Skip to main content
Clearlead AI Consulting

AI for Insurance

Most of a claim is still handled by hand.

AI can change that, if it is built for insurance.

We work with insurers and health plans on claims, documents, and payer operations.

The data is messy, the compliance requirements are real, and the systems have to hold up in production.

Claims operations

What the work involves today

The handling is the cost

Claims handling costs more than it should. Document review, prior auth, keying, and appeals add up on every claim.

Volume keeps rising. Headcount hasn't.

The queue is already too long. Adding adjusters has helped at the margins, but it has not fixed it.

Slow claims cost renewals

A claim that takes 14 days instead of 4 does not show up as an error. It shows up as a member who does not renew.

Audit pressure never eases

Every decision has to be traceable and defensible, at any volume.

Built for insurance

A lot of this can be automated. But not with generic AI.

A lot of claims and document work is a good fit for AI. But off-the-shelf tools do not hold up in a real claims environment. The work has to be built for insurance.

Custom, not off-the-shelf

Shaped around your claims, documents, and processes. Not a generic template adapted for insurance.

Built for messy, regulated data

The records are inconsistent and the rules are strict. The system has to handle both.

Auditing and guardrails built in

Every output has to be traceable. Compliance requirements are not optional.

Human review built in

People stay in the loop on the decisions that matter.

Where we focus

What we can help with

The first step is usually not building. It is working out which claims or document AI opportunity is genuinely ready, what the path to production looks like, and where the constraints are.

Claims and member operations

Prior auth, appeals, routing, and member queries — the repetitive, document-heavy work that grows with claim volume.

AI to automate decisions, reduce handling time, and keep every output traceable.

Document understanding and NLP

Extracting structured information from clinical notes, EOBs, policy documents, and correspondence.

Turning unstructured content into reliable inputs for claims, compliance, and operational decisions.

AI that holds up in production

Getting AI through the governance, audit, and compliance requirements of a real payer.

Strategic guidance, implementation, or both, depending on where you are.

Sector delivery experience

Led by someone who ran AI inside a Fortune 5 health insurer

Paul Ferguson, Founder of Clearlead AI Consulting

Clearlead is led by Paul Ferguson, former Director of Data Science at UnitedHealth Group. He spent 8 years at UHG delivering AI and machine learning at scale, inside the governance, production, and compliance environment of a Fortune 5 payer.

That background is directly relevant here. He knows how claims operations work, what production AI actually requires inside a regulated payer, and where these projects stall in large insurance organisations. That is the experience he brings, not borrowed domain knowledge.

You work directly with Paul from the first conversation. No handoffs after the sale, no junior team handling the work behind the scenes.

What clients and colleagues say

Paul is exceptional. We've been so lucky to have him work with us on our health insights engine the past few months. His communication skills are fantastic, he works quickly and thoroughly. We had a number of changes to the scope and plan and he adjusted well to accommodate us.
Photo of Angela Edwards

Angela Edwards

CEO and Founder, Elli Cares

Paul was brought in as an external AI consultant with expertise in search systems to provide guidance on a project to implement an AI-driven supplier sourcing system. As part of this he also built a supplier data enrichment system. I was very happy with Paul's contribution to the project and would have no hesitation in recommending him.

Bill Watts

Managing Director, Eagle Exports

Paul is a great person to work with, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him for any role or project. It is rare to find someone who excels in technical expertise as well as interpersonal skills. I have no doubt that all his clients will benefit from his deep technical domain knowledge, his attention to detail and his personal touch.
Photo of Peter Cogan

Peter Cogan

VP Data Science, Optum (UnitedHealth Group)

Paul came into [Qualcomm] to work on the flagship technical capabilities of the company and, in that role, rapidly became a leading light, sharing his broad knowledge and insight with the product team and having direct influence on the roadmap. Diligent and intelligent, he was a key player in the team and a pleasure to work with.
Photo of Andrew Pegum

Andrew Pegum

Director of Engineering, Qualcomm

Ready to talk?

A free 30-minute intro call to talk through the claims, document, or payer operations work you have in mind.

Book a free 30-minute call