CX Pilots, the leading customer experience consultancy serving the insurance industry, today announced the release of “The State of Digital CX in Insurance: 2026 Benchmark Report.” This definitive industry analysis examines digital transformation trends across 40 leading insurers and over 5,000 customer interactions, providing insurance executives with actionable insights to drive competitive advantage in an increasingly experience-driven marketplace.
The report addresses a pivotal moment for the insurance industry, where digital channels now account for 47% of all policy purchases, significantly outpacing agent channels (35%) and call centers (17%). Despite this digital shift, the research reveals a surprising paradox: hybrid experiences that blend digital efficiency with human connection consistently outperform digital-only approaches in both effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
“Insurance carriers are at a critical crossroads where technology investments alone aren’t enough to drive CX differentiation,” said Steven Keith, Founder of CX Pilots. “Our research shows that the winners will be those who master the art of seamless hybrid experiences, leveraging AI and digital tools to enhance rather than replace the human element, particularly during moments of truth like claims processing.”
Key findings from the benchmark report include:
- AI adoption accelerates despite customer skepticism: 89% of insurance CIOs are increasing AI investments for CX enhancement, yet 59% of customers harbor distrust toward generative AI tools in insurance
- Digital maturity varies dramatically: Only 6% of carriers have reached transformational CX maturity, while 15% remain at foundational stages, creating significant competitive gaps
- Hybrid experiences deliver superior results: Digital-human combined journeys achieve 23% higher satisfaction and 31% higher Net Promoter Scores than purely digital alternatives
- Traditional metrics face crisis of relevance: 75% of businesses are expected to abandon Net Promoter Score as a primary CX metric, requiring new measurement frameworks
- CX excellence drives measurable financial returns: CX leaders outperform peers by 20-65 percentage points in Total Shareholder Return, with enhanced digital experiences reducing policy cancellations by 28%
The report introduces CX Pilots’ proprietary Gold Standard CX Maturity Model for Insurance Carriers, providing a structured framework for carriers to assess current capabilities and chart advancement strategies across five evolutionary stages.
“The State of Digital CX in Insurance: 2026 Benchmark Report” is now available for download on the CX Pilots website at www.cxpilots.com.
About CX Pilots
CX Pilots is the leading customer experience consultancy serving the insurance industry with deep expertise spanning P&C, Life & Health, and Specialty insurance segments. Since founding in 2016, the firm has partnered with dozens of leading carriers to design and implement transformative CX strategies that drive measurable business results. Through proprietary research methodologies, strategic frameworks, and proven implementation expertise, CX Pilots enables insurance organizations to systematically elevate customer experiences, resulting in quantifiable improvements in satisfaction, retention, and profitability. Their evidence-based approach has positioned them as trusted advisors to carriers seeking competitive differentiation through superior customer experience delivery.
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