Insurance sits inside a broader financial-services picture where demand is steady but increasingly selective. The clearest signal comes from the type of work employers are recruiting for. In the financial-services sector, recruitment was generally for higher-skilled roles rather than mid-level ones, according to GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report.
That matters for insurance. As payrolled headcount edges up, the growth isn't evenly spread across every grade. Employers are adding people where the technical and regulatory bar is high, and being more careful lower down the ladder. It's a quality-over-quantity moment, and it changes how you should plan your hiring.
The demand is skewed towards regulated, technically demanding positions. In financial services, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5 roles GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. RQF 6 sits at degree level, so this points to employers chasing experienced, qualified specialists.
In practical terms, that means underwriters, actuaries, risk and compliance specialists, claims technicians and broking professionals: the people who carry regulatory responsibility and deep product knowledge. These are harder roles to fill because the pool of qualified people is smaller and the competition for them is sharper. If you're hiring in insurance today, you're almost certainly competing for talent at the top end.
Start by being specific about the regulatory level you actually need. The data shows demand clustering at RQF 6+ GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, so write job descriptions that name the qualifications, certifications and regulatory responsibilities precisely. Vague adverts attract the wrong people and waste everyone's time.
Next, move quickly. When you're competing for experienced specialists, a slow process loses good people to faster employers. Keep your interview stages tight, give clear feedback, and make decisions in days, not weeks. Build a shortlist on genuine fit, the technical skills, the regulatory grounding and the way someone works, rather than on job titles alone.
Finally, plan ahead. If headcount is edging up and the hardest roles are the regulated ones, treat your talent pipeline as a standing project. Know where the qualified people are, stay in touch with strong people, and be ready to act when the right person appears.
When you're hiring for regulated insurance roles, reach and speed both count. We search a database of 15 million candidates to find people who match the skills and qualifications your roles demand, then handle recruitment end to end. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. It's a simple way to find the right person and let us manage the process while you focus on the business. Start your first role with Reed.ai today.
