AI helps Discovery Life thwart fraudulent claims
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AI-driven insights and machine learning increasingly strengthen fraud detection in life insurance claims, says Discovery Life.
By Sibahle Malinga, ITWeb senior news journalist.Johannesburg, 30 Mar 2026Sylvia Steyn, head of life claims and service at Discovery Life. (Image: Supplied) Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven insights and machine learning (ML) increasingly play a pivotal role in strengthening fraud detection in life insurance claims, protecting the integrity of the risk pool, says JSE-listed financial services group Discovery Life.This, as the insurance industry deploys the technology to flag anomalies, tailor health interventions and streamline the processing of claims.While fraud represents less than 0.5% of claims, the insurance group says advanced analytics and AI tools enable it to flag unusual activity quickly, guide investigations and prevent potential losses. See also Data analytics helps Discovery crack whip on fraudulent claimsDiscovery Bank drives super app ambition with AI, integrationDiscovery Life says it paid a total of R11.5 billion to clients in 2025, with R6.9 billion consisting of individual life insurance claims, R2.4 billion in shared-value payments and R2.2 billion in group risk claims. In an interview, Sylvia Steyn, head of life claims and service at Discovery Life, tells ITWeb that by combining AI with human judgement, the company can quickly settle low-risk claims, while ensuring high-risk or unusual claims receive the scrutiny needed. This dual approach protects clients, safeguards the risk pool and enhances the efficiency of claims operations, she says.“Discover...
