"Did a Robot Write This?" How to Answer When Clients Ask About AI

A client calls about last week's coverage summary and asks: "Did a robot write this?"

If you hesitate, it sounds like you're hiding something. If you say "No" and AI drafted it, you have a bigger problem.

The better option is to decide ahead of time how you talk about AI and write it down. That short note is called an AI diligence statement. It takes ten minutes to create, and it turns an awkward question into a moment that builds trust.

What an AI diligence statement is

It's a short, plain-language note that explains what AI helped with, what you did yourself and how you checked the result. Think of it like the notes on a renewal file: not just that the policy renewed, but what you compared and why you recommended it.

A strong statement covers five elements:

1. The specific task. "Drafted the renewal letter" is useful. "Used AI" is not.
2. The tool. Name it, for example Claude.
3. Your review. How you verified the output against the policy, the carrier quote or the client file.
4. What you changed. Where your judgment corrected, added to or overrode what AI produced.
5. Clear accountability. You reviewed the final product and you stand behind it.

That last one matters most. AI can draft the letter. Your name is still on it.

Why it matters for independent agents

Your business runs on trust. A diligence statement protects it three ways:

• It reassures clients. A licensed professional is still doing the thinking.
• It shows your judgment. "I checked every limit and deductible against the carrier quote" tells clients exactly where your expertise went.
• It creates a record. If questions come up later, your process is documented. Ask your E&O carrier what your agency should keep on file.

How to write one in four steps

1. Tell AI what you did. Be specific:
   
   I'm an independent agent. I used Claude to turn three carrier quotes for a restaurant's BOP renewal into a comparison table and draft a cover email. I removed the client's personal details first. I checked every limit, deductible and exclusion, corrected two deductibles and added a note about liquor liability, which none of the quotes included. Write a short AI diligence statement for this proposal.

2. Review the draft like an endorsement. Is it accurate, complete and clear to a client?

3. Fit it to the audience. One line works on a client email. A carrier submission or procedures manual may need more detail.

4. Verify the statement itself. If it says you checked every exclusion, you'd better have checked every exclusion. A statement that overstates your review is worse than none.

Two examples you can adapt

For a client email:

This summary was drafted with help from Claude, an AI assistant, and reviewed line by line by a licensed agent at our agency.

For a renewal proposal:

We used Claude, an AI assistant, to organize three carrier quotes into the table above and draft this letter. A licensed agent checked every limit, deductible and exclusion against the carrier documents and made corrections. The recommendation is ours, and we stand behind it.

The pattern: AI did a defined task. A licensed person checked it. A licensed person owns it.

Make it a habit

• Add it to your templates so nobody has to remember it.
• Lead by example. If the principal uses it, the team will follow.
• Don't treat AI use as a red flag. If people feel judged, they stop telling you.

Common questions

"Can I trust AI output?" Trust it like a new CSR's first draft: useful, often right, always checked.

"Won't this make me look less capable?" Usually the opposite. Clients lose confidence when something feels hidden, not when you use good tools.

The bottom line

AI can draft, summarize and organize faster than any of us. It can't take responsibility for the advice. That part is still yours.

AI where it helps. Humans where it matters.

This post was adapted from Anthropic's tutorial on writing an AI diligence statement.