The advancement of digital technologies offers considerable potential for transformation within the insurance industry, enabling improved efficiency, customer engagement, and competitive positioning. However, many insurance companies struggle to evaluate their digital maturity accurately and independently. Existing digital maturity models offer holistic views that are often generalized and industry agnostic and might not address the intricacies of a specific industry, such as the insurance industry.

This research applied the design science research (DSR) methodology. The iterative research process included the Awareness, Suggestion, Development, and Evaluation phases, combining insights from a systematic literature review, semi-structured interviews with industry experts and survey-based validation. Interviews were coded using deductive and inductive codes to ensure that relevant information was captured correctly. The consolidation of existing maturity models as analyzed formed the foundation for the preliminary maturity model for insurance industry. The model was then improved through iterative development and interviews with industry experts, whose experience helped in tailoring the model to the insurance industry. The model underwent four iterations, followed by a pilot study on the abiliCor platform which served as the assessment tool in validating the model. The participants of the pilot study were asked to rate the model on its relevance, practicality, usability and clarity. Results of the assessment show that all participants of the pilot rate the content of the model as relevant and the questions of the assessment as clear. All the participants deemed their experience in filling out the maturity assessment as positive and could see the model being used in a real-life scenario.

These insights emphasize the model’s potential for practical impact. This study contributes to the academic discourse by synthesizing a holistic and actionable framework tailored to the insurance industry’s specific needs. Future research should refine the maturity model by additional engagement with domain experts and the implementation of profiles to improve the assessment accuracy.