- 56 percent of insurers are already using AI in production
- Scaling often fails due to organizational issues and change management.
Munich, March 5, 2026 – More than half of insurance companies are already using AI, but only in isolated cases—as a strategic lever, it remains largely untapped. Projects promise a lot as showcases, but often fail during the transition from pilot to scaling. The real problem is organizational and strategic in nature. AI’s greatest potential lies in the core business. This is the conclusion reached in the new white paper “On the Path to Becoming an AI-Native Insurer,” published by InsurTech Hub Munich with QAware .
For this publication, insurance companies representing a significant portion of the German insurance market were surveyed. The surveys were supplemented by interviews with C-level executives, which provide in-depth insights into strategic considerations and practical implementation experiences.
AI strategies are in place – but integration is lacking
The figures show that 89% of insurers already have an AI strategy in place—the topic has reached the executive level. Companies see the greatest potential in claims management, customer service, and sales and consulting. In these areas, AI assistants and automated workflows are already reducing processing times and freeing up time for personalized consulting.
Nevertheless, AI often remains a supplementary tool and has not yet been fully integrated into processes, organizational structures, and value creation. “Many insurers have long since made the transition to AI. The real challenges are: first, having the courage to rethink existing processes in light of AI’s potential, and second, managing to turn promising AI showcases into widely used and well-integrated solutions,” explains Dr. Josef Adersberger, Managing Director of QAware and Advisory Board member at InsurTech Hub Munich. “The real bottleneck isn’t the technology, but the interplay of effective organization and strategic skill—and the courage to apply AI where it hurts the most, but also has the greatest impact: in the core business.”
Change management is key to success
The study identifies a lack of end-to-end accountability, unclear prioritization, and insufficient coordination between business units, IT, and compliance as the main causes of failure. About half of all transformation projects fail not because of technical issues, but due to cultural resistance. Experts therefore recommend investing an additional euro in change management for every euro spent on development costs.
“The results show very clearly that AI can only have a lasting impact if it is understood as part of the overall strategy,” says Dr. Klaus Driever, CEO of InsurTech Hub Munich. “Insurers must strike a balance between two opposing forces: on the one hand, resisting the temptation to invest blindly in AI out of fear of missing a trend—but on the other hand, not acting too hesitantly just to protect proven structures and revenues. As InsurTech Hub Munich , we work with partners like QAware InsurTech Hub Munich together insurers, technology providers, and experts to provide guidance and actively promote industry-wide dialogue on transformation.”
How can companies successfully transition to a fully AI-native operating model? This white paper provides concrete recommendations for action, tailored to company size, and offers a glimpse into the next stage of development: autonomous AI agents that perform complex tasks independently.
The full white paper is available for download here.
