Breaking into Insurance: Attracting Gen Z to a Traditional Industry

📊 Industry Pulse - Insurance Employment Trends

The insurance industry is experiencing significant workforce transformation. Since August 2023, the industry has added 40,600 jobs, bringing total employment in the sector to approximately 3.02 million, while 50% of the workforce is projected to enter retirement by 2028.

Recent data shows 52% of companies intend to grow their teams in the next 12 months, with 0.58% growth in insurance jobs overall projected, and life & health segment anticipated to experience a 1.49% increase in employment opportunities.

This creates a perfect storm of opportunity: millennials, Gen Z and those looking to change careers have a unique opportunity to join the insurance industry as experienced professionals retire and companies actively expand.

The Talent Challenge:

• Massive retirement wave creating immediate openings

• 86 percent of carriers intend to increase or maintain their staff sizes

• Growing demand for professionals skilled in data-centered approaches, predictive modeling and analytics

🚀 The Reality Check

While tech companies dazzle young professionals with ping pong tables and unlimited PTO, insurance firms are struggling to fill their talent pipeline. The average age of insurance workers continues to climb, with many companies facing a looming talent shortage as Baby Boomers retire.

But here's the plot twist: Gen Z isn't just looking for trendy perks. They want something deeper—and insurance can deliver it better than most industries.

🎯 What Gen Z Actually Wants

Purpose Over Paychecks
Gen Z craves work that matters. They want to see the direct impact of their efforts on real people's lives. Insurance protects families, enables dreams, and provides security during life's most vulnerable moments. This isn't just a job—it's a mission.

Stability Without Stagnation
Unlike previous generations who chose either security or excitement, Gen Z wants both. They've witnessed economic volatility and value financial stability, but refuse to accept boring, repetitive work. This is a huge advantage for the traditional insurance industry which has historically been a fantastically stable career. We need to make sure Gen Z understands this, but we must also make sure they understand the massive growth potential for their careers.

Technology Integration, Not Replacement
Gen Z doesn't want to work for technology—they want to work with it. They're attracted to industries that are digitally transforming, where they can be part of innovation. During the insurtech revolution of the last 10 years we have invested billions in modernizing our technology.

🚀 The Insurance Advantage

Smart insurance companies are discovering unique advantages over flashy tech startups:

✅ Immediate Impact - When you help a family receive a claim payment after a house fire, or design a policy that makes healthcare affordable for a small business—that's tangible impact Gen Z can see and feel. They desperately want to see how they’re having an impact right away!

✅ Recession-Proof Career Path - While tech layoffs make headlines, insurance remains consistently stable. Gen Z values this security more than previous generations realized.

✅ Innovation Opportunities - From AI-powered underwriting to blockchain-based claims processing, there's genuine cutting-edge work happening. Gen Z can build the future, not just maintain the past. They are a generation that is hungry to innovate and their college studies have included huge emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation.

✅ Clear Career Progression - Unlike startups where career paths are unclear, insurance offers well-defined advancement opportunities.

💡 Reframe Your Message

Instead of competing on ping pong tables, successful insurance companies canare reframeing their value proposition:

• From: "Stable Job" → To: "Stable Platform for Innovation"

• From: "Traditional Industry" → To: "Essential Infrastructure"

• From: "Insurance Sales" → To: "Financial Security Consulting"

🛠️ 5 Strategies That Actually Work

1. Modernize the Interview Process
Replace formal, intimidating interviews with conversational sessions. Use video interviews and scenario-based discussions.

2. Create Mentorship Programs
Pair Gen Z hires with experienced professionals for both technical guidance and industry context.

3. Offer Real Projects Early
Get new hires working on actual client problems within weeks. Gen Z learns by doing.

4. Emphasize Professional Development
Create clear pathways for certifications, conferences, and specialized expertise. Get them started on CPCU, RPLU, CLU, etc right away.

5. Showcase Success Stories
Share stories of young insurance professionals making significant impact—the 26-year-old who redesigned your claims process, the recent graduate who identified new market opportunities.

🎬 The Innovation Reality

Modern insurance companies are already seeing young professionals drive significant change:

• Claims Processing: Mobile apps allowing customers to file and track claims in real-time

• Risk Assessment: New models incorporating climate data and social factors

• Customer Engagement: Social media strategies and digital communication preferences

• Process Automation: Streamlining underwriting with machine learning algorithms

🔥 The Bottom Line

Gen Z isn't avoiding insurance because it's boring—they're avoiding it because it's been positioned as boring. The companies that win the talent war will authentically communicate insurance's inherent purpose, stability, and innovation potential. We have a LOT to draw from!

The industry that protects everyone else's dreams is perfectly positioned to fulfill Gen Z's career aspirations.

📈 Take Action This Week

For HR Leaders:

• Audit your job descriptions—remove outdated language

• Create a "Day in the Life" video series featuring young employees and make sure it doesn’t feel like overly edited marketing. Shaky cam is good! Authenticity is king!

• Partner with local colleges for innovation challenges

For Managers:

• Identify one innovation project a Gen Z hire could lead

• Schedule informal coffee chats to understand motivations

• Showcase the real-world impact of your team's work

💬 Let's Connect

What's your experience attracting younger talent to insurance? Hit reply and share your success stories or challenges—I read every response.

📱 Stay Connected
Forward this newsletter to anyone struggling with talent acquisition in traditional industries.

Insuring Tomorrow delivers industry insights, employment trends, and strategic guidance for insurance professionals. Subscribe for at least monthly updates on market developments and workforce strategies.

Sources: Insurance industry employment data from Bureau of Labor Statistics, Insurance Information Institute, and industry workforce reports.