The Most Sought-After Skills in the UK Insurance Industry Right Now

The UK insurance industry is currently undergoing a major transformation as technology, automation and market pressures reshape recruitment. Artificial intelligence, digital platforms and data-driven underwriting are changing how insurers operate which is reducing demand for some roles but creating new opportunities in others.

The result?

A huge shift in both the number of vacancies available as well as the skills employers are now seeking.

Here we explore which skills are the most sought after and which are seeing decline in the UK Insurance industry right now.

Claims

Claims roles remain the largest area of in-demand specialist jobs in the insurance industry right now, accounting for nearly 30% of insurance vacancies, despite a 28% fall between 2023 and 2025.

We’re currently seeing automation and AI taking over routine claims processing, which is reducing the need for entry-level staff, while specialist and experienced professionals are remaining essential for complex cases.

Underwriting

Underwriting has seen only a slight drop in vacancies (just 1.1%), staying well above 2023 levels and reflecting the ongoing demand for expertise in risk assessment, pricing and regulatory compliance.

Broking

Broking has been hit hardest with vacancies falling from 4,721 to 2,114 over the surveyed period, a 38% decline.

Demand for skills here seems to be reducing thanks to digital platforms such Willis’s Gemini or Aon Broker Pilot which work to automate workflow and placements without the need for a human candidate. Startups such as Meshed, an AI-compliant broker for SMEs, are also accelerating this shift away from traditional candidate based roles.

IT, Digital & Finance

Across the Insurance sector, we’ve seen IT and digital roles growing in numbers. Demand for IT skills is in fact up 6.6% year-on-year. On the other hand, demand seems to be dipping in relation to Finance roles in the insurance sector which have fallen by 13.5%.

Actuarial

Actuarial vacancies continue to decline (down by 13.2% year on year), particularly at entry level as AI now handles routine modelling which reduces the demand to fill these positions.

Demand however is rising for specialists in predictive modelling, cyber risk and AI governance.

Conclusion

Fewer positions are now requiring purely traditional expertise and the most sought-after professionals now need to combine technical, analytical and strategic skills, with salaries rising to match.

The question for the industry is: what comes next?

Have the benefits of automation been realised, or will this trend continue to impact the sorts of skills the industry is seeking? And what will it mean for those seeking to enter the sector in the coming years?

To find out more about trends in the Insurance industry, why not download our UK Insurance Labour Market Trends: Year in Review Report which will arm you with market-leading data into this dynamic market such as regional breakdowns of the insurance recruitment market right now and insight into companies to watch based on their current hiring practices.