Insurers and health insurers
Data protection for insurers – across all core systems
Insurers process personal data over decades: applications, policies, claims, benefits and often health data. Espresso finds it in legacy core and peripheral systems, answers requests on time and deletes across all systems once the retention periods have expired – with proof.
What makes it challenging for insurers
Legacy core systems
Policy administration, claims and benefits systems, SAP and in-house developments – grown over decades and closely intertwined.
Many different retention periods
Different periods apply depending on line of business, product and event – from a quote that never became a contract to a personal injury claim settled over many years.
Health data
Life, health and accident insurance involve sensitive personal data.
Many requests
Policyholders, claimants and intermediaries ask about their data. Every access request runs through many systems.
How insurers use Espresso
- Data Deletion Deletion across policies, claims and benefits Data that is due is deleted across all systems in the right order – with objections, deletion holds and proof. Go to the module
- Subject Request Access requests from policyholders Requests from receipt to response, with identity verification and deadlines in view. Go to the module
- Privacy Register Retention schedule per line of business Retention periods with justification and legal basis, legal holds for open claims and proceedings. Go to the module
- Data Discovery Finding health data in file storage Track down medical reports, scanned claim forms and exports in file storage and Microsoft 365. Go to the module
- Privacy Delivery Processing claims with AI Pass claim forms and medical reports to the AI in pseudonymised form – the response comes back with the original values. Go to the module
- Privacy Delivery Test data for core systems Realistic test data in a valid format for releases and migrations – without real policyholders. Go to the module
The framework for insurers
Alongside the FADP and the GDPR, industry-specific rules determine what must be retained and what must be deleted.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| FADP and GDPR | Register, access requests, erasure, data security; health data is sensitive personal data. |
| Insurance Contract Act (ICA) | Basis for application, contract and benefits – and therefore for the purpose and duration of processing. |
| Health Insurance Act (HIA) | Specific rules for the processing of personal data by health insurers in compulsory basic insurance. |
| Insurance supervision (FINMA) | Requirements for governance, risk management and outsourcing. |
| Swiss Code of Obligations (CO) | Retention of accounting records and vouchers for ten years (Art. 958f CO). |
Overview without any claim to completeness; does not replace legal advice in individual cases. As of: 6 October 2026.
Reference
In production at Pax since 2024
Pax, the Swiss pension insurer based in Basel, uses Espresso Data Privacy to delete personal data automatically across SAP and non-SAP systems.
Read the case study“Pax stands for simple, digital processes with personal service for customers and sales partners. Thanks to the Espresso Data Privacy solution, we were able to streamline these processes significantly and achieve full compliance with data protection laws effortlessly. The system ensures smooth, uninterrupted operation across our entire company – with minimal effort.”
Getting started
Try it with your systems
In the proof of concept, Espresso runs in your test environment – with the modules and applications you are interested in, and with success criteria agreed in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Does Espresso work with SAP and in-house developments?
Yes. At Pax, deletion runs across SAP and non-SAP systems. Systems are connected via an open interface or via Azure Service Bus.
How do you handle open claims and proceedings?
With deletion holds (legal holds): they stop deletions for a specific case until their release has been approved. In addition, applications can object to a deletion.
Is health data detected?
Data Discovery detects indications of sensitive categories such as health, as well as insurance and AHV numbers. Custom search patterns add policy and claim numbers.
Does our data go to the vendor?
No. Espresso runs in the environment you choose: in your data centre, in your cloud or with an operating partner. Espresso never establishes a connection to the vendor of its own accord – no telemetry, no licence server, no access without your approval.
Related topics
- Delete Deleting across many systems Orchestration, approval, objections: how to delete reliably in legacy IT landscapes. Read more
- Delete Retention and deletion periods How long data must and may be retained in Switzerland – and how retention periods become deletion rules. Read more
- Requests Data subject access requests Deadline, identity verification and content: answering data subject access requests in full under the FADP and the GDPR. Read more
See Espresso in 30 minutes
We will show you the cockpit with sample data – and discuss where you should start.
Request a demoor write directly to info@espressodataprivacy.com