Insurance Consumers Divided Over AI Use, Want Agent Involvement

• By: AnneMarie McPherson Spears
• January 7, 2026

Insurance consumers value the speed and convenience of modern digital tools but have mixed feelings about their insurance agents’ use of artificial intelligence (AI)—meaning that transparency, trust and agent involvement are key to customer service in 2026, according to a new survey from Vertafore.

Vertafore’s “Policyholder Expectations for Independent Agents” report found that clients place significant value on the human expertise offered by their independent agent, with nearly 90% of policyholders wanting agent involvement when managing their policies.

Also, 85% of policyholders prefer an agent-assisted search when shopping for insurance. Of those, 62% want to work only with an agent when comparing coverage options. At the same time, 23% want an approach that combines agent support with online resources such as quote calculators, customer review forums and policy comparison sites.

Almost half of respondents—48%—say they prefer to manage their policy through an agent, and another 41% prefer a mix of agent involvement and digital tools such as online account portals, mobile apps, and digital claims filing systems.

However, despite mixed feelings about AI, customers increasingly want faster service. Eighty-three percent expect their agent to respond to inquiries within one business day, and 35% expect a response in an hour or less. And despite a desire for touchpoints beyond renewals and transactions, only 21% of policyholders report receiving proactive updates or outreach from their agent.

“This new data shows that clients genuinely value the personal connection and expertise of their independent agents. At the same time, clients want faster communication and digital access to their insurance information,” said James Thom, chief product officer at Vertafore. “By combining the right tools with their knowledge, agents can deliver the experience clients want, strengthen their relationships and stand out from the competition.”

AI is becoming increasingly established as a way for agents to meet clients’ expectations for timely communication and personalized service. But policyholders have mixed comfort levels with its usage.

While 38% say they’re comfortable with their agent using AI, 34% are neutral and 28% say they are uncomfortable. The most acceptable uses of AI were identifying cost savings, providing personalized recommendations, speeding up claims processing, and answering basic questions via chatbots.

The vast majority—85%—of consumers do want to know when AI is being used, regardless of their comfort level, particularly if AI is impacting cost or speed. The top reasons for wanting to remain informed included a lack of trust in AI, a desire for clear communication and data privacy concerns.

Agents must “provide transparency about when and how they are using artificial intelligence, especially when it is used to save policyholders’ time or money,” the report said. “By proactively communicating the value and purpose of AI, agents can strengthen trust and reassure clients that human expertise remains at the center of their service.”

AnneMarie McPherson Spears is IA news editor.