Pacific Life, a US-based provider of life insurance and annuity products, has released findings from its 2026 Underwriting Outlook Survey, offering insight into how underwriting is evolving across the life insurance sector.
Pacific Life reported that the survey gathered responses from more than 100 senior underwriting and insurance executives and was conducted during its fourth annual underwriting symposium in Laguna Beach, California.
The company said the event brought together insurers, reinsurers and distribution partners to examine developments in risk assessment, medical advances, digital capabilities and distribution strategy.
According to Pacific Life, the results indicate that artificial intelligence is becoming more widely used within underwriting functions. Nearly 45% of respondents said AI is already incorporated into day-to-day workflows (20%) or used as a decision-support tool (24%), while 38% reported that AI initiatives remain in the pilot phase.
“Underwriting is increasingly seen as an optimal first stop for a firm to begin integrating AI,” commented Susan Ghaili, Senior Vice President and Chief Underwriter at Pacific Life. “It brings immense opportunities but also a caution: AI is accelerating the process, not redefining the profession. It’s about equipping underwriters with better tools so they can make faster and better-informed decisions.”
Respondents identified the most positive impacts of AI as speeding up underwriting decisions (40%) and making better use of medical and third-party data (35%), while just under 6% cited improved risk selection as the primary benefit. Pacific Life noted that AI is viewed as enhancing efficiency and data use rather than replacing human judgement.
The findings also point to ongoing concerns about the underwriting workforce. More than two-thirds of respondents (70%) expressed concern about the long-term talent pipeline, citing an ageing workforce and loss of institutional knowledge (38%), the need to balance automation with human expertise (20%), and difficulty attracting younger talent (18%).
“This is a pivotal moment for our industry,” Ghaili added. “We must bring forward a new generation of underwriters who can embrace advanced technology, without losing sight of the critical-thinking and risk acumen at the heart of our profession.”
Pacific Life further highlighted the growing importance of structured health data in underwriting. Over half of respondents (52%) identified electronic health records as the data source likely to have the greatest impact over the next three to five years, ahead of prescription and claims data (21%) and wearables or continuous health monitoring (16%).
Additionally, 57% of executives anticipate that younger customers’ expectations for faster, digital-first experiences will be the most significant generational influence on the industry.
Overall, Pacific Life said the survey reflects an industry integrating new technologies while maintaining established underwriting practices. Firms are seeking to combine improved data capabilities with experienced judgement to support more efficient processes and respond to evolving customer expectations.
Pacific Life confirmed that the survey is based on responses from 103 senior underwriting executives across a range of organisations, collected in person at its February 2026 underwriting symposium in Laguna Beach.
