As February is Insurance Careers Month, Digital Insurance interviewed Sara Shipley, chief human resource officer of INSTANDA, to learn more about how the evolution and growing adoption of insurtech is impacting insurance talent attraction and retention.
Shipley shared the following email responses, which were lightly edited for clarity.
How can insurtech lower the tech skill barrier?
The conversation around digital transformation in insurance often centers on technology, but the real solution focuses on people. Insurtech is removing technical barriers, broadening hiring strategies and enabling a new wave of professionals to contribute meaningfully to the industry, without requiring deep coding expertise.
One of the most significant shifts has been the rise of no-code platforms, which allows underwriters, product managers and actuaries to design, launch and refine products without relying on IT teams. This transformation means insurers can focus less on hiring professionals with technical backgrounds and instead prioritize those with industry knowledge, problem-solving abilities and customer insight.
Is insurtech driving diverse hiring to address the talent gap, recruiting from a broader range of professions?
This shift is fundamentally changing hiring strategies. As insurers move toward digital-first models, the demand for coding expertise is decreasing while the need for cognitive skills, analytical thinking and cross-disciplinary expertise is growing.
This is already taking shape in life and health insurance, where professionals from fields such as nutrition, sports science and behavioural economics are beginning to play a role in shaping insurance products that proactively improve customer well-being. Rather than people simply falling into insurance, as has historically been the case, the industry is becoming more attractive to a broader range of professionals who see it as an opportunity to drive meaningful impact at scale.
The real challenge is not just hiring tech talent but finding people who can bridge the gap between technology and business outcomes. Insurers must look beyond traditional talent pools and attract problem-solvers who can apply their expertise in new ways.
How does AI serve as a co-pilot, allowing insurance professionals to focus on data analytics and customer experience?
AI is playing a major role in reshaping the workforce. Contrary to fears that AI will replace jobs, the reality is it is enhancing human capabilities, allowing professionals to focus on more strategic decision-making.
With AI handling automation-heavy tasks, insurers need people who can interpret complex data, assess risk and apply insights to improve business outcomes. But understanding and maintaining AI models is a different skill set from traditional data mining. The industry needs people who can interact with data in a completely new way, turning it into meaningful insights rather than just processing it.
This means looking outside the sector for talent who bring fresh perspectives on how to leverage data for innovation, whether from finance, technology or behavioural science backgrounds. The human perspective remains key. AI is a tool that enables more intelligent decision-making, but ultimately, it's people who drive the best customer experiences.
How has insurtech shifted hiring priorities?
As automation takes over repetitive, rule-based tasks like data entry, policy processing and routine claims handling, hiring priorities are shifting toward roles that require strategic thinking, business development expertise and advanced analytics skills.
Insurers now need professionals who can connect AI-driven insights with real-world business challenges, helping companies adapt to changing customer needs and market dynamics.
By focusing on multi-disciplinary professionals who combine business acumen with digital fluency, insurtech is paving the way for a more agile, innovative and customer-focused insurance industry. Companies that successfully embrace these new hiring strategies will be the ones best positioned to lead the industry forward.
Insurtech is not just transforming technology, it is transforming the industry's workforce. By lowering the tech barrier, enabling AI-driven insights and diversifying hiring strategies, insurers can attract a new generation of skilled professionals who are ready to shape the future of the industry.
