Certe Groep builds insurance platform with NetRom Software

In the insurance industry, reliability is essential. The same applies to the underlying technology that supports business processes. Certe Groep, a service provider for insurance advisors in the Netherlands, decided to replace its existing platform with an entirely new solution. With an ambitious plan and NetRom's software development capacity, the company is transforming its entire IT infrastructure. The goal is to automate all administrative tasks, improve service delivery, and establish a competitive advantage that will be difficult to replicate. This case study explores how Certe Groep, with NetRom's support, is developing a scalable, AI-ready platform that serves the entire insurance value chain.

Certe Groep operates in the financial services sector through three business units: Certe Assuradeuren (an authorized underwriting agent and service provider), Certe Participaties (investments in insurance advisory firms), and Certe Beurs (specialized risks handled through domestic and international insurance markets).

Together, these units serve more than 270 affiliated agents and hold delegated authority from approximately 17 insurers. This authorization allows Certe to underwrite policies, settle claims, and collect premiums on behalf of those insurers. With approximately 275 employees and the backing of investor IceLake Capital Management, Certe Groep is now investing heavily in technological modernization.

Ten years ago, Certe Groep launched its own platform for insurance advisors. While this represented a significant step forward at the time, the platform eventually struggled to meet modern requirements.

"The platform was built around outdated ways of thinking about processes," says Hamza Bouyafa, Chief Technology and Operations Officer (CTOO) at Certe Groep. "Consumers today expect a certain level of service, and the same applies to our insurance industry."

Certe decided to build an entirely new platform. Because its internal developers were fully occupied maintaining the existing system, the company sought additional development capacity. Options in Asia were ruled out due to concerns about quality and cultural differences. Through its investor, IceLake Capital Management, Certe was introduced directly to NetRom. The companies quickly established a good working relationship and began with a proof of concept.

The collaboration began in late 2024 with three developers. Today, twelve NetRom developers work alongside Certe Groep in a blended team. Certe provides business analysis, architecture, and domain expertise, while NetRom's developers translate these requirements into high-quality code and actively contribute to technology decisions.

"What I appreciate about NetRom is that they discuss technology in a practical and independent way," says Bouyafa. "There's very little hype."

The project is being delivered in two phases. The first focuses on the intermediary-facing part of the platform. The second addresses the delegated underwriting component, which is considerably more complex due to stricter compliance requirements and protocols governing data exchange with insurers.

One particularly effective early decision was to bring a designer into the team.

"When we visualize what we want to achieve, everyone understands what we're discussing," Bouyafa explains. "Before we write a single line of code, we first map out the process."

The platform incorporates AI at multiple levels, from tools that improve code quality to an AI assistant that automates administrative processes. A process engine makes it possible to deploy AI agents at individual stages of a workflow, using ten years of communication data from the existing platform.

Development of the intermediary-facing component is now well advanced, and the blended team consistently meets its sprint goals. Each month, the team demonstrates its progress to customers.

"Our customers are extremely enthusiastic," says Bouyafa. "They can see that what we're building will ultimately make a difference."

The ambition is clear: to automate all administrative work so that employees and affiliated advisors can focus entirely on their customers.

"We want to grow to three times our current size with the same number of people. Once we've launched this platform, it will take our competitors five years to catch up."