The New Reality of Insurance Hiring: When It Makes Sense to Bring in a Recruiter
Alicia Morris | VP, US Insurance
As 2025 winds down, the insurance talent landscape looks very different from just a few years ago.
Hybrid work is here to stay. AI is transforming workflows. And the demand for professionals who combine technical expertise with traditional insurance knowledge has never been higher.
For carriers, brokerages, MGAs, and insurtech firms, hiring has become more than a transaction — it’s a strategic challenge.
Sometimes, even the best internal talent teams need an external partner to help them meet it.
So, when does it make sense to bring in a recruiter? Here’s our perspective as we head into 2026.
When Roles Are Hard to Fill
Some positions are challenging no matter the market.
Maybe the talent pool is thin, the skills are niche, or the role requires deep industry expertise.
Geographic location: Even though hybrid and remote work have expanded possibilities, some insurance roles like claims adjusters, regional underwriters, and loss control specialists still need people on the ground. A recruiter who understands the market can help you find and attract the right candidates.
Niche skills: Insurance continues to evolve. Roles that combine actuarial knowledge with data science or claims experience with AI-driven analytics are increasingly in demand. Recruiters with industry experience know where these professionals are and how to engage them.
Leadership and executive roles: Senior and department leadership searches require discretion, alignment, and cultural fit. A specialized recruiter can navigate complex stakeholder expectations and ensure the candidate you select is the right long-term leader for your team.
When You Need a True Recruiting Partner
Recruiters today do much more than send resumes.
The right partner acts as an extension of your organization, offering real-time insights on:
- Compensation trends
- Talent availability
- Competitor activity
They also manage what’s often overlooked: candidate engagement.
A great recruiter maintains consistent communication with candidates throughout the process, understanding what motivates them and what might influence their decision.
This “pre-close” approach helps reduce last-minute surprises and ensures that when an offer is made, it’s accepted.
Frequent check-ins between client, recruiter, and candidate keep everyone aligned preventing miscommunication, misunderstandings, and those dreaded “we thought they were a yes” moments.
When You Want to Save Time and Reach Passive Talent
Most HR and TA teams are managing more priorities than ever retention, workforce planning, compliance, DEI, and more. Adding a complex search on top of that can slow things down.
An external recruiter can save time by handling the heavy lifting:
- Screening
- Qualifying
- Shortlisting only the most aligned candidates
That allows your internal team to stay focused on strategy while interviews move forward faster.
But beyond time savings, there’s another major advantage: access to passive talent.
The best professionals in insurance often aren’t actively looking for new roles they’re busy excelling where they are.
Recruiters with long-standing relationships across underwriting, claims, actuarial, and analytics can tap into these networks and have the right conversations at the right time.
That’s how the best hires often happen quietly through trusted connections.
When the Cost of Waiting Outweighs the Cost of Hiring
It’s easy to see a recruiting fee as an added expense.
But when you consider the ripple effects of an unfilled role missed revenue, delayed projects, and burnout among team members covering extra work the real cost becomes clear.
A specialized recruiter can shorten your hiring timeline, reduce internal strain, and deliver a higher-quality hire.
The return on that investment isn’t just in time saved it’s in the long-term success of the person you bring on board.
The Takeaway
As we look ahead to 2026, insurance organizations that hire strategically not reactively will be best positioned to succeed.
If your internal team is stretched thin, if you’re searching for niche technical skills, or if you simply can’t afford to leave a key role open any longer, it may be time to bring in a partner.
At Acumen, we’ve built deep relationships across the insurance industry from actuarial and underwriting to data science and executive leadership.
Our job isn’t just to fill seats; it’s to connect you with the right talent who will strengthen your business for the long term.
Ready to make your next hire count? Let’s talk about how we can help. Contact Acumen today.