What matters tomorrow: skills for the insurance professions of the future
Digitalization and artificial intelligence are sustainably changing the requirements in the insurance industry. A ZHAW study supported by the SVV shows which skills will be in demand in the future and what consequences this will have for education and continuing training.
The insurance industry is facing a structural transformation. Digital processes, automation, and theuse of artificial intelligence are changing not only workflows, but also the requirements for employees.
This study by the ZHAW Institute for Risk & Insurance, supported by the Swiss Insurance Association (SVV), analyzes this development on the basis of specialist literature and expert interviews. It shows that traditional roles in sales, underwriting, and claims handling are increasingly operating at the interface with data and technology.
Professional expertise remains the foundation for successful action. At the same time, specialist knowledge alone is no longer sufficient. What is needed are employees who can interpret, critically assess, and translate data and AI-supported recommendations into well-founded decisions. In addition, social and self-competencies are also gaining importance. The ability to cooperate in interdisciplinary teams, capacity for reflection, and resilience are becoming key prerequisites in a dynamic working world.
At the same time, the study identifies a growing gap at the interface between traditional insurance profiles and technology-oriented roles. In the future, hybrid skills will be required that combine professional expertise with an understanding of data and technology.
This results in clear fields of action for the insurance sector: targeted development of professional and methodological competencies, stronger promotion of social and self-competencies, and new approaches to talent development and continuing education.
