Enhancing BI Data Quality & Security with Power BI for a Nationwide Life Insurance Company

The client is a large nationwide life insurance company that has been in business for over 50 years, providing policies and financial services to customers across the United States. They were using Cognos for business intelligence and data analytics but had grown dissatisfied with its functionality and performance. The client loads vast amounts of policy and customer data daily from various core systems into their data warehouse. They required a BI solution that integrated seamlessly with their existing security  protocols and infrastructure while addressing the  analysis needs of different user groups. Seeking to improve data quality and insights, they engaged Xylity Technologies to evaluate options.

The main challenge for the client was replacing their current inefficient process while meeting internal security standards. They needed a solution that could:

• Integrate with their existing data warehouse and authentication systems
• Address the diverse requirements of various user roles from actuaries to agents

Additionally, the new tool presented some technical difficulties including:

The client loads terabytes of new data daily, so the solution required high performance for:

• Large volume data refresh andqueries
• Supporting thousands of concurrent users during peak periods

Xylity Technologies would need to carefully review all components of the client’s environment to recommend and implement a secure BI platform integrating seamlessly with their current infrastructure. The replacement had to balance functionality with maintaining the client’s strict compliance protocols.

• Discovery: Xylity conducted multi-week interviews and assessments to understand business/technical requirements, use cases, data landscape.
• Evaluation: Leading BI tools were pilot tested considering security, performance, cost Power BI and SQL Server emerged as optimal choices.
• Design: Architects created detailed designs around scalability, authentication, authorization, data integration with data warehouse.
• Development: Developers established secure SSL connections, single sign-on with existing OAuth systems, and deployed workspaces.
• Installation: Infrastructure team installed SQL Server, Analysis Services, Power BI Report Server on Azure VMs for security and
• Configuration: Security permissions were configured for user access levels from read-only to admin. Data sources and imports established.
• Dashboard Design: Custom dashboards indexed by KPIs, metrics were crafted for actuaries, underwriters using templates.
• Report Building: Canned management and agent-facing reports produced aggregated data for sales, renewals,
• Testing: Rigorous regression testing ensured functionality, authentication, performance under peak loads.
• Training: Comprehensive end-user and admin training on consumption and authoring best practices was provided.
• Documentation: Reference materials were written for ongoing usage and updates to the new BI
• Knowledge Transfer: Client’s IT staff were equipped to manage, govern, expand the Power BI landscape

The modern BI paradigm improved processes like:

• Near real-time analytics of incoming policies
• Predictive modeling for improved underwriting
• Risk assessments based on latest customer profiles
• Data-driven sales strategies and targeting Streamlined report distribution and benchmarking