How the universal adoption of AI can help women in insurance balance the scales

The disruption of traditional duties and roles may represent a golden opportunity for women to acquire new skills and climb the career ladder 

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose – the more things change, the more they stay the same. My three decades working in the IT industry, in the niche now known as insurtech (insurance technology) have made me appreciate the wisdom and truth in this pithy French aphorism coined by writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in 1849.

It comes to mind as we collectively race towards what might best be termed an AI inflection point – the specific moment when significant change occurs. In the insurance world, that moment appears to be right here, right now.

Why do I think so? Beyond my anecdotal experience working in the sector, McKinsey's latest research makes a strong case. A study published in 2025, shows 84 per cent of insurers globally are now exploring or implementing AI tools. Between 30 and 50 per cent of claims activity is likely to be automated by 2030, along with 25 to 40 per cent of underwriting tasks.

As for customer interactions, up to 60 per cent of them will be automated too, with routine service delivered via bots and self-service systems.

Dealing with disruption

That's business Disruption with a capital D; seismic change that will impact scores of individuals working in insurance. The majority of them will be women, since they comprise around 60 per cent of the sector's workforce worldwide. 

But while this may be a daunting development, it's not unprecedented. 

In fact, change of equivalent magnitude occurred during my early years in the insurance sector. Back in the mid-1990s, paper files and AS400 systems were ubiquitous in the back office of the major insurer where I had my start, working in the adjustment team.

The arrival of Microsoft, the rapid rise of desktop computers, and the birth of rudimentary digital connectivity saw these old-school tools swiftly swept aside. And with them, legacy processes and practices which had served insurers well for decades.

Viewing change as an opportunity

It was a disconcerting experience for affected workers and an unwelcome one for those set in their ways. For employees who elected to embrace the new, the picture was much rosier. 

I was in the latter cohort, electing to view the disruption as an opportunity, a chance to reskill and reinvent myself, which I was able to do. Training in Microsoft and becoming a 'super user' of the system opened the door to a brand new chapter in my career. Parlaying my knowledge into a role with a respected technology consultancy propelled me out of the back office and onto the IT frontline, where I learnt the ropes of change management. Progressively senior roles in the insurance software industry followed. 

Over the past 25 years, I've had the privilege of working with scores of insurers, supporting them to harness the power of technology to optimise their operations and elevate the service they deliver to customers.

Turning AI into an advantage in 2026

Over the next 12 to 24 months, the AI inflection is likely to play out along broadly similar lines to the 1990s PC revolution. 

Because, while the technology that's driving the disruption may have changed, the human challenges are very much the same.

Insurance workers who take ownership of their careers and evolve their skills beyond the bounds of automatable tasks should survive and thrive, as I and many of my colleagues succeeded in doing 'back in the day'.

Many of these agile adaptors will be ambitious, capable women. I look forward to seeing them empowering themselves, transferring their skills and experience to higher level roles and areas of emerging demand within the financial services sphere.

The theme of International Women's Day this year is 'balance the scales'. As we come together to mark the occasion, I'm optimistic AI can be a catalyst for further progress on that front.