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Underwriter workforce capacity planning ensures the right number of appropriately skilled underwriters to meet current and future production, and service level targets, by forecasting demand, assessing supply and skills, identifying gaps, and optimizing headcount. As industry dynamics evolve and new pressures emerge, there is increased interest in how organizations are approaching these challenges.
A recent survey conducted by Gen Re’s Client Solutions team showed over half (63%) of participating carriers produce capacity plans at least quarterly, with others reviewing staffing and workload continuously or “as needed.”
Despite regular reviews, most organizations are still reacting to trends rather than anticipating them. The reliance on periodic adjustments – often triggered by volume spikes, backlogs, or service-level pressure – suggests that many plans function as rearview mirrors instead of windshields.
Capacity management can quickly become costly due to market pressures including unpredictable demand, shifting product mixes, and tightening labor supply.
No participants reported using predictive analytics, machine learning, or vendor-based modeling in their capacity planning. Most companies (91%) rely primarily on historical trend-based modeling and supplement with manual estimates or expert judgement.
These results highlight a gap in analytics. While institutional knowledge and experience remain valuable, historical averages struggle to keep pace with case complexity, evidence requirements, and customer expectations.
Two-thirds of survey respondents indicate they attempt to balance historical and forward-looking inputs. We believe supplementing these inputs with more advanced modelling techniques can help to reduce inaccurate workload forecasting, which continues to rank among the top capacity challenges.
When asked to identify the most important factor in optimizing underwriting workflow, respondents most frequently cited:
These priorities align with broader industry trends, but the survey results also underscore that technology alone won’t solve capacity challenges. Standardized processes, better triage, and skill-based routing were also repeatedly mentioned – often as complements to automation rather than replacements for it.
The most effective methods in optimizing underwriter workflow appear to pair technology with discipline including:
Underwriter training remains both a solution and a constraint in solving capacity pain points. Training emerged as one of the most complex themes throughout the survey responses. All participating companies rely heavily on virtual sessions and medical director-led training. Case studies remain highly valued, and reinsurer support continues to play a central role.
At the same time, training is described as:
Interestingly, respondents expressed growing interest in short, AI‑enabled, highly engaging training formats – suggesting a desire to modernize learning without consuming scarce underwriting hours. Brief, recurring communications and audit-driven case examples appear to strike the right balance between effectiveness and efficiency.
The evolution of underwriting capacity planning will likely include greater adoption of predictive and scenario-based modeling along with training models designed for capacity constraints, not despite them.
These survey results suggest successful underwriting capacity shouldn’t be treated as a scheduling exercise, but rather a strategic skill – one that will separate organizations that merely cope with change from those that are built to absorb it.
To talk about underwriter training, support with capacity planning, and tailored research opportunities, reach out to me or Donna Sivigny, Head of Client Solutions, or your Gen Re representative.
