How AI Is Transforming Insurance Without Replacing Human Empathy

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from buzzword to backbone technology in the global insurance industry. A new survey by consulting firm Sollers, based on interviews with 11 chief executives from major insurers in Europe, North America, Australia and Canada, finds that AI is now viewed as the single most influential technology shaping the sector’s future. At the same time, these leaders send a clear message: AI must enhance, not replace, human empathy, personalization and face‑to‑face interaction with customers. AI across the insurance value chain Insurance has always relied on data—from medical reports and financial records to photos, videos and sensor readings. Much of this information is unstructured and used to be slow and expensive for humans to process. According to Sollers president and co‑founder Michał Trochimczuk, AI is already delivering major efficiency gains by processing exactly this type of unstructured data at scale. Modern AI systems can read documents, extract key details, classify claims and flag anomalies far faster than traditional tools, allowing insurers to simplify their IT architecture and design smarter risk‑selection processes. The CEOs interviewed say AI is being embedded along the entire insurance value chain: In underwriting and pricing, AI models help analyze vast data sets to refine risk assessment and speed up decisions. In product design, data‑driven insights support more tailored, usage‑based products and dynamic pricing. In claims, AI supports automation of intake, document checking, fraud detection and straight‑through settlement for simple cases. In customer interaction, conversational agents and decision engines use AI to personalize journeys and route customers to digital or human channels at the right time. For many companies, cost control is now the key to competitiveness, which pushes them to invest in automation, simplified standard architectures, modern rating systems and intelligent risk selection. Human judgement and empathy still matter Despite the clear efficiency gains, the Sollers report highlights a shared concern: customers still expect empathy, transparency and trusted advice, especially when they suffer a loss, illness or accident. The CEOs stress that AI should not erode personalization or the ability to meet clients face to face. Instead of replacing people, executives see AI as a way to free staff from repetitive work so they can focus on complex and emotional situations. For example, AI can pre‑fill claim files, check documents and suggest next steps, while human claim handlers concentrate on explaining coverage, negotiating sensitive settlements and supporting policyholders in difficult moments. This is part of a broader shift where insurers try to move from purely transactional relationships to more supportive, advisory experiences over a customer’s lifetime. Voices from global insurance leaders The Sollers study includes views from leaders across markets and business models, such as: Frank Walthes, CEO of VKB, Germany Andrew Horton, CEO of QBE, Australia Simon Wilson, CEO of Markel Insurance, USA Jean‑Daniel Laffely, CEO of La Vaudoise, Switzerland Ken Norgrove, CEO of Intact UK&I, United Kingdom and Ireland Marcus Ryu, Battery Ventures, USA Isabelle Le Bot, CEO of La France Mutualiste, France Agnès Paquin, CEO of CNP Assurances, France Andrej Slapar, CEO of Triglav, Slovenia Dr. Jürg Schiltknecht, CEO of Helvetia Germany, Germany Brenda Gibson, CEO of Red River Mutual, Canada Collectively, they describe a near‑future where AI is deeply embedded in pricing engines, product design, claims automation, customer interaction and risk management—but where human judgement remains central to the promise of insurance. The road ahead for AI in insurance Looking forward, insurers face a twin challenge. On one side, competitive pressure and economic conditions demand aggressive use of AI, automation and data‑driven decision‑making to control costs and improve service. On the other, regulators and customers want AI systems that are fair, transparent and respectful of privacy and human dignity. According to the Sollers report and other industry analyses, the most successful insurers will be those that treat AI not just as a cost‑cutting tool but as a strategic capability that supports better risk decisions, faster service and more compassionate customer experiences. That requires investment in technology, staff training, process redesign and governance to manage bias and keep “the human in the loop.” In that model, the insurance business of tomorrow still keeps one familiar promise: when something goes wrong, there is a real person—supported by intelligent tools—ready to listen, explain and help the customer recover.