A Firm Foundation: How Insurance Supports the Economy

Careers and employment

The insurance industry is a major U.S. employer, providing some 2.9 million jobs that encompass a wide variety of careers, from human resource administrators to public relations managers to financial analysts. Some jobs, such as claims adjusters, actuaries and insurance underwriters, are unique to the insurance industry. For information about the many career opportunities in the insurance industry consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Career Guide to Industries.

Employment In Insurance, 2014-2023

(Annual averages, 000)

  Insurance carriers Insurance agencies, brokerages and related services  
  Direct insurers (1)            
Year Life and
health (2)		 Property/
casualty		 Reinsurers Total Insurance
agencies
and brokers		 Other
insurance-
related
activities (3)		 Total Total
industry
2014 829.0 594.7 25.1 1,448.7 720.0 297.1 1,017.1 2,465.8
2015 829.8 611.6 25.1 1,466.5 762.8 309.1 1,071.8 2,538.3
2016 818.9 643.5 25.3 1,487.7 783.5 321.5 1,105.0 2,592.7
2017 850.4 639.7 26.6 1,516.7 809.6 333.3 1,142.9 2,659.6
2018 882.8 629.5 28.6 1,540.9 825.6 346.2 1,171.8 2,712.7
2019 931.2 650.3 28.6 1,610.1 842.8 349.5 1,192.2 2,802.3
2020 945.6 653.9 27.6 1,627.1 856.5 352.3 1,208.8 2,835.9
2021 908.7 646.9 28.1 1,583.7 886.6 354.5 1,241.2 2,824.9
2022 900.9 684.9 30.2 1,616.0 934.8 367.2 1,302.0 2,918.0
2023 (4) 912.3 680.5 30.9 1,623.8 963.0 388.6 1,351.6 2,975.3

(1) Establishments primarily engaged in initially underwriting insurance policies.
(2) Includes establishments engaged in underwriting annuities, life insurance and health and medical insurance policies.
(3) Includes claims adjusters, third-party administrators of insurance funds and other service personnel such as advisory and insurance ratemaking services.
(4) Preliminary.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Insurance compared with other industries

The insurance industry employed 2.8 million people in 2020, accounting for about 26 percent of the workforce in the U.S. financial activities sector, according to the Current Population Survey from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Employment By Industry, 2020

 

Industry Employees (000)
Total, all industries 147,795
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 2,349
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 684
Construction 10,786
Manufacturing  14,550
Wholesale and retail trade 18,989
Transportation and utilities 8,552
Information 2,594
Financial activities 10,646
     Insurance carriers and related activities 2,764
Professional and business services 18,816
Education and health services 34,105
Leisure and hospitality 11,480
Other services 6,742
Public administration 7,501

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey (CPS).

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