It’s an all-too-common scenario: A mid-sized regional insurer recognizes that their legacy system is holding them back. Customer expectations are evolving while internal processes are lagging, and the pressure to digitize has shifted from someday to right now. So, when leadership greenlights a major platform transformation, the mood is optimistic. The vendor they select promises total flexibility: “Tell us what you need, and we’ll build it your way.” It sounds ideal. The carrier will preserve their unique workflow, maintain competitive advantages, and finally operate on modern rails. Fast forward 14 months: The project is behind schedule. Costs have ballooned. Each custom-built process requires rounds of testing, tweaks, and more funding. Business teams are frustrated, IT is stretched thin, and the promised agility feels even further away. A core platform with pre-built, best-practice workflows, embedded service standards, and the flexibility to configure only where it truly matters offers a better path — reducing rework and allowing insurers to focus their resources on meaningful market differentiation. What Insurers Really Need from a Core Platform For insurers navigating transformation, success hinges on more than just modern technology. It depends on a core platform that reflects a realistic balance between what needs to be tailored and what simply needs to work. That’s the strength of an 80/20 model — where 80% of the system is pre-configured with best practices that reflect the shared operational needs of insurers, while 20% remains flexible, reserved for smart configuration where true differentiation is required. This looks like: A foundation grounded in how insurance actually works. Many ready-to-deploy core capabilities, built from proven industry experience rather than starting from scratch. Configuration without complexity. If changes like adjusting a workflow, launching a new product, or modifying a rule need to be made, the process should be intuitive and efficient, not dependent on custom code and long timelines. Clarity and consistency across teams. From underwriting to claims, teams work effectively when supported by standard workflows and shared processes that reduce friction and improve handoffs. A system that evolves with the business. As the market shifts and product lines expand, a platform should offer scalability without requiring major rework or redevelopment. By anchoring transformation in the 80/20 model, insurers gain a modern core system that accelerates implementation, reduces complexity, and keeps resources focused where they create the most value. The Value of Out-of-the-Box Standards Proven, out-of-the-box capabilities provide a technical head start and change the entire trajectory of transformation. Instead of designing custom intake forms, configuring standard policy issuance steps, or writing business rules from scratch, insurers can rely on ready-made functionality that’s already aligned to regulatory requirements, operational norms, and industry benchmarks. The benefits of this approach are immediate and far-reaching: Lower implementation costs, through reduced development hours and fewer rounds of rework. Shorter timelines, enabling faster transitions. Improved consistency and quality, thanks to components that have been tested and refined over time. Simplified training and onboarding, with workflows that are familiar and intuitive to users. Greater operational clarity, as teams across departments work from shared standards. Faster return on investment, by accelerating time-to-value and minimizing costly detours. By addressing the common, repeatable needs of insurance operations upfront, out-of-the-box standards enable insurers to reserve customization for areas that truly require it. The result is a transformation effort that delivers both speed and function. When Customization Makes Sense While standards can accelerate implementation, there are scenarios where customization adds real value, particularly when it supports a carrier’s unique market position or customer promise. This could include specialized product lines with nonstandard underwriting rules, unique service models that require distinct claims handling workflows, or proprietary data models that support advanced analytics or partner ecosystems. In these cases, customization can help reinforce competitive advantage — as long as it’s approached with intention and contained within a scalable, maintainable framework. It’s Time to Raise the Bar Modernizing a core insurance platform is one of the most important investments a carrier can make, and one of the most challenging to get right. The difference between success and struggle often comes down to expectations. Insurers no longer need to settle for costly, start-from-nothing builds that delay value and create long-term complexity. They can expect platforms to deliver proven capabilities out of the box and offer smart configuration where it matters. For insurers exploring this path, a deeper look at what standard implementation can offer is a good place to start. Download our implementation standards flyer to see what a modern, best-practice approach looks like in action.