The Benefits of AI in Brokerage: Scale, Accuracy, and Client Impact

Executive Summary

The promise of AI in brokerage is no longer a distant vision; it’s here. AI is transforming the way brokers handle renewals, RFPs, and client deliverables by eliminating repetitive tasks, improving accuracy, and freeing up valuable time for strategic client work.

During our recent webinar, Scaling Smarter with AI: How Brokers Can Win Safely, our CEO Weston Lunsford outlined how brokers can move beyond the bottlenecks of manual processes and embrace AI as a tool that enables growth without overloading their teams.

The message was simple: AI does not replace people. It protects the time, accuracy, and relationships that make brokers indispensable.

The Challenge

Every renewal cycle, brokers and their teams face the same grind:

• Collecting census data
• Sending out RFPs to multiple carriers
• Reconciling quotes
• Formatting and comparing spreadsheets line by line

None of these steps are strategic, yet all of them consume hours of time. And every manual step is a risk: copy-and-paste errors, missed details, or formulas that don’t update correctly under pressure.

At the same time, client expectations are climbing. Employers demand faster turnarounds, more transparency, and creative plan designs. Historically, firms tried to keep up by adding staff. But that approach is expensive, exhausting, and unsustainable.

As Weston put it, “Renewals and RFPs dominate our calendars. They’re heavy, manual, and stressful. And that’s exactly why AI is such a game-changer.”

3 Benefits of AI in Brokerage

1. Scale Without Headcount

AI can process thousands of quotes and plan documents in seconds. Tasks that used to take hours or even days are now completed in minutes. This allows firms to serve more clients and handle more renewals without increasing payroll or overexerting their staff.

2. Accuracy and Risk Reduction

AI doesn’t get tired. It doesn’t transpose numbers or overlook a line item. Instead, it normalizes data, checks for consistency, and flags variances. Brokers can move forward knowing their data is correct, or at least identified when something is off. That’s not just efficiency, it’s liability protection.

3. Freeing Teams for Client Work

Automation gives brokers their most valuable asset back: time. Time for negotiation. Time for creative plan design. Time for building trust. As Weston emphasized, “Clients don’t stay because you upload quotes quickly. They stay because you bring insight, trust, and creativity.”

The Hidden Risks of AI

The upside of AI is real, but so are the risks. Brokers must exercise caution to avoid pitfalls that can erode trust and compromise compliance.

• Data Privacy: Public AI tools are not HIPAA-compliant. Sensitive census or renewal data should never be uploaded into general-purpose platforms.
• Compliance Gaps: Without SOC 2 or HIPAA safeguards, firms expose themselves to regulatory and reputational risk.
• Accuracy Without Accountability: AI can hallucinate, misinterpret, or overstate confidence. Without human oversight, speed can amplify mistakes.

Choosing AI Safely

Not all AI solutions are created equal. Brokers should understand the landscape before adopting:

• Public AI: Free or low-cost, but unsafe for client data. Best used for brainstorming, not renewals.
• Self-Hosted AI: Maximum control but extremely expensive, requiring infrastructure and technical talent beyond the reach of most brokerages.
• Industry-Specific AI: Purpose-built for brokerage workflows. Secure, compliant, and practical. This is the lane where Plansight operates.

Do’s and Don’ts of AI Adoption

Do:

• Use private, secure ecosystems.
• Protect client and employee data.
• Validate outputs with your documents.
• Ensure vendors are transparent about data handling.
• Use AI to support human expertise, not replace it.

Don’t:

• Upload sensitive data into public tools.
• Take vendor claims at face value.
• Assume accuracy without human review.
• Skip QA/QC because AI is “fast enough”.

Key Questions to Ask AI Vendors

When evaluating AI providers, take the time to examine the details thoroughly. Ask:

• How do you handle sensitive data?
• Are you HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 certified?
• What QA/QC processes are built in?
• Can you prove accuracy using my documents?

If a vendor struggles with these questions, that’s your answer.

Product Spotlight: Plansight AI in Action

SmartSheeting AI™

Spreadsheets are a major bottleneck in renewals. With SmartSheeting AI, brokers can upload PDFs, Excel files, or CSVs, and the system instantly normalizes the data into a clean side-by-side comparison. One midsize brokerage cut an 8–10 hour renewal down to under 30 minutes.

Renewal Automation & QA/QC

AI doesn’t just capture data, it validates it. It flags variances, highlights missing information, and reduces the risk of costly errors. Brokers can move faster while staying confident in the accuracy of their data.

PlansightAI: Purpose-Built for Brokers

Unlike generic tools that can’t ensure compliance or self-hosted AI that is cost-prohibitive, PlansightAI was designed specifically for brokers. It integrates automation into core workflows while meeting HIPAA and SOC 2 standards.

We designed PlansightAI for one purpose: to help brokers scale safely. It reduces manual work, mitigates risk, and frees teams to focus on the relationships and insights that clients value most.

Key Takeaways

• AI helps brokers scale smarter, not just faster
• Public tools should never be used with sensitive client data
• Industry-specific AI solutions balance safety and performance
• Human oversight is always required

Ready to see PlansightAI in action?

‍