The latest iteration of the Semi-Annual U.S. Insurance Labor Market Study, conducted by The Jacobson Group, the leading provider of talent to the insurance industry, and Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, found 93% of respondents intend to increase or maintain staff size in the next 12 months.
The results of the Q1 2026 Insurance Labor Market Study, conducted by @JacobsonGroup and @Aon_plc, are now available: https://content.jacobsononline.com/2026-q1-labor-study-resultsShare
“Overall insurance carrier employment has remained fairly flat throughout the past few years,” said Jeffrey Blair, senior vice president of executive search and business development at The Jacobson Group. “Looking forward, our study found 43% of carriers plan to maintain their staff size in 2026, which is a 15-year peak and 10 points higher than last January. We’re seeing a lot more focus on retention programs and proactive performance management.”
“As employee turnover continues to decline, many companies are not in situations to replace staff as quickly,” added Jeff Rieder, head of performance benchmarking for the Strategy and Technology Group for Aon. “Key roles within claims, underwriting and analytical functions still remain in demand.”
Some of the study’s key findings include the following:
- In the next 12 months, 50% of insurance carriers plan to increase staff, which is 5 points lower than reported in the January 2025 study. Just 7% plan to decrease staff.
- Technology, claims and underwriting roles remain the industry’s greatest need.
- Seventy-two percent of companies expect revenue growth during the next year, down 2 points from January 2025.
- Compared to January 2025, recruiting difficulty has slightly eased in every category. Actuarial, executive and analytics roles remain the most challenging to fill.
- During the next six months, 71% of carriers expect most employees to work a hybrid schedule. Seven percent require employees in the office every day, up from 3% in January 2025 and down from 8% in July 2025.
- If carriers follow through on their plans, the industry will see a 0.91% increase in employment during the next 12 months.
