed throughout the process.

Many of these innovations remain invisible to customers. What they experience is a smoother process, clearer communication, and faster insight into the progress of their claim.

Behind the scenes, AI removes administrative barriers so employees can spend more time on what matters most to customers: personal contact.

Innovation driven by operational reality

What makes many of these developments particularly powerful is that they originate from real operational challenges. Employees who work with claims, customers, and experts every day are often the first to identify opportunities for improvement. Their insights frequently become the starting point for innovation.

"In the past, ideas often ended up on an IT roadmap and might only reappear a year later," says Tiemen. "Thanks to AI, we can test and refine solutions much more quickly. That allows us to turn practical ideas and improvements into tangible solutions far faster."

Charlie is a strong example of this approach. The solution emerged from a clear operational need and was developed through close collaboration between business and IT teams.

As a result, innovations are not only technically impressive, they are immediately relevant and applicable in daily operations.

Building the claims process of tomorrow

None of these AI applications operate in isolation. Together, they form an integrated approach that helps CED BeLux create a faster, smarter, and more scalable claims process.

From automated file creation and intelligent expert selection to AI-supported communication, online appointment management, automated reminders, and digital invoicing, every innovation is designed to reduce administrative workload and improve operational efficiency.

As a result, experts gain faster access to the right information, claims can be handled more efficiently, and the organisation remains flexible and resilient during periods of peak demand.

As Tiemen summarises: "Our challenge is not only to work efficiently today, but also to continue delivering the same level of quality tomorrow when claim volumes suddenly multiply."

Ready for the next step

With the continued development of Charlie and other AI initiatives, CED BeLux remains committed to innovation.

In the coming period, the organisation will continue developing applications that automatically analyse incoming communications, connect information to outstanding actions, and further support employees with administrative processes.

Not to replace human expertise, but to enable it to deliver even greater value.

The future of claims handling is not defined by technology alone. The real challenge lies in combining technology and human expertise in the smartest possible way.

For CED BeLux, that means continuing to invest in solutions that help employees work smarter, respond faster, and focus on what ultimately matters most: helping customers when they need support the most.

Because while experts cannot simply be multiplied when workloads increase, organisations can become much better at supporting them. And that is exactly how AI is helping CED BeLux prepare for the future.