The percentage of companies expecting to add staff was an 11.6% increase from the percentage expecting to do so in the previous Ward Group and Jacobson Group “Insurance Labor Market Study” six months ago.
Of the top reasons given for anticipated staff increases during the next year, 30% cited business expansion, 26% cited anticipated increases in volume, 23% said they are understaffed and 15% said they planned to add staff to improve service.
Some insuers are not as optimistic and are planning staff decreases. Of those, 20% cited automation as the reason, 16% said they are overstaffed, 15% cited reorganizations and 14% said they expected to cut staff due to anticipated decreases in volume.
The Ward-Jacobson study surveyed 106 companies, 82% of them property/casualty insurers and 18% life/health companies. It was the fourth such survey conducted by Chicago-based staffing and executive search firm Jacobson Group and Cincinnati-based consulting firm Ward Group.
In addition Progressive Car Insurance, the fourth largest auto insurer in the country, has recently announced its intention to fill multiple positions in several states by the end of June.
Specifically, the Cleveland call center will add 125 customer service positions. The Colorado Springs location expects to fill 95 sales and customer service positions. In addition, Progressive expects to add 65 sales and customer service positions at its Austin contact center and 110 sales and customer service positions at its Tampa Bay location.
