The role of the insurance agent has been undergoing a quiet revolution. While artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies have made aspects of the profession more streamlined and efficient, they’ve also forced agents to rethink their entire value proposition.
There’s pressure from both sides – carriers and clients – for agents to adapt to cutting-edge technologies. So, what steps can agents take to become “future-proof?” The question is both a personal and professional matter for Jack Ramsey (pictured), vice president of agent channel at digital carrier NEXT Insurance.
“I think about this often because one of my sons is becoming an agent and opening his own franchise,” said Ramsey, who leads strategy and relationships across a broad network of insurance agents across the US.
Ramsey himself spent several years as an insurance agent and empathizes with the existential quandary these professionals face. He reflected on this experience and named several strategies for insurance agents to become future-proof and resilient amid an increasingly digitized market.
“In the past, employees at the regional office would physically print policy documents, collate them with endorsements, bind them, and mail them to the customer and agent. That was just how it was done,” Ramsey said. “These were processes built around people assembling physical documents.”
Much of this manual infrastructure still clings to today’s operations in legacy carriers and traditional agencies alike. The microbusiness segment – those generating under $5 million in revenue – makes up a vast portion of agents’ business. However, Ramsey believes agents and carriers don’t align on how to treat these accounts.
“What I’ve too often found lacking in the insurance industry, especially on the carrier side, is that many people have never actually worked as an agent,” Ramsey told Insurance Business.
“They don’t understand the day-to-day experience: what happens when a customer walks in or calls, and the full cycle from that first contact to when the customer walks away insured.”
“For one, (small business) could mean a single-person shop on the street. For another, it could mean a 50- or 60-person company, significantly larger and more established,” Ramsey said. “Yet all of these were lumped under the same ‘small commercial’ umbrella.”
This disparate view means communication must be clear from both sides of the street. “Carriers must be transparent. If we say we offer a fully digital experience, it needs to actually be that: no hidden handoffs to underwriters midway through quoting,” said Ramsey.
“We also need to support agents beyond just technology. At Next, we provide real-time updates in our agent portal. We hold regular agency council meetings to listen directly to agents, hear what’s working and what’s not, and then take action. It’s not just a one-way relationship—we learn from them and evolve with them.”
Agents can reframe their value proposition by:
For Ramsey, “future-proofing” starts with letting go of the idea that manual work equals value. “Is the value you’re providing a manual quote, or the expert guidance on risk and coverage for the business?” he said.
For some agencies, there is an internal tension between adopting technology for efficiency and preserving traditional manual processes. But Ramsey warned that agents who avoid automation could box themselves out of a segment that’s growing and shifting faster than they can respond manually.
“First, educate yourself,” he advised agents. “Understand what’s out there. Be aware that some insurance technologies may not be fully ready or scalable yet.
“Then, adopt technology where it makes sense. For example, in the microbusiness space, find a carrier that offers instant quoting, binding, and digital service, so you can reallocate staff to higher-value accounts. Also, embrace self-service tools. If a customer can issue a certificate themselves at 6 am without calling you, that’s a win.
“Third, leverage your people where they add the most value. Let them handle what can’t be automated: complex cases, nuanced coverages, and relationship management. Build a model that bifurcates cleanly between automation and human expertise. That’s what scalability looks like in the future.”
The agents who will succeed in the next decade won’t be the ones who master every platform, he added, but the ones who stop trying to be everything. They’ll automate where they can, then show up when the stakes are higher, when nuance matters.
“That's where the business scales. That’s where the margins live,” Ramsey said.
