Climate Claims Are Changing Insurance Hiring
The effects of climate change are becoming more than just a talking point for the insurance industry. With rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and increasingly unpredictable natural disasters, insurers are seeing a notable uptick in both the frequency and severity of claims. According to a report by Swiss Re, natural catastrophe-related insured losses exceeded $100 billion globally for the third consecutive year in 2023.
While much of the conversation centers around underwriting and pricing strategies, there’s another piece of the puzzle that deserves attention: talent. As climate-related claims increase, so does the need for specialized professionals who can assess risk, understand environmental liability, and build strategies to keep insurers resilient in the face of mounting volatility.
The Growing Talent Gap in Environmental Risk
Traditional actuarial models are increasingly strained by the pace and unpredictability of climate impacts. That shift is creating a demand for professionals who can bring new ways of thinking to risk evaluation. We’re seeing increased interest in roles such as:
- Climate Risk Analysts who model climate scenarios and their financial implications.
- Environmental Claims Specialists with backgrounds in environmental science or sustainability.
- Catastrophe Modelers using geospatial data and advanced modeling software to simulate future climate risk.
- Resiliency and Sustainability Officers focused on long-term planning and ESG compliance.
These roles require a blend of traditional insurance acumen and cross-disciplinary knowledge—pulling from fields like meteorology, hydrology, data science, and regulatory law.
Recruiting for a Changing Landscape
For hiring teams, the challenge lies in identifying and attracting this niche talent. Many of these professionals aren’t coming from traditional insurance pipelines. They may come from academic research, environmental consulting, or public sector organizations. Building partnerships with universities, expanding internship programs, and highlighting the meaningful, high-impact nature of this work can all help attract the next wave of talent.
Equally important is upskilling the existing workforce. Offering training programs and certifications around environmental risk, sustainability, and data modeling can empower current employees to take on new responsibilities in this evolving space.
What This Means for the Future
As climate risk reshapes the insurance industry, it’s also reshaping the teams behind it. Forward-thinking insurers are already investing in talent strategies that reflect this reality—and it’s giving them a competitive edge.
At The Rogan Group, we believe the future of insurance is deeply tied to how we recruit and retain the right talent to meet these emerging challenges. Climate risk isn’t just a coverage issue—it’s a people issue too.
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