The insurance market is evolving rapidly: consolidation, automation, and the rise of AI are putting pressure on software providers to innovate. DDi, a specialist in property and casualty insurance and managing general agent (MGA) solutions for over thirty years, recognized the need to act. Its existing platform required accelerated modernization, and there was also an ambitious plan to develop a completely new AI-driven product. To achieve this, DDi engaged NetRom Software as its development partner. Nine months later, the results were clear: Inpact.ai, an AI platform that transforms unstructured data into actionable insights for insurers.
DDi was founded in 1993 and provides software for the property and casualty insurance market, with a focus on managing general agents (MGAs). In 2022, Inpact was established as a joint venture with four other industry players. To support its growth, DDi required additional development capacity and specialized expertise in AI.
Due to early adoption of automation, insurers often operate with significant legacy IT systems. At the same time, DDi’s clients have grown substantially through mergers and acquisitions. This has a direct impact on the requirements they place on their software providers.
Thom Menssink, Managing Director of DDi, explained: “Larger organizations place greater emphasis on scalability and automation. To maintain strong growth potential, we need to evolve alongside our clients.”
DDi’s own legacy systems also posed challenges. On-premises solutions can limit the implementation of CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous delivery, practices that enable frequent and reliable software releases), and maintaining multiple software versions is costly. Transitioning to cloud-based applications was therefore not optional, but essential.
The objective was clear: to develop Inpact.ai within nine months, an AI-driven classification platform that converts unstructured data into structured data using AFD labeling and the ACCORD standard (industry formats for structuring and exchanging insurance data). Inpact.ai was designed to simplify workflows across multiple applications without requiring external integrations.
Through a third party, DDi was introduced to NetRom Software. Taseen Akhtar, Product Owner at Inpact and DDi, described how the collaboration was carefully established: “We compared our ways of working with those of NetRom, which resulted in strong alignment on both sides.”
DDi had already invested in Agile and DevOps principles, which proved to be a significant advantage. Akhtar explained: “This allowed us to start working with NetRom quickly, without needing to spend additional time aligning on development processes.”
NetRom works with T-shaped professionals—team members with deep expertise in one area and broader knowledge across multiple disciplines—who share responsibility for the end result. As a result, developers are also involved in activities such as testing when needed.
In the spring of 2022, a DDi team traveled to Craiova for the project kickoff. Akhtar noted: “This is when you get to know the team and the organization. These are the colleagues you will be working with in a virtual team.”
The blended team at DDi was extended with NetRom developers who also handled end-to-end testing (validating the complete workflow of the application from start to finish). A NetRom project manager ensured seamless handovers in case of unexpected absence. Akhtar added: “In a local setup, this would typically result in delays in the planning.”
‘‘At NetRom, developers draw on the knowledge of hundreds of colleagues. When they encounter a challenge, they leverage their internal community to find a solution.’’
TASSEN AKHTAR, product owner bij inpact and ddi
The ambitious objective was achieved: Inpact.ai is now available to users and continues to be further developed with new features.
The collaboration also provided a valuable lesson. Taseen Akhtar stated: “At NetRom, developers draw on the knowledge of hundreds of colleagues. When they encounter a challenge, they leverage their internal community to find a solution.” DDi has since adopted this model.
Looking ahead, the focus is already on future growth. Akhtar added: “It provides confidence to know that we can scale with our partner. We share the same way of working and can get started quickly.”
Download the full case and learn how NetRom, together with DDi, delivered an AI platform within nine months that transforms unstructured data into actionable insights.
