To stay competitive, your firm will
need to harness the full potential
of the most current insurtech tools
By Michael Streit
From streamlining claims processing and renewals to enhancing customer interactions, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are transforming how insurance is delivered and experienced.
For independent insurance agents, the biggest challenge isn’t deciding whether to adopt AI—most already recognize it’s essential to staying competitive. The real challenge lies in building a team capable of harnessing the full potential of today’s insurtech tools. That means hiring professionals who are open to the value of these technologies and willing to learn how to use them and integrate them into their daily workflows.
Here are four essential tips to help you attract and hire the kind of AI-minded talent that can lead your agency into the future.
- Define and communicate your AI vision. Hiring starts with clarity. Before you begin recruiting, take time to define how AI and automation will support your agency’s future.
Are you looking to enhance client retention with automated renewal tools? Drive growth with real-time, data-backed agency performance reports? Improve client service through quote-by-text capabilities? Or boost marketing efficiency with AI writing tools and automated email campaigns?
When you communicate your vision clearly in job descriptions and interviews, you’ll naturally attract candidates who are energized by forward-thinking work.
Pro tip: In your job postings, highlight the tools your agency currently uses—or plans to implement—to achieve these goals, such as your agency management system. This shows candidates that you’re actively investing in modern technology, not just talking about innovation.
- Prioritize adaptability and curiosity over technical expertise. For your agency to stay competitive, what you need most are team members who are comfortable exploring new tools, eager to learn, and open to change. This mindset is especially important in the insurance industry, where the availability of AI-driven solutions and modern agency management tools have rapidly expanded in recent years.
From quoting and binding to servicing and renewals, today’s technology can help you streamline the entire policy lifecycle—making it essential that your team is willing to adapt and evolve. To gauge whether a candidate has a tech-friendly mindset, consider asking:
- “Do you use AI tools in your personal or professional life—like ChatGPT, AI-based writing assistants, or automation apps? If so, how do you use them?”
- “When faced with a new software or platform, how do you typically get up to speed?”
-
“Have you ever suggested a new technology or process to improve efficiency in your workplace? What was the outcome?”
[B]ringing on even one or two strategic team members
with strong digital skills can have an outsized impact on
your agency. These individuals can serve as internal champions … .
You can also incorporate short, problem-solving scenarios into your interview process to test how a candidate thinks. For example: “A client calls frustrated because they didn’t receive their renewal notice on time. How would you use our agency management system and automation tools to prevent this issue in the future?”
The goal isn’t to find someone with a perfect answer, but to evaluate:
- Do they think in systems?
- Do they use data and tools to solve real problems?
- Are they proactive in using tech to improve the customer experience?
This kind of mindset will serve your agency well—especially as you scale and introduce new tech tools over time.
Why it matters: As a modern agency owner, you can’t afford to have team members who are stuck in a paper-first work style. Clients expect digital convenience and speed—and your team needs to deliver it.
- Hire talent that’s willing to help. While not everyone you onboard needs to be a technology expert, bringing on even one or two strategic team members with strong digital skills can have an outsized impact on your agency. These individuals can serve as internal champions—helping to drive tool adoption, align workflows, and ensure that everyone on your team is moving forward together.
When hiring for roles that require more experience with insurtech tools or digital platforms, it’s important to assess not just a candidate’s technical know-how, but their willingness and ability to support others. This is especially valuable in smaller, independent agencies, where team members often wear multiple hats. Your most effective tech-minded hires will be those who are comfortable guiding less tech-experienced colleagues.
- Recruit through AI-forward channels. Insurance can be taught, but developing tech fluency is often much more challenging.
Instead of waiting for tech-minded talent to find your job listing, take a proactive approach by posting on recruiting platforms like Built In, Underdog.io, or Starbridge Partners—sites designed to attract candidates who already speak the language of data and automation. These platforms draw professionals from startup, SaaS, and analytics-driven environments who are already comfortable with AI and client-facing digital tools.
Pro tip: Use clear, targeted tags and keywords in your job postings to help attract the right candidates. Tags that can help you reach tech-savvy talent might include:
- #AIinInsurance
- #TechEnabledAgency
- #NextGenAgency
- #InsuranceInnovation
- #DataDrivenAgency
Modern talent for a modern agency
You can have the best agency management system on the market, but if your team isn’t willing or able to use it, your agency will fall behind. Technology doesn’t drive progress on its own—people do.
That’s why building an AI-minded team is one of the smartest investments you can make. With the right talent and technology in place, your agency can spend less time on time-consuming workflows and more time building relationships, growing the business, and delivering standout client service.
The author
Michael Streit is president of EZLynx. He has nearly a decade of experience in private equity operations, after earning an MBA from Harvard Business School.
