Guidewire has published its latest European consumer survey on attitudes towards artificial intelligence in insurance. UK research findings support the use of AI if it continues to be subject to human checks.
The research found that 30% of UK customers are happy with their insurers using AI tools to determine insurance prices. Acceptance rates were high for tasks where respondents saw a direct benefit: 38% were satisfied with AI helping them complete insurance documents and policy applications, and 39% were satisfied with AI helping answer questions for human call handlers.
The results have remained largely stable from the previous year, suggesting that name recognition alone has not yet brought about a major change in public trust. Instead, respondents set clear conditions for more positive acceptance of AI in insurance procedures.
Human intervention was the most frequently cited requirement, cited by 33% of UK consumers. Transparency followed at 26%, with 23% saying third-party regulation is needed to rein in technology.
The study also revealed a large gap between the general public and those who already use AI tools in their lives on a daily basis. Among those who use AI on a daily basis, 63% said they were satisfied with ‘humanless’ policy-making, compared to 30% of the UK population as a whole.
This pattern spread to other parts of the insurance process as well. Four in five everyday AI users say they would be happy for the technology to help them fill out insurance forms or apply for a policy, compared to 38% of UK consumers overall. Nearly 60% said they were satisfied with how AI decided and processed claims or determined claim amounts, compared to 27% of the general public.
The findings suggest that insurers face a mixed public opinion climate as they expand the use of AI in pricing, service, and claims. Customers seem to be more receptive to automation when it reduces administrative effort or increases speed, but remain more cautious when it has a direct financial impact on their decisions.
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The survey surveyed 4,004 consumers in the UK, France, Germany and Spain who had purchased or renewed a general insurance product or made a claim in the past 12 months. Of these, 1,000 respondents were from the UK.
The survey has been tracking customer attitudes since 2020. The latest results from the UK suggest that insurers are grappling with issues of trust, shaped not just by the technology itself, but how visible and accountable its use is to customers.
Even among those who use AI frequently, the demand for surveillance remains high. According to the survey, 39% of daily users still want a human to inform them, and 30.6% point to transparency as a condition for trust.
This could be important for insurance companies looking to implement AI not only in administrative support but also in underwriting, pricing and claims decisions. People motivation is strongest when people remain engaged and customers understand how the system works.
Charles Clarke, Group Vice President at Guidewire, said: “AI is playing an increasingly important role in the insurance industry, and customers are becoming increasingly comfortable with its use. Our report shows that when customers clearly understand the value of AI, they are much more likely to accept it within their insurance processes.”
“To further strengthen acceptance, customers are demanding greater transparency, regulation, and human oversight. Insurers must work with each other, technology providers, and regulators to meet these expectations and build lasting trust in how they use AI, whether that capability comes from their own core platforms, built-in assistants, or broader AI partners.”
The figures come as insurers across Europe consider the extent to which they can automate parts of their customer service and decision-making without incurring regulatory or consumer backlash. In the UK market, where price sensitivity and service standards remain under intense scrutiny, the balance between efficiency and accountability is likely to determine how quickly AI is introduced into customer-facing roles.
Michael Cooke, partner at PwC, said: “These findings confirm the clear desire of UK clients for a balanced approach to AI in insurance, embracing the efficiency and convenience that AI offers while ensuring that human judgment remains essential to decision-making, especially as AI moves beyond efficiency gains into more value-added tasks and ultimately different ways of operating.”
“As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, insurers will need to prioritize transparency and robust regulation to maintain consumer trust and confidence, including putting in place the right governance and frameworks and exploring the role of AI in ‘managing AI.’ Striking this balance will be key to unlocking the full potential of AI in delivering fairer, more personalized insurance services and moving to a completely different way of operating that combines human and agent workforces.”
