BARMER Launches AI Chatbot: Agentic AI for 8 Million Insured Individuals

A chatbot designed to provide advice on health and long-term care insurance, preventive care, and digital health applications won’t get very far with predefined response paths—the range of topics covered by a major health insurance provider is simply too broad for that. This is exactly where BARMER, in collaboration with Experience One, stepped in: with an AI chatbot based on an agent-based architecture that makes the health insurance provider’s entire body of health knowledge accessible—directly on barmer.de, around the clock, for 8 million policyholders and interested individuals.

From Intent Logic to Agent-Based Decision-Making

Originally, an intent-based chatbot with manually maintained response paths was planned. This model was not viable given the scope of BARMER’s knowledge base. The solution: A large language model classifies user inquiries and forwards them to the appropriate agent within the context of the conversation—while adhering to the guardrails required by a regulated sector such as health insurance.

Just a few days after the launch, several thousand conversations were taking place via the chatbot; today, there are over 1,000 per day. Just as important as the launch itself: BARMER now has the technical platform and in-house expertise to continue developing its AI-based services on its own.