2026 Lyneer Search insurance industry salary guide
Compensation benchmarks for carriers, brokers, MGAs and reinsurers (U.S.)
Key market shifts for 2026
Is there still an insurance talent shortage in 2026?
Yes, and it's narrower than it was. The shortage now sits in 4 places: credentialed actuaries, analytics talent, specialty underwriters and technology leads.
49% of carriers plan to add staff over the next 12 months and 40% plan to hold headcount flat, for a projected 0.78% employment gain industry-wide (Jacobson Group and Aon, Q3 2026 Insurance Labor Market Study, August 2026). Recruiting difficulty actually eased in 9 of 12 job categories compared with July 2025.
Where it didn't ease: actuarial, executive and analytics. Those 3 have topped the difficulty ranking for 5 straight studies.
How much did producer compensation rise in 2025?
Producers and sales staff saw total income rise 25.3% for 2025, up from 20.8% the prior year. Salary alone rose 21.0% (Insurance Journal 2026 Agency Salary Survey, published February 2026, nearly 500 responses nationwide, analysis by Paul Osbourne of Demotech).
Agency owners, principals and management reported a 16.8% total income increase for 2025, following 17.9% in 2024. Support staff got 6.9%, down sharply from 11.3%.
Two consecutive years of double-digit growth at the top of the agency, and a slowdown at the bottom. That spread is the story of agency compensation in 2026.
Which lines of business pay the biggest premiums?
Cyber, climate, E&S and specialty casualty. Hard market conditions in those lines are pushing compensation for underwriters and brokers who can actually place complex risk.
Based on Lyneer's own placement and offer data across insurance searches, E&S and specialty underwriting roles carry a 25% to 50% premium over comparable generalist roles at the same seniority. Specialist brokers in cyber, healthcare and climate risk negotiate stronger packages than generalists at every level we recruit.
For a national reference point, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median insurance underwriter at roughly $81,370 a year across 105,420 U.S. underwriters (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, published 15 May 2026). Specialty roles sit well above that baseline.
Do actuaries who code earn more?
Yes. Actuaries who pair credentials with Python, R and SQL earn 10% to 15% more than traditional peers at every experience level, and ASA and ACAS holders saw salaries rise 5% year over year (DW Simpson, 2025 Actuarial Salary Trends, July 2025).The gap between credentialed and non-credentialed actuaries keeps widening.
Which skills carry the highest salary premium?
AI, machine learning and data science roles are projected to see 4.1% salary growth in 2026, the highest of any category Robert Half tracks (Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide, September 2025, based on roughly 2,200 hiring managers and 2,000 workers surveyed in April 2025).
Insurers know they're behind. 90% of insurance executives say reinventing the employee value proposition for human-machine work is urgent. 25% have taken any tangible action (Deloitte 2026 global insurance outlook, October 2025).
That gap is where the premium lives. Deloitte also reports that new graduates arriving with AI skills are being routed into traditional workstreams because their employers are still running pilots, which produces early disengagement and, eventually, resignations.
Where is hiring demand strongest?
Technology, underwriting and claims are the industry's largest stated needs, while actuarial, technology and executive roles remain the hardest to fill (Jacobson Group and Aon, Q3 2026 study). 78% of carriers expect revenue growth over the next 12 months.
Roles tied to workflow automation, ERP migration, IFRS-17 readiness and platform integration carry a 15% to 25% premium over comparable traditional roles in Lyneer's placement data.
Salary tables by segment
Compensation varies by segment. A national carrier, a regional broker and a PE-backed MGA pay differently for the same title, and the difference is often larger than the difference between two adjacent job levels.
Segment compensation overview
| Segment | Base comp tier | Total comp multiplier | Key characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| National carriers (top 25) | Highest | 1.8-2.5x base | Full LTI, equity grants worth 100-200% of base, comprehensive benefits |
| Regional / mutual carriers | Mid-high | 1.4-1.8x base | Strong benefits, stable culture, moderate bonus structures |
| PE-backed carriers / MGAs | Mid-highest | 1.5-2.5x+ base | Equity upside, higher performance risk, aggressive LTI |
| Large brokerages (global) | High | 1.6-2.2x base | Producer comp tied to revenue, management well compensated |
| Regional / independent agencies | Mid | 1.3-1.6x base | Profit sharing, book ownership opportunities |
| InsurTech startups | Mid-high base | 1.5-3x+ with equity | Equity heavy, base competitive with technology sector |
What does an insurance CFO earn in 2026?
Carrier CFOs earn a median base salary of $280,000, with a 25th percentile of $195,000 and a 90th percentile of $450,000. Total compensation at national carriers and PE-backed platforms reaches $500,000 to $1.5 million once bonus, LTIP and equity are counted.
These roles sit in Lyneer's Insurance Accounting and Insurance Finance practices. All figures are base salary. Bonuses, LTIPs, stock and equity are additive.
Carrier accounting & finance
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | $195,000 | $280,000 | $360,000 | $450,000 | 5-8% |
| Controller | $148,000 | $178,000 | $212,000 | $245,000 | 5-7% |
| Statutory Reporting Manager | $128,000 | $152,000 | $175,000 | $198,000 | 5-6% |
| GAAP Reporting Analyst | $100,000 | $118,000 | $138,000 | $155,000 | 4-6% |
| Senior Accountant | $90,000 | $105,000 | $120,000 | $138,000 | 5-6% |
| Staff Accountant | $65,000 | $80,000 | $92,000 | $105,000 | 3-5% |
| Treasurer | $160,000 | $188,000 | $218,000 | $248,000 | 5-6% |
| Treasury Analyst | $85,000 | $100,000 | $118,000 | $135,000 | 4-5% |
| FP&A Director | $158,000 | $185,000 | $215,000 | $245,000 | 5-7% |
| Financial Analyst | $80,000 | $95,000 | $108,000 | $122,000 | 4-5% |
| Tax Director | $145,000 | $168,000 | $192,000 | $218,000 | 5-7% |
| Premium Tax Specialist | $80,000 | $97,000 | $112,000 | $128,000 | 4-5% |
| Investment Accountant (Life) | $100,000 | $120,000 | $140,000 | $158,000 | 4-5% |
| Portfolio Analyst | $90,000 | $108,000 | $128,000 | $145,000 | 4-5% |
| IFRS-17 Implementation Specialist (new) | $135,000 | $160,000 | $185,000 | $210,000 | New |
IFRS-17 roles were added this year because global convergence work is still running at life carriers and reinsurers, and the skill set is scarce enough to price separately.
For national context, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median financial manager across all industries at roughly $166,570 (OEWS, May 2025). Insurance carrier finance leadership sits above that.
Broker / agency accounting & finance
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | $165,000 | $238,000 | $310,000 | $385,000 | 5-7% |
| Controller | $132,000 | $162,000 | $195,000 | $225,000 | 5-6% |
| Senior Accountant | $85,000 | $98,000 | $112,000 | $128,000 | 4-5% |
| Staff Accountant | $60,000 | $75,000 | $85,000 | $98,000 | 3-5% |
| Financial Analyst | $75,000 | $90,000 | $102,000 | $115,000 | 4-5% |
| A/R Specialist | $55,000 | $67,000 | $78,000 | $88,000 | 3-4% |
| Premium Finance Coordinator | $62,000 | $73,000 | $85,000 | $97,000 | 3-5% |
Broker CFO pay swings on premium volume, office count and PE ownership. Public versus private, and carrier versus broker, are the 2 largest drivers of the differential.
MGA accounting & finance
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFO / Head of Finance | $175,000 | $248,000 | $320,000 | $400,000 | 6-8% |
| Controller | $138,000 | $168,000 | $200,000 | $232,000 | 5-7% |
| Financial Analyst | $78,000 | $92,000 | $105,000 | $120,000 | 4-5% |
PE-backed MGAs keep adding equity participation and aggressive LTI, which puts senior finance total comp level with large carriers and sometimes above them.
Do insurance accountants earn more than general accountants?
Yes, by roughly 20% at comparable experience levels in Lyneer's placement data. The premium attaches to specific experience: NAIC statutory filings, reinsurance accounting, Schedule P, D and S, premium trust accounting, and platforms like Guidewire or Duck Creek.
That gap is widening as the CPA pipeline shrinks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 1,449,500 accountants and auditors nationally with a median of roughly $83,680 (OEWS, May 2025), and insurance-specific candidates are a small slice of it.
Regulatory reporting & risk management
These roles span carriers, brokers and MGAs. Segment differentials are smaller here than in finance, though carrier CRO compensation runs highest.
Carrier risk & compliance
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Risk Officer (CRO) | $218,000 | $262,000 | $308,000 | $350,000 | 6-8% |
| Compliance Officer | $102,000 | $122,000 | $145,000 | $162,000 | 5-6% |
| Regulatory Reporting Specialist | $90,000 | $108,000 | $125,000 | $142,000 | 5-6% |
| Risk Analyst | $80,000 | $97,000 | $112,000 | $128,000 | 4-5% |
| Internal Auditor | $85,000 | $102,000 | $118,000 | $135,000 | 4-5% |
| SOX / Controls Analyst | $90,000 | $107,000 | $122,000 | $138,000 | 4-5% |
| Risk Model Validator | $102,000 | $120,000 | $142,000 | $162,000 | 5-7% |
| Governance Analyst | $95,000 | $112,000 | $128,000 | $145,000 | 4-5% |
| AI & Algorithmic Risk Analyst (new) | $118,000 | $142,000 | $168,000 | $192,000 | New |
Broker / MGA risk & compliance
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance Officer | $92,000 | $112,000 | $132,000 | $148,000 | 4-6% |
| Internal Auditor | $80,000 | $95,000 | $110,000 | $125,000 | 4-5% |
| Regulatory Reporting Specialist | $82,000 | $98,000 | $115,000 | $130,000 | 4-5% |
Why did the AI & Algorithmic Risk Analyst role appear in 2026?
State-level AI regulation created it. Colorado SB 205, NYC Local Law 144 and the state frameworks following them require insurers to audit AI models used in underwriting, pricing and claims for bias and compliance. Carriers now need someone who can do that work and sign their name to it.
Compliance officers nationally have a median of roughly
$80,720 across 417,070 people (Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). Insurance AI governance roles price 40% to 75% above that because the supply is thin.
What does a chief actuary earn in 2026?
Chief actuaries earn a median base of $288,000, ranging from $225,000 at the 25th percentile to $460,000 and above at the 90th. Actuarial compensation tracks credential level, practice area and years of experience more than segment type, and P&C leads in both base and bonus at every credential level.
For a national reference point, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 26,670 actuaries in the United States with a median of roughly $130,000 and a mean of $141,480 (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). That's the whole population. The tables below cover the credentialed and near-credentialed roles Lyneer recruits.
Roles in this section align with Lyneer's
Actuarial practice.
Credentialed actuaries (FSA / FCAS / ASA / ACAS)
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Actuary | $225,000 | $288,000 | $358,000 | $460,000+ | 6-8% |
| Appointed / Signing Actuary | $180,000 | $215,000 | $258,000 | $310,000 | 5-7% |
| Valuation Actuary (Life, FSA) | $145,000 | $168,000 | $190,000 | $212,000 | 5-7% |
| Product Development Actuary | $150,000 | $175,000 | $198,000 | $220,000 | 5-7% |
| ALM Actuary | $155,000 | $178,000 | $202,000 | $225,000 | 5-7% |
| Pricing Actuary (Life or P&C) | $140,000 | $162,000 | $185,000 | $208,000 | 5-7% |
| Reserving Actuary | $145,000 | $165,000 | $188,000 | $212,000 | 5-6% |
| Predictive Modeler / Data Science Actuary | $130,000 | $155,000 | $180,000 | $205,000 | 8-12% |
| Catastrophe Risk Analyst | $132,000 | $155,000 | $178,000 | $202,000 | 6-8% |
| Model Governance Analyst | $122,000 | $145,000 | $168,000 | $190,000 | 5-7% |
Actuarial students and near-credential
| Exam Level | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (0–2 exams) | $62,000 | $72,000 | $82,000 | $92,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Mid-Level Student (3–5 exams) | $75,000 | $88,000 | $105,000 | $118,000 | ▲ 5% |
| Near-ASA/ACAS (6–8 exams) | $95,000 | $112,000 | $130,000 | $148,000 | ▲ 5–6% |
Actuarial compensation by practice area (mid-career, 5-15 years, credentialed)
| Practice area | Median base | Median total comp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P&C (FCAS) | $165,000 | $200,000-$220,000 | Highest at every credential level |
| Life insurance (FSA) | $155,000 | $185,000-$205,000 | Competitive, trails P&C slightly |
| Health insurance (FSA) | $152,000 | $180,000-$200,000 | Strong demand in Medicare and Medicaid |
| Consulting (FSA/FCAS) | $168,000 | $210,000-$240,000 | Highest total comp, client-facing demands |
| Pensions (FSA/EA) | $145,000 | $170,000-$195,000 | Stable, narrower range |
Ezra Penland's 2025-2026 actuarial salary survey corroborates the P&C lead: it puts FCAS compensation at $143,000 to $248,000 at 4 years of experience against $127,000 to $198,000 for a life FSA at the same stage, and ACAS at $114,000 to $180,000 at 2 years. Those ranges cover the middle 85% of packages.
What separates the highest-paid actuaries?
Code. Actuaries who pair credentials with Python, R, SQL and machine learning earn 10% to 15% more than traditional peers at every experience level (DW Simpson, 2025 Actuarial Salary Trends, July 2025). Mid-level actuaries with 4 to 10 years of experience saw 6% to 8% increases in the same period.
Exam support is the retention lever. Employers offering 150 to 200 paid study hours, fee reimbursement and material stipends are keeping people. Flat packages are losing them.
Underwriting (carriers, MGAs and reinsurers)
Roles in this section align with Lyneer's Underwriting practice.
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) | $200,000 | $248,000 | $298,000 | $360,000 | 6-8% |
| Underwriting Director | $155,000 | $182,000 | $202,000 | $230,000 | 5-7% |
| Senior Commercial Underwriter | $108,000 | $128,000 | $152,000 | $175,000 | 5-7% |
| Commercial Underwriter | $72,000 | $88,000 | $98,000 | $118,000 | 4-6% |
| E&S / Specialty Underwriter | $98,000 | $122,000 | $145,000 | $168,000 | 7-10% |
| Cyber Risk Underwriter (new) | $105,000 | $130,000 | $155,000 | $182,000 | New |
| Personal Lines Underwriter | $63,000 | $80,000 | $98,000 | $115,000 | 3-5% |
| Life Underwriter | $85,000 | $102,000 | $118,000 | $135,000 | 4-5% |
| Medical Risk Analyst | $90,000 | $108,000 | $125,000 | $142,000 | 4-5% |
| Climate / Parametric Underwriter (new) | $108,000 | $135,000 | $162,000 | $190,000 | New |
MGA underwriting
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head of Underwriting | $165,000 | $200,000 | $245,000 | $295,000 | ▲ 6–9% |
| Senior Underwriter (Specialty) | $105,000 | $128,000 | $155,000 | $180,000 | ▲ 6–8% |
| Underwriter | $72,000 | $90,000 | $110,000 | $130,000 | ▲ 5–7% |
| New Business Processor | $58,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | $92,000 | ▲ 3–5% |
| Underwriting Assistant | $53,000 | $63,000 | $73,000 | $85,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
MGA underwriting comp keeps adding equity participation and deal-based bonuses, especially at PE-backed platforms. Senior MGA underwriters often clear their carrier equivalents once equity is counted.
Which underwriting roles are new for 2026?
Cyber Risk Underwriter and Climate / Parametric Underwriter. Specialty lines tied to emerging risk, cyber, climate, carbon and parametric triggers, are generating job descriptions that didn't exist 3 years ago.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median insurance underwriter at roughly $81,370 across 105,420 U.S. underwriters (OEWS, May 2025). In Lyneer's placement data, E&S and specialty roles carry a 25% to 50% premium above that baseline.
Claims (life, P&C, workers' comp, brokers)
Claims is the one function where headcount and pay are moving in opposite directions. Claims employment fell 19.7% year over year (Jacobson Group Labor Market PULSE, August 2026, June data), while weekly earnings in claims rose 2.3% over the same period. Automation is absorbing volume work. Senior, litigation-facing and fraud-adjacent roles are still competitive.
Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 335,790 claims adjusters, examiners and investigators with a median of roughly $78,020 (OEWS, May 2025).
Carrier claims
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VP / Head of Claims | $170,000 | $208,000 | $248,000 | $290,000 | ▲ 5–7% |
| Claims Supervisor / Manager | $98,000 | $118,000 | $142,000 | $162,000 | ▲ 5–6% |
| Litigation Claims Specialist | $90,000 | $108,000 | $125,000 | $142,000 | ▲ 5–6% |
| Life Claims Examiner | $70,000 | $85,000 | $102,000 | $118,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Field Adjuster (Auto, Property) | $73,000 | $90,000 | $108,000 | $122,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Workers' Comp Adjuster | $80,000 | $95,000 | $112,000 | $128,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Beneficiary Services Rep | $53,000 | $63,000 | $73,000 | $85,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
| Fraud Intelligence Analyst (NEW) | $88,000 | $108,000 | $128,000 | $148,000 | NEW |
Broker claims
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claims Advocate | $70,000 | $85,000 | $102,000 | $118,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Policyholder Liaison | $63,000 | $75,000 | $85,000 | $97,000 | ▲ 3–5% |
The Fraud Intelligence Analyst is a 2026 addition. As AI-driven fraud detection moves into production, insurers need people who can read a claim file and a model output with equal fluency. Social inflation and litigation trends keep pushing senior claims compensation higher even as total claims headcount falls.
Sales, distribution and brokerage
How much did agency compensation rise in 2025?
The Insurance Journal 2026 Agency Salary Survey, published February 2026 from nearly 500 responses nationwide, reports total income growth for 2025 of:
Producers and sales: 25.3%, up from 20.8% in 2024. Salary only rose 21.0%.- Agency owners, principals and management: 16.8%, following 17.9% in 2024. Salary only rose 15.6%.
- Support staff: 6.9%, down from 11.3% in 2024. Salary only rose 7.4%.
Producer compensation is mostly commission. Base salary is a floor, and top performers routinely double or triple it through commissions, overrides and profit sharing, which is why producer pay ranges are wider than any other function in insurance.
Agency owners, principals and management
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency Owner / Principal | Varies widely | $175,000+ | $300,000+ | $500,000+ | ▲ 16.8% total income |
| Branch / Regional Manager | $105,000 | $130,000 | $165,000 | $210,000 | ▲ 5–7% |
Account management and support
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Account Manager | $63,000 | $80,000 | $98,000 | $118,000 | ▲ 4–6% |
| Employee Benefits Account Manager | $60,000 | $75,000 | $90,000 | $108,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Personal Lines Account Manager | $48,000 | $60,000 | $72,000 | $85,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
| Marketing / Placement Specialist | $67,000 | $82,000 | $100,000 | $118,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
Experienced commercial lines account managers are among the hardest roles to fill in the agency channel, and their pay growth has lagged producer pay growth by a wide margin. That's a retention risk agencies keep underpricing.
Insurance technology and data
Carrier technology
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTO / CIO | $205,000 | $268,000 | $332,000 | $410,000+ | ▲ 6–8% |
| VP of InsurTech / Digital Transformation | $178,000 | $220,000 | $268,000 | $318,000 | ▲ 7–10% |
| Data Scientist (Insurance) | $118,000 | $142,000 | $168,000 | $195,000 | ▲ 8–10% |
| Data Engineer | $112,000 | $135,000 | $162,000 | $188,000 | ▲ 7–9% |
| Insurance Platform Architect | $132,000 | $162,000 | $190,000 | $220,000 | ▲ 6–8% |
| Cybersecurity Manager | $130,000 | $155,000 | $185,000 | $215,000 | ▲ 8–10% |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | $87,000 | $105,000 | $122,000 | $142,000 | ▲ 5–7% |
| Workflow Automation Specialist | $97,000 | $115,000 | $135,000 | $155,000 | ▲ 6–8% |
| QA / Testing Engineer (Policy Admin) | $85,000 | $100,000 | $118,000 | $135,000 | ▲ 4–6% |
Broker and MGA technology
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head of IT / Technology Director | $148,000 | $182,000 | $220,000 | $265,000 | ▲ 6–8% |
| Systems Analyst / Admin | $78,000 | $95,000 | $112,000 | $130,000 | ▲ 4–6% |
| Data / Reporting Analyst | $72,000 | $88,000 | $105,000 | $122,000 | ▲ 5–6% |
Why do insurance technology roles pay like technology roles?
Because insurers are bidding against technology employers for the same people. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts data scientists at a median of roughly $120,220 and information security analysts at roughly $129,190 (OEWS, May 2025). Carriers have to clear those numbers to hire from outside insurance, and they increasingly do.
Technology roles are the largest stated hiring need across the industry (Jacobson Group and
Aon, Q3 2026 study), and Deloitte's 2026 global insurance outlook reports that 90% of insurance executives call reinventing the employee value proposition for human-machine work urgent while only 25% have acted on it.
Insurance operations
Carrier operations
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COO / Head of Operations | $190,000 | $235,000 | $282,000 | $335,000 | ▲ 5–7% |
| Project Manager (Insurance Ops) | $90,000 | $108,000 | $125,000 | $142,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Insurance Ops Analyst | $73,000 | $90,000 | $108,000 | $122,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Policy Admin Specialist | $58,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | $92,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
| Premium Processing Specialist | $58,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | $92,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
| Customer Service Rep (CSR) | $48,000 | $58,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
| Document Management Clerk | $47,000 | $57,000 | $68,000 | $78,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
Broker operations
| Role | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placement Operations Manager | $80,000 | $97,000 | $112,000 | $128,000 | ▲ 4–5% |
| Licensing & Compliance Coordinator | $63,000 | $75,000 | $85,000 | $97,000 | ▲ 3–5% |
| Endorsements & Renewals Coordinator | $63,000 | $75,000 | $85,000 | $97,000 | ▲ 3–5% |
| Client Servicing Associate | $53,000 | $63,000 | $73,000 | $85,000 | ▲ 3–4% |
Total compensation and incentives (2026)
| Level | Bonus Range | LTI / Equity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-Suite (CFO, CRO, CUO, CTO) | 30–60% of base | Stock, LTIPs, deferred comp | Public carriers: equity grants worth 100–200% of base |
| Directors / VPs | 20–35% of base | Phantom equity, profit sharing | PE-backed platforms offer richer LTI |
| Controllers / Finance Directors | 10–20% of base | Selective | Performance-linked |
| Producers / Brokers | Commission + override | Profit-sharing, book ownership | Top producers earn 2–3x base in total comp |
| Senior Actuaries (FSA/FCAS) | 15–30% of base | Carry, co-invest at consulting firms | P&C actuaries lead in bonuses at every level |
| Senior Underwriters (Specialty) | 10–25% of base | Equity at MGAs/PE-backed | E&S and cyber carry highest premiums |
| Senior Accountant / Analyst | 5–15% of base | Modest | Some equity at PE-backed firms |
| Support / Operations | 3–8% of base | Rare | Retention bonuses emerging for experienced CSRs/AMs |
Regional premium adjustments (2026)
New York and tri-state
- CFO (carrier): $225,000-$500,000+
- Controller: $165,000-$275,000
- Underwriting Director: $178,000-$260,000+
- Senior Actuary (FSA/FCAS): $175,000-$280,000
- Commercial Producer: $100,000-$350,000+ with commissions
- Market premium: 20-30% over national medians
Largest concentration of reinsurance and specialty market employers in the country.
California (Bay Area and Los Angeles)
- CFO (carrier): $215,000-$480,000+
- Data Scientist (insurance): $140,000-$210,000
- Cyber Risk Underwriter: $125,000-$195,000
- Market premium: 20-35%
Technology-origin InsurTech firms and specialty carriers drive Bay Area premiums. Actuaries and data scientists price against technology-sector benchmarks, not insurance ones.
Chicago and Hartford
- CFO (carrier): $195,000-$420,000
- Controller: $148,000-$248,000
- Actuarial (FSA/FCAS): $155,000-$250,000
- Commercial Underwriter: $82,000-$135,000
- Market premium: 10-18%
Major carrier headquarters, Hartford by legacy and Chicago as a P&C hub.
Florida (Miami and Tampa)
- CFO (carrier): $182,000-$395,000
- Catastrophe Risk Analyst: $140,000-$210,000
- Field Adjuster: $78,000-$128,000
- E&S Underwriter: $105,000-$178,000
- Market premium: 5-15%
Cat modeling, reinsurance and a growing carrier and MGA presence. Signing bonuses are now common for experienced adjusters and specialty underwriters relocating in.
Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin)
- CFO: $175,000-$380,000
- Controller: $132,000-$232,000
- Commercial Producer: $80,000-$225,000+ with commissions
- Market premium: 5-12%
A significant MGA growth corridor. Energy, marine and specialty lines create niche demand, and Austin keeps pulling InsurTech.
Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
- CFO: $188,000-$410,000
- Compliance Officer: $110,000-$168,000
- Risk Analyst: $88,000-$138,000
- Market premium: 10-18%
Government-adjacent health and group benefits carriers, with strong demand for compliance and regulatory reporting talent.
Seattle and the Pacific Northwest
- CFO: $198,000-$428,000
- Data Engineer (insurance): $125,000-$198,000
- Cybersecurity Manager: $142,000-$225,000
- Market premium: 12-22%
Insurance data and technology roles pay at or above local technology benchmarks here, because that's the competition.
Remote and distributed roles
Typical discount: 5-15% below headquarters-city rates.
74% of carriers expect most employees on hybrid schedules over the next 6 months (Jacobson Group and Aon, Q3 2026 study). Employers offering remote flexibility reach candidates in more markets and compress their regional differentials in the process.
Candidates are pricing the tradeoff. 66% say they'd accept full-time office work for higher pay, and 60% of those want at least a 10% increase to do it (Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide).
Insights for 2026
1. The labor market loosened, but not where it matters to you
The sector lost roughly 81,000 jobs in the year through July 2026 and unemployment rose to 3.3% (Jacobson Group, August 2026). Recruiting difficulty eased in 9 of 12 categories. Actuarial, executive and analytics stayed at the top of the difficulty ranking for a fifth consecutive study.
A chief actuary search is as hard as it was last year. What changed is that the business case for paying up got easier to make internally.
2. Five new roles emerged for 2026
- IFRS-17 Implementation Specialist. Global convergence work continuing at life carriers and reinsurers.
- AI & Algorithmic Risk Analyst. State AI regulation requires audit and oversight of models used in underwriting, pricing and claims.
- Cyber Risk Underwriter. Demand outpaces supply as cyber premium grows and policy language gets harder.
- Climate / Parametric Underwriter. New products around climate exposure, carbon and parametric triggers.
- Fraud Intelligence Analyst. AI-driven fraud detection needs people who bridge claims domain knowledge and data analytics.
3. Specialty lines are the compensation engine
Underwriters and brokers in E&S, cyber, climate and specialty casualty earn a 25% to 50% premium over generalist peers in Lyneer's placement data. The gap is widening as loss costs, litigation trends and social inflation raise the value of specialty judgment.
4. Actuaries who code earn more
The profession is separating into 2 compensation tiers. Actuaries with traditional modeling skills, and actuaries who add Python, R, SQL and machine learning. The second group earns 10% to 15% more at every experience level (DW Simpson, July 2025). Employers with real exam support and hybrid career paths are the ones holding onto them.
5. Producers drove the agency satisfaction gain
Overall compensation satisfaction rose to 3.37 in 2025 from 3.27 in 2024 on a 5-point scale, and producers accounted for nearly all of it, moving from 2.96 to 3.20. Support staff and account executives went 3.08 to 3.15. Management slipped from 3.76 to 3.75 (Insurance Journal 2026 Agency Salary Survey).
Benefits moved the number more than salary did. Agencies offering child care scored 3.92, pensions 3.81, profit sharing and education reimbursement 3.79 each, and paid family leave 3.64.
6. Insurance-specific accountants earn a 20% premium
NAIC statutory filings, reinsurance accounting, Schedule P, D and S, premium trust accounting, Guidewire, Duck Creek. Candidates with that background command roughly 20% more than general accountants at comparable experience in Lyneer's placement data, and the premium is growing as the CPA pipeline shrinks.
7. Claims headcount and claims pay are moving apart
Claims employment fell 19.7% year over year while claims weekly earnings rose 2.3% (Jacobson Group, August 2026). Volume work is being automated. Litigation-facing, fraud and senior claims leadership roles are still competitive hires.
8. Remote work is compressing regional pay
Fully remote roles in lower-cost states attract candidates who would previously have required New York or Chicago packages, at 15% to 25% lower cost to the employer. The differential is real, and it's narrowing every year.
Strategic recommendations for 2026
1. Build the specialty pipeline before the seat opens
The hardest roles to fill in 2026 are credentialed actuaries with coding skills, specialty underwriters and experienced commercial lines account managers. Firms with warm relationships already in place move faster than firms that start sourcing the week someone resigns.
2. Win on total compensation
Compensation satisfaction rises with benefits, not just salary. Child care, profit sharing, education reimbursement and paid family leave all scored above 3.6 in the Insurance Journal survey while overall satisfaction sat at 3.37. With base growth moderating outside the producer ranks, the benefits package is what closes mid-career and support-staff candidates.
3. Invest in actuarial and underwriting upskilling
The highest-return talent investment in 2026 is training the actuaries you already have in Python, R and SQL, and training your underwriters in analytics and AI-assisted decision tools. Deloitte's finding that 90% of insurance executives call this urgent while 25% have acted on it is an opening for the firms that act.
4. Formalize succession in underwriting and claims
Document succession for your top 10 revenue-generating and hard-to-replace roles. Knowledge transfer, structured mentorship and rotation programs are what keep 30 years of underwriting judgment from walking out in a single quarter.
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Lyneer Search Group has placed finance, accounting, underwriting and actuarial leaders across insurance since 1993. Every retained search we've accepted has ended in a completed placement. 90% of the people we place earn a promotion inside the firm that hired them. We were named to HuntScanlon's 2026 America's Top 250 Executive Search Firms.
Every candidate we present is evaluated against your specific role on the 4 dimensions of the Lyneer Executive Search Strategy™: technical skill, leadership capability, cultural alignment and long-term growth potential.
Ask us for a compensation analysis on a specific role, region and company size, benchmark an open seat, or start a search.
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Sources and methodology
Last updated August 2026.
Salary tables in this guide combine Lyneer Search Group's own placement and offer data from insurance searches with published 2025 and 2026 industry sources. Where a figure comes from Lyneer's data rather than a published survey, the guide says so.
Published sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 15 May 2026). National employment and wage estimates.
- Insurance Journal, 2026 Agency Salary Survey (published 23 February 2026). Nearly 500 responses nationwide, fielded January 2026, analysis by Paul Osbourne of Demotech.
- Robert Half, 2026 Salary Guide (published 29 September 2025). Approximately 2,200 hiring managers and 2,000 workers surveyed in April 2025.
- Jacobson Group and Aon, Q3 2026 Insurance Labor Market Study (26 August 2026) and Jacobson Group Labor Market PULSE (August 2026).
- Deloitte, 2026 global insurance outlook (9 October 2025).
- DW Simpson, 2025 Actuarial Salary Trends (24 July 2025).
- Ezra Penland, 2025-2026 Actuarial Salary Surveys. Ranges represent the middle 85% of compensation packages.
Figures are U.S. base salary unless noted. Bonus, LTI and equity are additive. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates cover all incumbents in an occupation nationwide and are not directly comparable to the hiring ranges in these tables.
Last updated August 2026