Preferential treatment and cliques, old-fashioned thinking and compliance bureaucracy are among the top industry complaints shared in this year’s Insurance News wellbeing survey.  

We asked what you would change about the sector, and many said it is still male-dominated and has a persistent “boys’ club”.  Nepotism, ageism and “deals done in the pub” were all mentioned.

A stubbornly poor public image was also raised, with one reply pointing to unrealistic policyholders as the root cause.  

“The insurance industry simply cannot gear up enough to manage natural catastrophes to meet societal expectations. The costs of doing so would make premiums unaffordable. This leaves a pressure and reputation exposure,” they said.

There were a few mentions of “wokeness” in the insurance workplace. “There is no longer a collegiate and fun environment to work in,” complained one professional.  

Another urged men to respect female colleagues “for their professionalism, not their beauty”.

“I shouldn't have to tell a man to stop coming so close to me, kissing me on the cheek and grabbing my hip. It’s not fair,” she said.  

High workloads, inertia and “old-school bullies with long tenures” were also flagged.  

“The insurance industry needs to adapt to a new generation of workers, embracing more flexible work arrangements and modern work cultures,” urged one respondent.

See Analysis.