CASE STUDY
Salvaging a Failing Core Modernization Program
Company Background
A national property and casualty insurance carrier with a diverse portfolio of personal and commercial lines had embarked on an ambitious multi-year core modernization program. The initiative was intended to replace aging policy administration and billing platforms while standardizing processes across multiple business units and regions.
The carrier had invested heavily in the program viewing it as foundational to long-term competitiveness operational efficiency and digital growth. Executive leadership expected the new core platform to improve straight through processing enable faster product launches and reduce long term maintenance costs.
However nearly two years into the effort the program was struggling to deliver on those expectations.
CLIENT CHALLENGE
By the time INFORCE was engaged the modernization effort was behind schedule over budget and losing executive confidence. Original timelines had slipped by more than nine months and costs had exceeded forecasts by approximately 35 percent. Multiple vendors were involved with unclear ownership inconsistent delivery practices and limited insurance domain expertise.
Progress reporting focused on activity rather than outcomes making it difficult for leadership to understand true program health. Critical milestones were repeatedly missed and unresolved design decisions created downstream rework. Internal teams were fatigued and skeptical that the program could be successfully completed.
The carrier needed an immediate course correction. They required an objective assessment of what was working what was failing and whether the program was salvageable at all. More importantly, they needed a credible plan that executives could trust.
Our
Solution
INFORCE began with a rapid but thorough assessment conducted over four weeks. The team reviewed program artifacts delivery plans code quality integration architecture testing practices and governance structures. Stakeholder interviews were conducted across IT operations and business leadership to identify root causes rather than symptoms.
The assessment revealed that the primary issues were not the core platform itself but execution gaps. The program lacked a realistic sequencing strategy had misaligned skill sets on critical workstreams and suffered from weak decision making and accountability.
INFORCE rebuilt the implementation plan from the ground up. Scope was re sequenced around business value and risk rather than vendor driven milestones. Clear success criteria were established for each phase with measurable outcomes tied to production readiness.
Ineffective contractors were replaced with a smaller group of high caliber insurance specialists including senior architects, developers, and QA leads with direct core system experience. Governance was reset to establish clear ownership streamlined decision paths and transparent reporting that focused on progress against outcomes.
Within weeks, delivery rhythms stabilized, testing cycles became predictable, and confidence began to return.
THE RESULTS
Program back on track within 90 days
Within three months the carrier had met all reset milestones including successful end to end integration testing and completion of high risk functional areas that had previously stalled.
Cost overrun stabilized and contained
While sunk costs could not be recovered the revised execution approach prevented an estimated additional 20 percent budget overrun that had been projected prior to the reset.
Schedule variance reduced by 70 percent
Missed milestones dropped dramatically as the revised plan replaced aspirational timelines with achievable delivery targets grounded in team capacity and complexity.
Successful launch under revised timeline
The core platform ultimately went live under the new plan with no critical severity one defects and a significantly shorter post launch stabilization period than originally anticipated.
Restored executive and stakeholder confidence
Clear governance and credible reporting re established trust between delivery teams and leadership enabling informed decisions rather than reactive interventions.
business Impact Analysis
The most immediate impact was risk reduction. Before intervention internal estimates suggested a meaningful chance the program would be paused or abandoned entirely. By stabilizing execution the carrier protected tens of millions of dollars already invested and avoided the reputational damage of a failed transformation.
Operational benefits followed quickly. In the first 60 days after launch straight through processing increased by approximately 18 percent in targeted lines of business reducing manual handling and improving cycle times. Early indicators showed a reduction of roughly 25 percent in policy servicing rework compared to the legacy environment.
Equally important was the cultural reset. Delivery teams shifted from defensive status reporting to outcome driven execution. Business leaders regained confidence in technology as a partner rather than a risk. The modernization program became a reference point internally for how complex initiatives should be governed and delivered.
By stepping in when others stepped away, INFORCE helped turn a failing transformation into a successful launch and restored belief that large scale change could be executed effectively.