Are US insurance professionals working too hard?

The insurance sector is built on precision, persistence and pressure – and it’s beginning to show. New data suggest American workers are putting in some of the longest hours in the developed world, and the insurance industry, where client demand rarely slows, is a prime example.

A recent FlexJobs survey found that nearly one in four US employees – 23% – didn’t take any vacation at all over the past year, despite most having access to paid time off. For brokers, claims adjusters, and underwriters balancing complex caseloads and regulatory deadlines, the findings will sound all too familiar.

A culture of constant work

Insurance roles are often cyclical and reactive, tied to renewals, claims surges, and underwriting seasons. The same FlexJobs study found that 43% of workers felt their workload was too heavy to justify time off, while 30% worried about falling behind. For many in insurance, taking leave can feel impossible when client accounts, claims assessments or underwriting files are stacked high.

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Cultural pressure also persists. Almost a third of employees reported feeling guilty for taking vacation or feared it might be seen as a lack of commitment. In smaller agencies or specialist teams, staff shortages and thin margins only heighten that pressure.

Global context: longer hours, fewer breaks

Across the OECD, the United States ranks near the top for working hours, averaging 1,791 hours a year – well above Germany’s 1,340 or France’s 1,505. Yet American workers enjoy some of the fewest national public holidays, typically between six and 11 days.

By comparison, countries such as Denmark, France and the Netherlands have shorter work years but maintain high productivity levels and stronger work-life balance. In contrast, the US model of extended hours and limited downtime remains ingrained in industries like insurance, where client responsiveness and accuracy are non-negotiable.

The risk of burnout

Insurance work demands careful judgement – whether evaluating risk, managing claims, or crafting policies. Yet sustained overwork can erode that very precision. Studies link long hours and insufficient rest to higher error rates, lower engagement and increased staff turnover.

Firms that encourage structured downtime tend to see better retention and sharper decision-making. Allowing teams to disconnect, even briefly, can reduce mistakes in underwriting and claims handling – and strengthen client satisfaction in the long run.

A shift in mindset

Some carriers and brokerages are rethinking their approach, introducing mandatory time-off policies or spreading workloads more evenly through automation and cross-training. Others are experimenting with flexible scheduling and “quiet” weeks to help teams reset between renewal cycles.

The challenge is cultural as much as operational: in an industry where “availability equals reliability,” rest still feels like a risk. Yet the global comparison suggests that sustainable productivity might depend less on working more, and more on working smart.

Working hours vs public holidays: international snapshot
 

Takeaway

The insurance sector’s commitment to service excellence has long been its strength. But as data show, American professionals are putting in more time than most of their global peers – often with less opportunity to recharge. In a business built on managing risk, that might be one worth reassessing.