US commercial property and casualty insurers are focusing on digital transformation and skills development to address productivity challenges and workforce needs, according to the latest Convr survey.
The 2025 survey gathered responses from 200 insurance decision-makers, all at the manager level or higher, to explore how talent and technology are intersecting to reshape underwriting operations.
A key finding revealed that 92% of respondents said their organizations are upskilling underwriting teams in areas such as data analytics, automation, and digital underwriting.
Automation is viewed as a growing factor in the underwriting process. More than half (53%) of respondents expect underwriting tasks to become more automated in the coming years. That expectation may be tied to perceptions of the work itself, as 84% of industry leaders described underwriting tasks as somewhat to very tedious.
Respondents also reported that underwriters are asking for more support. About 45% said their teams are seeking better access to tools and technology, while 42% said underwriters want training on emerging tech.
Despite current challenges, there is broad agreement that technology can streamline operations. More than 50% of survey participants believe that between 25% and 50% of manual underwriting work could be automated.
Respondents cited multiple barriers to efficiency, including high submission volumes, limited access to effective tools, and excessive manual data entry.
The growing urgency around digital transformation is also linked to demographic pressure within the industry. Nearly half of the insurance workforce is over the age of 50, raising concerns around succession and long-term staffing.
Firms are increasingly relying on technology to address knowledge gaps and to attract younger professionals who are more comfortable working with digital tools and systems.
Retention and recruitment are also influencing how insurers invest in technology. Nearly 85% of leaders said improved technology can reduce employee attrition, while 93% agreed that it helps attract younger professionals to underwriting roles.
The link between performance and process improvement was also apparent. Approximately 95% of respondents said their organization’s overall performance could benefit from greater efficiency in underwriting.
At the same time, insurers with more advanced digital maturity are reportedly gaining a competitive edge. These companies are not only deploying new tools but also using them across various business units, from customer service to claims and underwriting.
The survey results indicate that digital transformation is not only about automation but also about enabling agility across the organization.
While 74% of respondents said their companies rolled out new underwriting tools in 2024, more than 17% said no new technology had been delivered. In 2025, 83% of respondents expect to introduce new tools to their underwriting teams.
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