Your Agency Isn’t AI-Proof

If you’re an agency leader right now and you’re not studying AI, you’re ignoring the biggest shift our industry has seen in decades.

I know that sounds dramatic. But hear me out.

For years, the insurance industry operated on a simple formula: Got a problem? Throw people at it.

Not enough sales? Hire more producers. Drowning in renewals? Bring on more account execs.

It worked. Until it didn’t.

 

The Burnout Crisis

Agencies are trying to grow with less. Less overhead. Fewer hires. More efficiency.

But your teams are drowning.

A Liberty Mutual study found that 51% of agency employees report feeling burned out. Half your team is burnt out.

We’re in the thick of Q4 right now. If you’re in the benefits space, you get it. The chaos. The all-hands-on-deck fire drills. The account execs questioning whether they want to keep doing this.

The last thing you need right now is employee turnover.

 

Why This Time Is Different

Our industry has survived a lot. The 2008 recession. The ACA in 2010.

But AI? Nobody is AI-proof.

This isn’t something you can wait out or ignore. This isn’t a trend, it’s a shift in how agencies operate.

You don’t need to fear it. You need to use it.

 

Stop Thinking AI Is Just ChatGPT

AI isn’t just prompting ChatGPT to write an email for you.

There are ways to use AI today that could help your agency explode over the next two to three years if you’re willing to learn.

A Digital Insurance survey found that 78% of insurance leaders are expanding their technology budgets right now. And 36% are directing most of those funds toward AI.

Your competitors are already moving. The question is: Are you?

 

Here’s What You Need to Understand About AI

Just because someone says they “know AI” doesn’t mean they can help your agency.

Think about baseball. You wouldn’t call every pitcher “a pitcher” and assume they’re all the same. There are starting pitchers, relief pitchers, closers. They’re all pitchers, but they do very different things.

AI is the same way.

Someone might know automation. Or chatbots. Or data analysis. Those are different skill sets.

When you’re looking to hire or train someone in AI, know what specific problem you’re solving first. Then find the right expert for that problem.

 

The Mindset Shift You Need to Make

Stop being proud of all the manual work you do.

I know. Your agency prides itself on going above and beyond. On the personal touch. On doing things the hard way because it shows you care.

But you can create an even better client experience without burning out your team.

The question is not: “How do we do more for our clients?”

The question is: “How can we use AI to create a wow experience that doesn’t require manual labor?”

That’s the shift.

 

Where to Start

We’re testing AI tools on our own business. This requires research. Investment. Trial and error.

But the agencies that figure this out now? They’re going to dominate.

The ones that wait? They’re going to get buried while their best people walk out the door.

 

ACTION STEPS TO TAKE RIGHT NOW:

Get serious about research: Block time this week to research AI tools specific to insurance operations.

Hire or train someone with AI expertise: Find someone who specializes in the specific AI application you need, whether that’s automation, client communication, data analysis, or service delivery.

Challenge your manual processes: List every task your team does manually. Ask: “Could AI handle this without sacrificing quality?” Start with one.

Budget for it: 78% of insurance leaders are expanding their tech budgets for AI. This isn’t optional anymore.

The agencies that thrive over the next five years won’t be the ones working the hardest. They’ll be the ones working the smartest.

AI isn’t here to replace your people. It’s here to give them back their time and their sanity.