ICMIF member Shepherds Friendly (UK) has announced a partnership with insurance and healthcare technology firm Alula Technologies to modernise and future-proof its underwriting.

The Manchester-based mutual has adopted Alula’s low-code underwriting platform, designed to be quickly adapted to changing market conditions and member needs. The new system will allow Shepherds Friendly to provide cover to a wider audience and enhance the overall digital experience for its policyholders.

Looking ahead, the platform will also enable the integration of advanced capabilities such as AI-powered decisioning, document fraud analysis, and the use of external data sources. These developments are expected to support more real-time decisions, offering members faster and more consistent outcomes while safeguarding against emerging risks.

Daniel Simpson (pictured), Chief Innovation Officer at Shepherds Friendly, highlighted the importance of this step for the organisation and its members: “As a mutual, a core part of our ethos is to strengthen financial resilience, and we believe adapting underwriting models in line with societal change and shifting market conditions is vital to increasing the uptake of products such as income protection. This new platform significantly enhances our ability to adapt our processes at speed. By automating our underwriting, we can deliver faster, more consistent decisions and improve the overall digital experience for our members.”

Shepherds Friendly’s own research shows that just 14% of people in the UK currently hold income protection – a gap the mutual is keen to close as part of its member-first approach.

Patrick Ashton, Solutions Director at Alula Technologies, said the collaboration has been built with both immediate and long-term member benefit in mind: “The first phase of our work with Shepherds Friendly was aimed at meeting its current needs, but also at enabling it to adapt to the changing consumer landscape in future. We look forward to continuing to work together as the business grows further and hope our platform plays a role in ensuring the Society’s long-term success.”

By investing in agile, member-focused digital solutions, Shepherds Friendly is reinforcing its commitment to serve policyholders and ensure that its products remain accessible, relevant, and resilient in a changing world.