The Insurance Approval Context
A Geneva insurance company specializing in business risks processed about 150 monthly subscription requests requiring approvals according to complex rules. The process typically involved 3 to 5 approval levels depending on insured amount, risk type, and subscriber profile. Circuits varied by situation: a standard policy under 100,000 CHF required two validations, while an exceptional risk of several millions passed through the board of directors.
The traditional process relied on emails circulating between departments with PDF attachments. Each approver received an email, opened documents, analyzed the file, responded by email, and the file manually progressed to the next step. This system generated numerous problems: lost emails in overloaded mailboxes, difficulties tracking file progress, excessive delays when an approver was absent, lack of structured decision traceability, and inability to measure process performance.
Average approval delay reached 8.5 days, with cases exceeding three weeks, creating client dissatisfaction and lost business opportunities against more responsive competitors.
The Intelligent Workflow Solution
We designed a complete approval management system based on Power Automate, Teams Adaptive Cards, and SharePoint. The architecture automatically orchestrates complex circuits while offering a modern and mobile user experience.
The process begins when a subscriber submits a request via a Power Apps form accessible on tablet during client meetings. The form captures all necessary information: insurance type, coverage amount, duration, client risk profile, and supporting documents. An automatic risk calculation system based on reference tables assigns a score enabling determination of the appropriate approval circuit.
A complex Power Automate flow triggers and orchestrates the entire process. The flow starts by creating a file in a SharePoint list containing all information and documents. It then dynamically calculates the approval circuit by applying business rules: amount under 100,000 CHF and standard risk = subscriber then branch manager, amount between 100,000 and 500,000 CHF = + regional director, amount between 500,000 and 2M CHF = + technical director, amount over 2M or exceptional risks = + board of directors.
Rather than using standard Teams approvals, we developed custom Adaptive Cards offering a rich experience. Each approver receives in Teams an interactive card displaying a file summary with client photo if available, coverage amount and annual premium, risk score with color code, contract duration, client history if existing, and action buttons to approve, refuse, or request additional information.
The card also enables entering contextual comments and adjusting certain parameters like premium if the approver deems renegotiation necessary. These adjustments are immediately visible to following approvers in the circuit, guaranteeing decisions are made on updated information.
When an approver is absent, the system automatically detects their Outlook status (out of office) and routes the request to their configured alternate, avoiding blockages. If an approver doesn't respond within 48 hours, an automatic reminder is sent, and after 72 hours, an escalation to the next hierarchical level triggers.
Each action (approval, refusal, information request) is timestamped and recorded in SharePoint, creating a complete audit trail. Approvers can consult complete circuit history to understand previous decisions. A dashboard shows in real-time all pending approval files for each staff member, avoiding oversights.
For cases requiring board of directors' opinion, a weekly meeting examines all pending files. An automatic PDF report is generated for each file and distributed 24 hours before the meeting. Decisions made in committee are entered via Power Apps and the workflow automatically resumes, notifying stakeholders.
Once all approvals are obtained, the flow automatically generates the insurance contract by filling a Word template with file data, sends the document to the client for electronic signature via integrated Adobe Sign, and creates the entry in the insurance management system via API.
Operational Results
After ten months of deployment, the system transformed subscription management. Average approval delay dropped from 8.5 days to 2.6 days, a 70% reduction. For standard files, the delay even reaches 24 hours. This responsiveness became a strong commercial argument valued by partner brokers.
The rate of files blocked by approver absence dropped 95% thanks to automatic alternate management and reminders. No file remains more than 5 days without action. Process transparency enables subscribers to see in real-time where their request stands, reducing client inquiry calls.
Approver productivity increased 40%. The mobile interface via Teams enables approving files from their smartphone during travel or outside the office, without requiring VPN access or computer. Synthetic and structured information presentation accelerates decision-making.
Decision quality also improved. Automatic risk score and client history visible directly in the card provide rich context facilitating evaluation. Claims rate on new policies slightly decreased, suggesting better risk selection.
The company saw a 15% increase in processed subscription volume with same headcount, enabling growth without additional human resource investment. Conversion rate from quotes to signed policies progressed 8 points thanks to increased responsiveness.
Governance and Compliance
Complete system traceability strengthens regulatory compliance. Swiss insurance supervisory authorities require justifying subscription decisions. The system automatically records who approved what, when, and on what basis, with document retention for 10 years in compliance with legal obligations.
Governance dashboards enable compliance managers to monitor subscription policy respect: percentage of files exceeding target delays, appropriate use of escalation circuits, and decision consistency among approvers for similar risks.
An external audit validated that the system meets FINMA standards applicable to insurance processes, even constituting an improvement over average sector practices.
Technical Architecture and Scalability
The system relies entirely on Power Platform and Microsoft 365. Power Automate Premium orchestrates complex flows with over 25 interconnected workflows managing different scenarios and exceptions. Adaptive Cards are developed in JSON and tested with Microsoft's Adaptive Cards Designer before deployment.
Business logic for approval circuit calculation is externalized in an Azure Functions library, enabling rule modification without touching workflows. This architecture facilitates subscription policy evolution without redevelopment.
Integration with the legacy insurance system uses a custom REST API developed in .NET Core and hosted in Azure App Service, exposing necessary functions securely. This abstraction layer protects the legacy system while enabling innovation.
Monthly cost including Power Automate Premium, Power Apps for 50 users, SharePoint storage, and houle support represents approximately 1,200 CHF. Productivity gains and subscription volume increase generate ROI exceeding 800% annually.
Future Evolutions
The company plans to extend this model to other approval processes like major claim indemnifications, exceptional commercial agreements, and significant investments. Integration with AI could enable automatic pre-evaluation of certain very standard files for instant approval without human intervention.
Conclusion
This approval workflow system demonstrates Power Automate and Teams' power when intelligently orchestrated. By fully digitizing a critical process and integrating it into staff's daily work tool, we created a smooth experience that drastically accelerates timelines while strengthening governance. The insurance company now has a measurable competitive advantage through its ability to quickly respond to commercial opportunities.