As the insurance industry continues to evolve, Judy Sivy, CEO of ProtectALL Insurance, along with three other panelists — two of which are with Nationwide’s in-house “Emerging Technology Research and Exploration” department, were featured in a recent Nationwide article sharing their insight on how technology and personalization are shaping insurance in 2026 and beyond.
Starting the article strong, Nationwide asks the panelists the big question, “When it comes to risk prevention, what technology do you see clients and carriers embrace the most? Where do you think there is opportunity?”
Judy Sivy: “Telematics and connected home devices like water-leak and fire detection are the most widely adopted risk-prevention technologies today. Customers are motivated to adopt technology for the potential discounts. However, where I see the biggest opportunity is in the messaging. These tools are often positioned around discounts, but the real value is safety. Telematics is a great example—especially for parents of teen drivers. The data can be used as a proactive coaching tool, helping parents have better conversations and reinforce safer driving habits before something goes wrong. When technology is tied back to protecting your family, not just lowering a premium, adoption becomes much more meaningful.“
Nationwide: “What are the greatest opportunities to use technology to improve the customer experience?”
Judy Sivy: “The biggest opportunity is cutting down on the back-and-forth that frustrates customers—especially during new business, renewals, and claims. Clients don’t want to answer the same questions multiple times or chase down documents. Technology that keeps information in one place and streamlines those everyday service tasks can make a big difference. Proactive communication matters just as much. Automatic updates, easy access to documents, and visibility into what’s happening without having to ask goes a long way. From the agency side, having real-time visibility into claims is especially important—it allows us to step in, explain what’s happening, and help bridge the gap between the carrier and the client when questions or issues come up. The goal isn’t to replace the advisor, but to free them up to focus on guidance and advocacy when it’s needed most.“
Nationwide: “AI and its impact to the industry continues to be a top topic. How have you seen agents and carriers embrace the technology?”
Judy Sivy: “Most agencies are using AI as a support tool to work smarter day to day. It’s being used to compare quotes to issued policies, analyze coverage differences, draft emails to clients and carriers, and keep communication consistent. When integrated into agency management systems, it can also automatically summarize and log emails and phone calls, summarize activity, and create follow-up tasks so nothing gets missed. AI is also showing up in phone systems and on agency websites to handle routine questions and improve responsiveness. When it’s executed well, it doesn’t replace the agent—it frees up the more administrative tasks so agents can spend more time on client relationships and providing meaningful customer experience.”
Nationwide: “How do you see the role of personalization evolving, and what opportunities does it present for agencies and carriers?”
Judy Sivy: “Technology is making it easier to deliver a more personal experience without it feeling forced or scripted. When agencies use data and AI well, clients receive information, reminders, and guidance that actually applies to them—not generic messages sent to everyone. From the client’s perspective, it feels like their advisor knows them and is paying attention.“
Nationwide: “Are there other insurance technology trends you’re looking forward to gaining momentum going into 2026?”
Judy Sivy: “I’m really looking forward to seeing more progress in using technology to make the day-to-day work inside an agency easier and more efficient. First, AI that actually helps behind the scenes — things like reducing manual data entry, speeding up renewals, and helping draft or summarize information — so teams spend less time on busywork and more time serving clients and growing the business. Second, better connections between systems. Most agencies don’t need more software; they need the systems they already use to talk to each other. When information flows cleanly, work gets done faster, mistakes drop, and growth becomes more manageable.”
At ProtectALL, these principles guide how we adopt technology: using innovation to protect what matters most, simplify the insurance process, and ensure our clients always have a trusted advisor in their corner.
It was an honor and fun opportunity to be part of this Nationwide Insurance article to talk about the future of insurance!
Author: Judy Sivy
Reference: Agency Forward Editorial Team, “Shaping the future of insurance: Personalization, AI, and tech-driven opportunities in 2026”, January 26, 2026, Insurance technology trends: AI & personalization – Agency Forward® – Nationwide