More than a quarter of European insurance consumers say nothing would increase their confidence in insurers’ use of artificial intelligence, according to new research that points to continued resistance even while insurers across Europe accelerate AI adoption.
The 2026 Guidewire European Insurance Consumer Survey, based on responses from more than 4,000 policyholders in the UK, France, Germany and Spain, found that 26% of consumers remain unconvinced by insurer use of AI. The figure has risen from 24% in 2025, indicating that a segment of customers continues to reject the technology regardless of safeguards or oversight measures.
The findings emerge at a time when AI deployment is becoming more widespread across the European insurance sector. According to an EIOPA market survey published in 2025, 65% of European insurers are already using generative AI systems, while a further 23% plan to implement them within the next three years. However, most applications remain in pilot or proof-of-concept stages, and insurers continue to rely heavily on human oversight.
Guidewire’s survey found that 39% of respondents identified the ability to refer an AI decision to a human as the single most important factor in building confidence. Transparency around how AI reaches decisions and independent regulation each received support from 25% of respondents.
The preference for human involvement was particularly evident in claims handling. Nearly half of consumers, or 47%, said they were uncomfortable with AI deciding and processing claims or determining claim values without human intervention.
That consumer preference mirrors current industry practice. EIOPA reported that most insurers continue to deploy AI through assisted or semi-autonomous models rather than fully autonomous systems, with human review remaining central to claims, underwriting and customer-facing activities. The regulator found that 83% of reported generative AI use cases still rely on human input or validation.
Consumer attitudes towards AI pricing remain divided. The Guidewire survey found that 34% were comfortable with AI setting policy prices without human intervention, while 40% were uncomfortable and 26% remained neutral.
The research also identified differences across demographics. Among consumers aged 18-24, 47% were comfortable with AI-led claims processing, compared with significantly lower acceptance among older respondents. Men were generally more receptive than women to AI use in claims and policy administration.
Similar patterns appeared in EIOPA's consumer research. Its 2025 Eurobarometer survey found that only 30% of European consumers would trust recommendations from AI systems when choosing insurance or pension products, while 59% expressed reservations. Trust declined sharply among older age groups and was consistently lower among women than men.
Guidewire also found that familiarity with AI influences attitudes. Only 5% of consumers who use AI tools daily said they lacked confidence in insurers using AI, compared with 65% among those who have never used such tools.
The growing focus on transparency and oversight comes as European regulators develop more formal governance frameworks for AI use.
A regulatory review published by law firm Debevoise & Plimpton noted that AI applications involving life and health insurance pricing, underwriting and customer interactions are likely to attract increased scrutiny under the EU AI Act and existing frameworks such as Solvency II, DORA and the Insurance Distribution Directive. The review also identified transparency, explainability, fairness and human oversight as recurring regulatory themes.
The UK has taken a different approach, relying on existing regulatory frameworks rather than introducing AI-specific legislation. However, regulators including the FCA and PRA have continued to focus on governance, accountability and meaningful human involvement in automated decision-making.
While AI dominated much of the survey, consumers remained focused on financial pressures.
Guidewire found that 84% of respondents remain concerned about the cost-of-living, unchanged from 2025. More than half, or 55%, said they were likely to reduce insurance spending because of rising costs. Meanwhile, 43% said premium increases were not clearly communicated by insurers.
The survey also found that 34% of consumers would prefer insurers not to collect connected-device data, despite potential risk-reduction benefits. Concern about natural disasters fell to 39% from 43% a year earlier, while the proportion considering climate-risk insurance declined to 31% from 38%.
The research suggests that insurers are advancing AI initiatives across customer service, claims management, underwriting and operational functions, while consumers continue to place greater value on transparency and human judgement.
For insurers, the challenge appears less about introducing AI into business processes and more about persuading customers that those systems can be trusted. With 26% of consumers saying nothing would improve their confidence in insurance AI, the latest findings indicate that acceptance of the technology may be stabilising even while industry adoption continues to expand.
