Insurance Executives and Policyholders Split on AI Trust

BOSTON, Sept. 24, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Hi Marley, the intelligent communication platform for P&C insurance, has released new research revealing a significant disconnect between insurance executives and policyholders regarding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on customer trust. The study, which surveyed 550 senior P&C insurance decision-makers and 2,000 policyholders across the U.S. and Canada, found that 85 percent of insurance executives believe AI will strengthen customer trust. In contrast, only 40 percent of policyholders agree, with nearly as many believing AI will weaken their trust in their carrier.

According to the report, 65 percent of insurers expect to increase dedicated AI investment across a broad range of functions. However, only about half of policyholders are mostly or completely confident their insurer will use AI responsibly. Two-thirds of policyholders expressed their biggest concern as the fear of not being able to reach a human when it matters most.

Interestingly, when policyholders used AI-supported channels to communicate with their insurer, they responded positively, with 91 percent saying they were satisfied with the experience. The findings suggest that policyholders' acceptance and comfort with AI-enabled communication depend heavily on where AI is used, how transparent it is, and whether a human is available when it matters most. In fact, 90 percent of customers say knowing when they are interacting with AI is very or extremely important.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining human judgment and empathy in critical situations.

The trust in AI-delivered answers also varies significantly. Roughly two-thirds of policyholders say they would trust AI-delivered answers to general insurance questions or coverage details. However, that trust drops to just 45 percent when it comes to information needed to file a claim correctly.

It outlines how carriers can identify and mitigate potential challenges around strategy, data, customer expectations, people, and governance as they deploy AI at scale.

The research underscores the importance of a balanced approach to AI implementation in the insurance industry. Carriers should start with interactions where AI's role is clear and the consequences of getting it wrong are lower, then expand its role as the technology, governance, and customer experience mature. A successful AI interaction is not simply one that provides an answer, but one that helps the policyholder understand what to do next or moves the issue closer to resolution.