Cognizant lands five-year deal with Andover Companies to modernize tech and drive AI adoption

Cognizant Secures Strategic Partnership with Andover Companies

Cognizant announced a five-year partnership with The Andover Companies, Inc., a mutual property and casualty insurance group operating across the Northeast, to modernize technology systems and accelerate AI adoption 1

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. The enterprise-wide agreement positions Cognizant as the single accountable partner responsible for scaling Andover's core and portal systems, unifying data infrastructure, and laying the foundation for AI-driven innovation across underwriting and claims 2

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Four Pillars of Technology Modernization

The five-year partnership centers on four strategic areas designed to transform Andover's technology capabilities. First, Cognizant will provide application and managed services for Andover's core policy administration platform, delivering enhanced workflow, product and pricing improvements, platform upgrades, and API modernization 1

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. This core platform integration and optimization builds on Andover's successful core system modernization achievement, giving the insurer a single partner for ongoing operation, support, and continuous enhancement 2

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Second, the companies plan to establish an AWS-native enterprise data platform using a layered Medallion architecture to consolidate data from Andover's core systems, agency data management, and other sources into a single, trusted view 2

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. The platform will feature AI-enabled governance to automate data-quality checks, metadata management, lineage, and classification, supporting downstream AI models built on accurate, well-governed, audit-ready data that ensures data integrity 1

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Strengthening Security and Regulatory Compliance

Security and compliance modernization forms the third pillar, with Cognizant leading cybersecurity and application modernization work including identity access management and architecture hardening for Andover's MyAndover policyholder portal and independent-agent portal 2

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. The partnership includes support for NYDFS cybersecurity compliance, helping Andover meet stringent regulatory requirements while protecting stakeholder trust 1

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Responsible AI Exploration Across Insurance Operations

The fourth focus area involves responsible AI exploration through a jointly run AI exploration workshop to identify near-term, high-value use cases for generative AI and agentic AI across underwriting and claims, as well as software development and quality assurance 2

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. Cognizant plans to prototype solutions on its Cognizant Neuro AI platform, which integrates generative AI, machine learning, and evolutionary AI under multi-agent orchestration with built-in explainability and audit trails 2

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As the data foundation matures, Cognizant intends to introduce AI capabilities to help accelerate submission intake, triage first notices of loss (FNOLs), and surface insights for underwriters and adjusters, always maintaining human oversight with a human in the loop 2

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Operational Agility for Independent Agents

Kevin McNamara, Chief Information Officer of The Andover Companies, highlighted the strategic fit: "Cognizant's deep experience with insurance platforms and as a leading global consultancy, combined with our objective to scale downstream and upstream digital capabilities, unlock the responsible use of AI, and protect our data and the trust of our stakeholder community was a winning combination" 1

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. The more integrated, secure, and scalable platform is intended to enhance operational agility and relationship strength with Andover's independent agents, while scaling capacity during surge periods such as major weather events 2

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. The Andover Companies operates in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois through three insurance companies: Merrimack, Cambridge, and Bay State Insurance Company 1

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