Financial-services hiring today is weighted towards higher-qualified, specialist roles. In insurance and the wider sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles, rather than RQF 3 to 5 the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026). That tells us something simple: employers are competing hardest for people with advanced, technical and regulated expertise.
When the demand sits at that level, the pool can feel narrow. So the smart question isn't just where do we find more of the same people, it's where else can we find the thinking these roles actually need. That's where widening the pool matters.
Insurance runs on judgement, data and detail. Underwriting weighs risk. Actuarial work models probability. Claims and fraud teams spot the thing that doesn't fit. Compliance checks every rule against every case. These are the roles that lean to RQF 6+ expertise the GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report (2026), and they reward people who think in patterns, hold detail and stay with a problem.
Many neurodiverse people bring exactly those strengths. Pattern recognition, deep focus, logical reasoning and a low tolerance for inconsistency are assets in risk, data and regulated work, not quirks to manage around. Hiring for them widens the pool without lowering the bar on skill.
Start with the work, not the stereotype of the ideal person. Write the role around the skills it genuinely needs, then test for those skills directly. A work sample or a practical task tells you far more about underwriting judgement or data reasoning than a fast-paced panel interview does.
None of this lowers the standard. It removes the noise so real ability shows, and it opens the door to people who would otherwise screen out before you ever saw their work.
We built Reed.ai to help you reach the right person faster across a database of 15 million candidates, then manage the hire end to end, from a ranked shortlist through to a booked interview. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're widening your insurance pool to include neurodiverse talent, start a search with us today.
