• GENERAL INSURANCE

  • INTRODUCTION

    We surveyed hundreds of insurers, brokers, and employers across over ten specialist insurance disciplines to capture sentiment on recruitment challenges, in-demand roles, renumeration structures and hiring intentions. Our findings and market insight is below, alongside expert commentary from our specialist recruiters.

  • EMPLOYER KEY FINDINGS

    79%

    of employers are planning to hire

    in the next 12 months

    38%

    of employers don’t think they

    have the talent needed to achieve business objectives

    61%

    of employers think their biggest recruitment challenge will be the shortage of suitable applicants

    33%

    of employers said their most

    in-demand roles are Account Executives and Account Handlers

  • EMPLOYEE KEY FINDINGS

    53%

    of employees plan to change jobs in the next year

    35%

    of employees are dissatisfied with their job

    70%

    of employees say their salary has increased by 2.5-10% or more

    30%

    of employees say their salary has stayed the same or decreased

  • GENERAL INSURANCE TALENT TRENDS

    Access commentary on the General Insurance employment market, written by our General Insurance Managing Director. Points include hiring trends, in demand roles and skills, and what businesses need to prepare for in 2026.

  • 2026 RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES

    61% of insurance employers told us that their top recruitment challenge will be a shortage of suitable applicants, followed by unrealistic salary expectations and lack of commercial knowledge. This talent crunch reflects deeper industry challenges. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 21,500 job vacancies annually in insurance over the next decade (Insurance Journal: Attracting and retaining Gen Z), with new hires unable to keep pace with retirements. Meanwhile, 72% of insurers struggle to find talent with the right tech and data skills, with nearly 60% worried they'll lose staff to other industries (Gerrard White: How to overcome the talent shortage in the insurance industry).

    Salary expectations are compounding the problem. 30% of employees told us their salary has either stayed the same or decreased, and the Insurance Times' 2024 Talent Development report found that 50% of brokers are leaving jobs because they are underpaid (Insurance Business: US insurance sector to lose around 400,000 workers by 2026).

    For insurance professionals, this creates significant opportunity. The skills shortage means professionals with technical expertise, particularly in data analytics and digital capabilities, can potentially command premium compensation packages and selective career choices in an increasingly competitive market.

  • IN-DEMAND ROLES

    The majority of employers in our survey listed Account Executives and Account Handlers as the most in-demand roles in their organisations, with broking positions ranking as the second highest. The Q1 2025 Insurance Labor Market Study shows technology, underwriting, and claims roles seeing highest demand and according to CII’s research around 72% of UK insurers are struggling to find candidates with the right technology and data skills (Chartered Insurance Institute: The UK insurance market’s talent shortage crisis continues).

    Given the specific expertise and skill required, Account Executive positions can take approximately 60-90 days to fill. Account Executives handle the largest and most complex accounts with high-level client-facing responsibilities, making them critical for retention and organic growth strategies.

  • JOB SATISFACTION

    In our survey, 65% of employee respondents shared they are satisfied with their roles, mainly driven by healthy work patterns and flexible working. Research shows that the industry ranks highly in work-life balance, with 75% of employees highlighting sustainable working hours.

    However, dissatisfaction remains high for a significant minority. Reasons for discontent include heavy workloads, minimal pay increases, and poor career development. Critically, 60% of insurance professionals plan to change jobs in the next 12 months, highlighting urgent retention challenges.

    Are you satisfied with your job?

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