Property and casualty (P&C) carriers were responsible for the majority of the layoffs in the US insurance industry in 2023 as the sector shed at least 6,800 jobs, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
About 20 different companies reduced staff throughout the year as insurers looked to refocus their businesses or decelerate cash burn.
Companies cited a variety of reasons for laying off staff, including restructuring in the case of some of the larger reductions initiated by more established insurers.
"For larger carriers, the layoffs were less about conserving cash so that they can survive longer and more about, in some cases, refocusing the business," according to Kaenan Hertz, managing partner at Insurtech Advisors LLC.
P&C carriers parting ways
Farmers Group Inc. laid off the largest number of employees in 2023, announcing in August that it was "parting ways" with approximately 11% of its employees, or about 2,400 people, across all lines of business.
The insurer is seeking to simplify its systems and introduce "innovation designed to support the success of Farmers agency owners and employees," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to Market Intelligence.
"These efforts are part of our strategy to reinvent how insurance is delivered and to make us more responsive to the needs of consumers," the spokesperson said. "While difficult, our decision to become leaner has made us more nimble and has positioned us favorably for future success," the spokesperson added.
P&C giant Geico Corp. announced layoffs in October, affecting approximately 2,000 people. Although the total number of people affected was similar to Farmers, the percentage of total workforce was lower, with Geico laying off about 6% of its workforce.
The layoffs at Geico will better position the company for long-term profitability, CEO Todd Combs wrote in a letter to employees.
"This will allow us to become more dynamic, agile, and streamline our processes while still serving our customers," Combs said.
Fellow P&C insurers United Services Automobile Association, Liberty Mutual Holding Co. Inc. and American International Group Inc. were also among the other major P&C insurers to initiate layoffs, although their figures and percentages were lower than Farmers and Geico.
Insurtechs look to stop the burn
Among the insurtechs to lay off employees this year was Hippo Holdings Inc., which announced in October it was laying off approximately 120 employees.
As these insurtechs seek to slow down cash burn they often turn to layoffs, Hertz said.
"It's more challenging now to raise capital in the public markets, and all of these insurtechs, whether they are public or whether they are private, they've had to lay off staff because that's really the highest single largest budget line item next to like technology or marketing," Hertz said.
Hertz said layoffs will likely continue in 2024 but should be smaller and may not hit the threshold needed to report to state regulators or may come in the form of less hiring.
Notable others
Outside of the P&C space, managed care insurer Centene Corp. laid off the largest number of employees, about 2,000 people or 3% of its workforce, amid a challenging time for Medicaid memberships.
Clover Health Investments Corp. announced in April that it had laid off approximately 10% of its workforce amid an internal restructuring. The percentage was announced within a release about the insurer's "business transformation initiatives to accelerate the company's path to profitability."
In addition, life insurers Manulife Financial Corp. and Prudential Financial Inc. each laid off about 250 employees.
