Executive summary 

Markel entered the construction guarantees market with a clear strategic objective: build the business on a modern digital operating model from day one rather than replicating the paper-heavy processes common in the industry. 

Together with SELISE, Markel launched a dedicated platform designed specifically for the creation, approval and lifecycle management of construction guarantees. The solution replaces traditionally fragmented and manual workflows with a structured, automated, and fully auditable process environment. 

Built on SELISE Blocks, an enterprise-grade architecture for regulated insurance businesses, the platform standardizes applications, automates certificate issuance and provides real-time visibility across guarantees, risk and exposure. 

Within the first year after market entry, Markel achieved double-digit customer growth while processing guarantee applications in minutes rather than the several days typically observed across the industry.  

For insurers aiming to digitalize complex processes without compromising compliance or control, the Markel Construction Guarantee Platform demonstrates what is possible when industry expertise and technology leadership come together. 

The market challenge 

Construction guarantees are a critical component in infrastructure and building projects. However, across much of the insurance industry, the underlying processes remain highly manual and document-driven. 

Applications are often submitted through unstructured documentation, processed through email exchanges, and validated through multiple manual checks. As a result, issuing a guarantee can take several days and requires significant administrative effort from underwriting teams. 

Typical challenges in the market include: 

• slow certificate issuance due to manual validation processes. 

• fragmented communication between insurers, brokers and construction firms. 

• unstructured document submissions that increase error rates. 

• limited transparency across the guarantee lifecycle. 

• high compliance and audit effort due to missing system-level traceability. 

For construction companies, these inefficiencies often translate into delayed project starts, additional administrative work and limited visibility regarding the status of guarantee applications. 

When Markel decided to enter the construction guarantees market, the company chose not to replicate these legacy operating models. Instead, it set out to build a digital-first platform that would enable a more efficient and scalable approach from the outset. 

The solution: a digital-first platform for market entry 

To support its entry into the construction guarantees business, Markel partnered with SELISE to design and launch a dedicated digital platform that manages the entire guarantee lifecycle from application to issuance and monitoring.  

Rather than adapting existing legacy systems, the platform was developed as the operational backbone for the new business line. The goal was to enable Markel to operate at scale from day one while maintaining full compliance and risk control. 

The result is a platform that consolidates data, standardises processes and provides full operational visibility across guarantees, exposure and approval workflows. 

Built on SELISE Blocks, an enterprise-grade architecture for regulated insurance environments, the solution integrates workflow automation, audit logging, template management and secure certificate generation into a unified system landscape. 

This architecture allowed the implementation to focus directly on Markel’s underwriting logic, operational efficiency and user experience while relying on proven platform components for core infrastructure capabilities. 

Business impact for Markel 

Within the first year after launching the platform and entering the construction guarantees market, Markel achieved strong adoption and double-digit growth in its customer base.  

Key operational improvements include: 

• processing times reduced from several days (typical market benchmark) to minutes. 

• higher throughput without expanding staff capacity. 

• enhanced compliance oversight enabled by automated validations and audit trails. 

• a predictable and transparent operating model supporting scalable growth. 

Why SELISE 

Markel needed a partner who understood both regulated financial services and modern digital product delivery and who could move at speed. SELISE works by default as a co-creator, shaping digital platforms collaboratively rather than acting as a traditional implementer. 

Strategic Acceleration with SELISE Blocks 

Instead of building everything from scratch, the solution leverages SELISE Blocks, a cloud-native operating system built for highly regulated industries. Core components such as an API Integration Layer, Workflow-Engine or Audit Logging, provide an enterprise-grade backbone from day one. 

By running on SELISE Blocks, Markel now has a modular, extensible platform that can: 

• Adapt quickly to evolving regulations. 

• Onboard new tenants and partners with minimal friction. 

• Extend functionality as business needs evolve. 

The outcome is a fully operational, enterprise-grade platform that combines proven technology, tailored design, and future-ready architecture, delivered in record time.