Briefing: Young insurance talent needs access – not just advice

The UK general insurance (UKGI) industry talks a lot about attracting young talent.

We discuss the skills gap, the need for fresh perspectives and the importance of building a stronger talent pipeline for the future.

But once young people are in the industry, are we doing enough to help them build the kind of career that helps them progress?

Over the years, I have met countless talented young people working in insurance. The difference between those who progress quickly through the ranks and those who struggle is rarely intelligence or work ethic. More often, it is access – access to people, opportunities and experiences that help them understand how our industry really works.

By this, I do not just mean technical knowledge or professional qualifications – although both are clearly important. I mean the relationships, confidence, visibility, industry understanding and informal guidance that help people move from having a job in insurance to building a meaningful career in insurance.

Too often, we assume that if someone has secured a role in insurance, the hard work is done.

In reality, getting through the door is only the beginning. The people who stay, progress and become future leaders are often those who are given opportunities beyond their day job.

Many young professionals are ambitious, capable and eager to learn. What they often lack is not motivation, but the right opportunities to build relationships and confidence beyond their immediate role. That might mean meeting senior leaders, developing networks outside their own employer, attending industry events, finding mentors who can explain how the market really works, or being included in conversations that help them understand where their career could go.

For some people, that kind of access happens naturally. They have managers who open doors, colleagues who make introductions, or personal networks that help them feel comfortable in professional spaces.

For others, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds or those working outside the major insurance hubs, it can be much harder.

That is why industry initiatives – such as Biba’s Young Broker Day, the Chartered Insurance Institute’s New Generation programme or events through inclusion networks – are so valuable. These are not simply ‘nice to have’ events. They are practical examples of what access looks like in action.

Giving younger professionals the chance to attend, learn, earn continuing professional development, meet people and experience the wider market can have a significant impact on how they see their own future in the industry.

Experiences matter

I still remember attending industry events earlier in my career and realising just how many opportunities existed beyond my immediate role. The knowledge gained was valuable, but the conversations were often even more important. Meeting people from different parts of the market helped me better understand the industry and the many career paths available within it.

We should not underestimate that.

A single conversation at the right time can change how someone thinks about their career. A first industry event can help someone feel they belong. A mentor can help a young professional navigate challenges that might otherwise cause them to disengage or leave the sector altogether.

This is also where firms need to think beyond awareness.

It is not enough to tell young talent that insurance is a great career. We have to help them experience the industry as a place where they can grow, contribute and be seen.

If your development strategy for young talent begins and ends with technical training, you are only doing part of the required job. Technical skills help people perform. Networks, visibility and confidence help people progress.

Creating that access does not always require a large budget or a formal programme. Sometimes it is as simple as taking a junior colleague to an industry event, introducing them to people in your network, inviting them to client meetings, encouraging them to join an employee network or professional body, or giving them the opportunity to present their ideas to senior stakeholders.

These moments may seem small, but they can have a lasting impact on confidence and career progression.

That means giving junior colleagues the time and encouragement to attend events. It can mean supporting mentoring schemes, sponsoring places at industry initiatives and investing in regional activity. It also means actively opening your network to them. Make introductions. Bring them into conversations. Give them exposure to opportunities they may not find on their own.

At the Insurance Cultural Awareness Network (Ican), we see the value of this every day.

Through mentoring, networking, events, recruitment activity and partnerships with firms across the sector, we are helping people build the relationships and confidence that support long-term career growth.

The organisations that invest in this are not doing it out of goodwill alone. They are strengthening retention, improving employee engagement and building future leadership pipelines.

If firms want to attract and retain talented people, particularly diverse young talent, they need to invest in access, not just awareness.

The future of insurance will not be shaped by the people who happened to know the right person or be in the right room at the right time. It will be shaped by the talent we choose to invest in.

If we are serious about attracting and retaining the next generation, we need to stop assuming access will happen naturally.

We need to create it.

Our job as an industry is to open more doors and make sure talented people have the confidence to walk through them.