Accelerating digital insurance with fast, secure, scalable and cloud-native APIs
In Brazil, BNP Paribas Cardif is accelerating the digitalisation of insurance by implementing next-generation and cloud-native APIs. These new tools are more than just technical upgrades—they are redefining the way insurance integrates into BNP Paribas Cardif partners’ digital platforms, enabling seamless customer journeys and efficient operations.
Alberto Yamaguchi, Project Manager at BNP Paribas Cardif in Brazil deep dives into this innovation to highlight the transformative impact of these APIs and what they mean for the future of insurance in the region.
What motivated the shift to cloud-native APIs for insurance distribution?
Alberto Yamaguchi:
The move was driven by a clear market need for speed, security, and seamless integration. In today’s digital environment, distribution partners and customers expect insurance to be part of a fluid online experience—no delays, no friction. Cloud-native APIs give us that capability. They enable instant insurance policy activation, real-time monitoring, and better customer engagement.
From a business perspective, the shift also means we can scale operations faster, avoid downtime, and respond quickly to our partner demands. Our job is about enabling growth while maintaining a high level of control and performance.
How do these APIs enhance both partner and customer experience?
Alberto Yamaguchi:
First and foremost, they eliminate disruption. With online activation, our partners can provide insurance offers to their clients that are immediately available and accessible. There’s no need to process batch files or wait for back-office validation. Everything happens in real time and customers get the protection they need almost instantly
For customers, that translates to a seamless journey— from underwriting to claims submission. At the same time, it offers a safer customer journey as we have strengthened fraud detection and data security through advanced risk management embedded into the APIs. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Can you give us some figures on the impact so far?
Alberto Yamaguchi:
Definitely. Since we deployed them, the new APIs have already outperformed all previous versions combined. We are now processing over 1 million transactions per month, with a 99.5% availability rate. That’s a level of performance we simply couldn’t reach before.
So far, three partners are actively using our new APIs, serving nearly 1 million unique clients over the last 12 months. And this is just the beginning; we are already onboarding more partners and scaling up our product offering.
What’s the technical secret behind this performance?
Alberto Yamaguchi:
It comes down to being cloud-native from the start. The APIs are designed to dynamically scale resource consumption so, even at peak load, the system remains stable. We also have automated alert systems and real-time dashboards, which help us monitor performance and respond instantly to any issues.
Because everything is designed to optimise efficiency, we can handle high volumes without increasing operational complexity. That’s crucial for our partners and necessary as we prepare to expand even further.
What’s the roadmap for API-driven insurance distribution in Brazil?
Alberto Yamaguchi:
By the end of 2025, our goal is that 40% of all our transactions in Brazil are processed online via APIs. We are aiming to offer 30 digital insurance products by that time, all fully integrated into our cloud infrastructure.
More importantly, this isn’t just a tech transformation—it’s about real business value. By reducing reconciliation work, accelerating time-to-market, and supporting real-time transactions, these APIs are fueling our digital sales growth and giving our partners a true competitive edge.
