The automated process includes claim creation, supporting documents, invoice creation, and approval or rejection of invoices and demonstrates how blockchain can make interaction between multiple parties in the claims process more efficient, according to PwC.

As part of the trial, various parties were given different roles and permissions to view data. Smart contracts were used to automatically approve claims that met pre-agreed conditions, resulting in reduced administrative costs and burdens as well as faster claims approval and payment, PwC added.

Commenting on the success of the proof of concept, Steve Webb, financial services blockchain leader at PwC, said, “This proof of concept demonstrates the potential for efficiency and the elimination of error and duplicated information. It shows how blockchain and smart contracts can reduce costs and speed up the claims bordereau process in the London Market, allowing experts to focus on more value-add complex matters.”

PwC's Belfast office is the global centre for PwC specialists who exploit and commercialize blockchain. PwC said that blockchain technology, which consists of “blocks” of data in a digital ledger, “is highly resistant to malicious tampering, thus offering significant security advantages to governments, banks, insurers, and the financial services sector.”