Agents Using AI Save 4 Hours a Week, Says Liberty Mutual Study

• By: AnneMarie McPherson Spears
• August 20, 2026

Independent insurance agents are moving artificial intelligence (AI) from experimentation into everyday work, with users reporting an average savings of four hours per week, according to a Liberty Mutual study.

The “2026 Independent Agency Growth Study,” which surveyed nearly 1,200 U.S.-based independent agency principals and staff members, found that 65% of agents used AI on the job at least a few times in the past year—up from 37% in 2025. Meanwhile, weekly use rose from 18% of agents in 2025 to 41% in 2026.

Most AI usage in agencies was from individual employees, rather than agency-level implementation. Still, crucially, 38% of agents who use AI said the technology has saved them a notable amount of time. On average, AI users estimated they saved 4 hours per week. More than half reported saving more than two hours per week, and 14% said they saved eight hours or more—the equivalent of a full workday.

Agents who reported the most meaningful time savings used AI to summarize meeting notes (44%), generate marketing content (43%), compare policy details (34%) and automate routine tasks such as data entry or document maintenance (26%).

Further, perceptions about AI are becoming more positive. In 2026, agents were nearly twice as likely to view AI as an opportunity rather than a threat. Fifty-six percent agreed AI can make their agency more efficient, up from 39% in 2024, and 52% said AI will help grow their agency in the future, compared with 33% in 2024.

Younger agency employees are the most optimistic, with 70% of millennial and Generation Z employees saying AI can make their business more efficient, compared to 55% of Generation X and 42% of baby boomers.

As agencies become more comfortable with AI, agency-wide adoption is likely to increase, according to the study. Fourteen percent of agents said their agency has already implemented an AI tool or solution, more than double the share in 2025. Another 42% said their agency is learning about AI’s potential and identifying opportunities, while roughly one-quarter said their agency is interested but not prioritizing the technology. Larger agencies—those with more than 11 employees or at least $5 million in annual premium—were more likely than smaller agencies to have implemented an AI tool.

Use cases are likely to expand as well. While only 8% of agents said their agency currently uses AI to analyze customer data, 42% said their agency would consider that use in the next year or two. The study also found rising interest in broader applications that support analysis, workflow automation and decision-making.

Agencies remain cautious about using AI in areas closest to client relationships. About 26% of agents said they would not consider AI for taking a customer’s initial contact information, suggesting that many agencies still see limits around where automation should meet customer service.

While AI usage in agencies grows in leaps and bounds, agency governance has yet to catch up. Individual staff AI use nearly doubled year over year, but only 18% of agents said their agency has a well-defined policy on AI use, up slightly from 12% in 2025. That means much of the AI activity happening in agencies may be taking place without clear guidance around appropriate use, data handling or client information.

Confidence among agency leaders is also still developing. Less than one-third of agency principals—29%—said they know enough about AI to make business decisions about the technology, only a slight increase from 26% in 2025 and 22% in 2024. Trust remains limited as well, with 22% of agents saying they trust AI technologies with business data and client information.

“AI in agencies is no longer a future concept. It’s quickly becoming part of how independent agents work every day,” said Luke Bills, president, independent agent distribution, Liberty Mutual Insurance. “This research shows that agents are already using AI to save meaningful time and work more efficiently.”

“As adoption grows, the greatest opportunity will be in what agents do with that time: applying expertise, solving complex problems, and building trusted customer relationships when it matters most,” Bills added.

AnneMarie McPherson Spears is IA news editor.