Most insurance customers now use generative AI when shopping for cover, study finds
Despite the popularity of AI tools, new research finds that many people still have concerns about data privacy and misinformation, and want human support as well
A new report from the Geneva Association, Gen AI in the Insurance Customer Journey, shows that generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) has become an integrated part of how customers research and purchase insurance. The study, based on a survey of 6,000 customers across China, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US, found strong uptake of both insurer-provided and general-purpose gen AI tools.
Among the respondents, the use of AI tools was highest in the early stages of buying insurance, with nearly 70% saying they had turned to general-purpose AI to compare products and quotes independently.
Despite the popularity of generative AI, more than 40% of those surveyed expressed concerns about data privacy and misinformation when using these tools on their own. At the same time, a similar percentage cited the potential loss of human support as their top concern when dealing with insurer-provided AI tools.
Jad Ariss, Managing Director of the Geneva Association, commented: “Trust is the foundation of the insurer-customer relationship. Gen AI has the potential to enhance almost every stage of the insurance customer journey, but customers want assurance that fairness, accuracy, and human empathy remain central to insurance processes. We hope our report guides insurers in deploying gen AI tools effectively while preserving human connection and customer confidence.”
Ruo (Alex) Jia, Director Digital Technologies at the Geneva Association and lead author of the report, added: “As customers become more comfortable and engaged with gen AI tools, insurers have an opportunity to reimagine service delivery, strengthen transparency, and create more personalised, value-driven relationships. Strong data infrastructure and hybrid models that keep humans ‘in the loop’ for certain interactions will improve the customer experience and enable the agility needed to thrive in today’s AI-powered world.”
A recent Gigasure survey revealed that a quarter of UK holidaymakers knowingly fail to disclose pre-existing medical conditions when buying travel insurance.