The CIC Virtual Branch Qorus-NTT DATA Innovation in Insurance Awards 2026

Concept and Objectives

CIC Group developed a Virtual Branch, transforming its Contact Centre from a traditional service desk into a centralized, data-led revenue and conversion engine. The initiative integrates marketing-generated leads, structured qualification, lead warming, telesales progression, and onboarding into issued business, creating a scalable distribution channel for multi-line insurance and asset management products.

The main objective was to close the gap between customer awareness and policy uptake by creating a structured pathway that converts customer interest into measurable business outcomes.

Reasons Behind the Initiative

In many markets where insurance uptake is still low, awareness creation does not automatically translate into policy uptake. Insurers can invest heavily in education, marketing, and digital outreach, yet still lose momentum between initial customer interest and final conversion. CIC Group faced exactly this challenge. A nationwide education and awareness campaign successfully increased enquiries across Life, Medical, General Insurance, and Asset Management, but the traditional operating model was not built to convert that demand at scale.

To solve this, CIC Group reinvented its distribution model by transforming the Contact Centre into a centralized, data-led revenue and conversion engine effectively creating a Virtual Branch. The model unifies lead intake, qualification, lead warming, telesales progression, and closure within one coordinated structure. Instead of allowing customer interest to dissipate between functions, the business created a controlled route from enquiry to onboarding.

The results show meaningful transformation. Leads managed increased from 8,829 in 2024 to 52,480 in 2025. The team expanded from 8 to 24 staff, engagement rose to 93% in Q4 2025, and the model introduced 24-hour service capability, standardized scripts to guide engagement, and centralized lead visibility. This is more than a contact-centre upgrade. It is a new distribution architecture for emerging insurance markets.

The Virtual Branch was therefore created to introduce governance, structure, and scalability in lead conversion.

State of Competition

Across the insurance industry, most contact centres are typically structured as service or support functions. Very few insurers use them as commercial distribution channels capable of managing the full customer journey from enquiry to conversion.

CIC’s approach therefore redefines the role of the contact centre, positioning it as a strategic distribution layer that connects marketing, engagement, telesales, and underwriting.

CIC transformed its Contact Centre from a service desk into a Virtual Branch — a data-driven revenue engine converting customer interest into issued business.

Sources of Inspiration

The model draws inspiration from:

• Digital sales funnels used in modern financial services.

• Customer engagement models used in digital commerce.

• Data-driven lead lifecycle management frameworks.

These concepts were adapted to the insurance environment to create a structured conversion engine suitable for emerging markets.

Departments Involved

The project required cross-functional collaboration across multiple departments:

• Marketing and Communications (lead generation and campaigns)

• Contact Centre (lead intake and engagement)

• Telesales (structured sales conversion).

• Underwriting (risk evaluation and onboarding).

• ICT and Digital teams (systems integration and lead repository)

• Business units across Life, Medical, General Insurance, and Asset Management.

• People and Culture (Onboarding of staff and upskilling).

• Business Change and Transformation (Process change management).

• Procurement (Procure tools of trade).

• Research and data analytics.

Main Results So Far

The innovation has already produced measurable commercial and operational impact:

• Leads increased from 8,829 in 2024 to 52,480 in 2025.

• The team expanded from 8 staff to 24 staff.

• Customer engagement improved from 85% to 93%.

• Customer interactions increased by 56%.

The Virtual Branch recorded 126% growth in 2025, outperforming traditional channels such as Brokers (10%) and Bancassurance (23%).

These results demonstrate the creation of a governed, scalable conversion engine capable of continuously improving business performance.