Farmers Group plans to permanently lay off 63 employees in California later this year, according to filings under the state's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.
The cuts, which will affect finance and insurance roles, are scheduled to take place in late October.
At the same time, Farmers is seeking to add staff in other parts of the business. The insurer is recruiting more than 100 employees for hybrid direct sales positions across four cities, according to BestWire.
On Sept. 9, the company listed 89 corporate job openings on its website, including roles such as a field property claims adjuster in Oklahoma, a head HR business partner in Woodland Hills, and an inbound sales consultant in Kansas City, Kansas, offering a $5,000 bonus for licensed representatives.
A number of open positions are concentrated in technology, predictive analytics, sales and distribution, and product management. The hiring push underscores an industry-wide shift toward customer-facing sales and data-driven roles, even as back-office positions come under pressure.
The news comes against the backdrop of a broader decline in US insurance employment. Preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the industry shed 5,500 jobs in August, reversing gains made in July when 7,500 positions were added. Analysts said the sector continues to adjust to higher operating costs, evolving customer expectations, and the impact of automation in claims and underwriting.
Farmers ranks among the top five US homeowners' multiperil insurers, with a 5.5% market share in 2024, according to BestLink. The group sits behind State Farm, Allstate, USAA, and Liberty Mutual in that market segment. Its underwriting entities, part of Zurich Insurance Group, hold financial strength ratings of A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) from AM Best.
Industry observers noted that while Farmers’ layoffs reflect cost-cutting measures common across the sector, its simultaneous recruitment drive highlights a reallocation of resources rather than a broad retrenchment. Insurers continue to seek growth in sales and digital capabilities, even as traditional roles are pared back, according to the report.
