Shin Research Program Highlights Global Insurance Skills and Workforce Trends for 2025

The Shin Research Program, underwritten by Kyobo Life Insurance Company, has released its 2025 study examining employment trends, skills development, and workforce projections across the global insurance industry. Supported by more than three decades of partnership with the International Insurance Society (IIS), the program provides insights into the evolving skill sets needed to meet the industry’s changing demands.

The 2025 research focuses on measuring insurance employment trends across major roles and forecasting growth over the next decade for both property/casualty (P/C) and life insurance sectors. Using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data as a benchmark for employment trends, combined with global survey responses on professional skills, the report highlights both regional and functional workforce priorities.

Insurance Industry Growth and Emerging Roles

The U.S. insurance sector currently employs nearly 3 million professionals, with steady growth expected over the next decade. While traditional roles such as customer service, claims, and underwriting are projected to decline, insurance sales agents remain the top occupation, with employment expected to grow 6% by 2033. Actuaries are projected to grow 22%, adding 6,600 jobs, while data scientists are the fastest-growing segment, reflecting the industry’s shift toward analytics-driven decision-making.

Skills for the Future

Critical thinking and problem-solving emerge as the most important skills across all insurance roles, with 89% of professionals rating them as highly important and more than half willing to invest in development over the next decade. Adaptability, lifelong learning, and technical skills such as data analysis and risk assessment are increasingly essential across roles.

The study highlights divergent skill priorities by job function and geography. Customer service professionals emphasize communication and policy fluency, claims focus on investigative skills, underwriters prioritize risk assessment and certifications, actuaries emphasize analytical capabilities, and data scientists highlight modeling and visualization. Regional differences also appear: U.K. professionals prioritize critical thinking and lifelong learning, while Indian professionals emphasize team leadership, mentorship, and experiential learning.

Management vs. Non-Management Skills

Soft skills, including communication, empathy, and team leadership, are rated as critical for management-level employees, while non-management staff focus more on technical and operational competencies. These findings underscore the importance of tailored upskilling and professional development programs across career stages and regions.

Strategic Workforce Planning

The report recommends that insurers balance growth in emerging roles with support for declining yet essential functions, investing strategically in professional development programs that emphasize critical thinking, customer service, data literacy, and leadership. These initiatives are vital to sustaining growth, competitiveness, and resilience in a dynamic industry.

A partial survey report is available for download.

The report will further inform discussions at the IIS Global Insurance Forum 2025, including a dedicated Talent for Tomorrow session, hosted Oct. 26–27 at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue in Rüschlikon, Switzerland.

For more information about the Global Insurance Forum and to register, visit https://www.theglobalinsuranceforum.org.

About International Insurance Society

The International Insurance Society (IIS) is a diverse and inclusive platform for all stakeholders of the global insurance and risk management community, providing knowledge, research, thought leadership, and connectivity to support the betterment of society. Founded in 1965, IIS is a global not-for-profit organization and an affiliate of The Institutes.

About The Institutes

The Institutes® are a not-for-profit comprised of diverse affiliates that educate, elevate, and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by The Institutes nearly 20 affiliated business units, people and organizations are empowered to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting, and preventing losses to create a more resilient world. Learn more at Global.TheInstitutes.org.

The Institutes is a registered trademark of The Institutes. All rights reserved.

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The 2025 research focuses on measuring insurance employment trends across major roles and forecasting growth over the next decade for both property/casualty and life insurance sectors.