For John Kerr, Managing Director at Incorporate Benefits, fixing inefficiency isn’t just a goal — it’s a mindset.
After decades in the Employee Benefits (EB) market, John knows every bottleneck brokers face: fragmented systems, insurer extranets with limited data access, and endless hours of re-keying the same information. Rather than wait for someone else to solve it, he decided to build the solution himself.

“The Employee Benefits technology landscape is still incredibly fragmented,” John explains. “Insurers aren’t overtly opening up APIs, brokers are re-keying data multiple times, and that creates both cost and risk.”

That builder mentality is what makes John stand out — and it’s why he’s now partnering with Cluda to rebuild his custom-built Policy Administration System, this time powered by AI and automation.

From Broker to Builder: Solving the EB Puzzle

John’s journey from broker to builder began with a simple frustration: too much admin, too little value.
In the UK’s Employee Benefits sector, brokers often find themselves working across disconnected platforms, manually entering the same data into multiple insurer portals and internal systems.

“Re-keying data shouldn’t still be a thing in 2025,” says John. “It’s not just inefficient — it increases the chance of human error. The technology exists to fix that; what’s missing is the integration mindset.”

For John, this problem isn’t unique to his firm — it’s systemic. The Employee Benefits ecosystem is bogged down by legacy systems and closed insurer APIs, leaving brokers to fill the gaps manually.

Partnering with Cluda: Rebuilding What Brokers Need

John first built his own Policy Administration System to make Employee Benefits operations simpler, faster, and less reliant on repetitive admin.
Now, working with Cluda, he’s rebuilding it with automation and AI at the core — from intelligent document processing to AI-powered assistance that helps brokers make better decisions faster.

“We’re rebuilding from the ground up,” John says. “This isn’t about digitising paperwork — it’s about transforming how brokers work. AI can manage admin in the background so brokers can focus on clients.”

Cluda’s partnership with Incorporate Benefits reflects a shared belief: that technology should remove friction, not add it. By automating core workflows, integrating insurer data, and applying AI to policy administration, the new platform aims to give brokers back what they value most — time.

Fixing What’s Broken in Employee Benefits

The Employee Benefits market is ripe for change.
Brokers are under increasing pressure to deliver faster quotes, more accurate data, and consistent service — but without scalable, connected systems, efficiency remains out of reach.
John believes that open APIs and smart automation are key to breaking the cycle of inefficiency.

“There’s no reason brokers should still be logging into five different portals to do one renewal review,” he says. “We need open data flows between brokers, insurers and systems — that’s how we move the industry forward.”

AI, he believes, can help achieve that vision by connecting data, predicting errors, and creating a seamless experience across the entire insurance lifecycle.

A Practical Vision for the Future

John’s approach to innovation is deeply practical: he’s not chasing buzzwords, he’s building technology that solves real operational problems.

“Technology only matters if it makes brokers’ lives easier,” he says. “AI is powerful, but it needs to be applied where it removes the real pain: in admin, renewals, and reporting. That’s where it can change the game.”

By embedding automation and AI into everyday workflows, brokers can finally shift from manual managers to strategic advisers — spending less time on repetitive processes and more on building trust with clients.

Why Leaders Who Build Will Define the Next Era of Broking

John’s story is more than one of technology, it’s about leadership.
He represents a new generation of broker leaders who aren’t waiting for transformation; they’re building it.

“We can’t keep talking about digital transformation like it’s five years away,” John says. “It’s here. The brokers who embrace it (who build things) will lead the future of this industry.”

Editor’s Note:

This interview is part of Cluda’s Thought Leadership Series, capturing insights from industry leaders on how AI, data, and automation are redefining the future of broking.