Hi Marley Research Reveals Critical Trust Gap in P&C Insurance AI Communication

P&C insurers face a significant perception gap as they scale AI-driven customer communications, with 86 per cent of executives expecting AI to build trust while only 33 per cent of policyholders agree. This disconnect suggests that carriers must balance automation with human accessibility to maintain customer loyalty and ensure the responsible deployment of emerging technologies.

What was announced

Hi Marley has released new research highlighting a sharp divide between how P&C insurance carriers and their customers view the integration of artificial intelligence in communication. The study surveyed 250 senior P&C insurance decision-makers and 1,000 policyholders across Canada to gauge sentiment regarding AI-enabled service channels. While 69 per cent of insurers intend to increase their dedicated AI investment, only 44 per cent of policyholders expressed confidence that their insurer would use the technology responsibly.

The research identified that policyholder trust is highly dependent on the specific use case. For instance, 62 per cent of customers would trust AI-delivered answers for general insurance questions, and 57 per cent would trust it for coverage details. However, trust levels plummet to 40 per cent when AI is used to provide information for filing a claim correctly. Transparency is a critical factor for consumers, with 92 per cent stating that knowing when they are interacting with AI is very or extremely important.

Despite these reservations, the study found that actual experience with the technology is generally positive. Among policyholders who have used AI-supported channels to communicate with their insurer, 90 per cent reported being satisfied with the experience. Nevertheless, 72 per cent of respondents emphasized that their primary concern remains the potential inability to reach a human representative during critical moments.

The companies involved

Hi Marley is an intelligent communication platform purpose-built for the P&C insurance industry. The company provides a communication layer that enables carriers, agents, and service providers to interact with policyholders through text messaging and other digital channels. By centralizing these conversations, the platform aims to reduce friction in the claims process and improve overall customer retention for insurance providers.

The firm occupies a specific niche in the insurtech market, focusing on the "last mile" of customer interaction. Its tools are designed to integrate with existing core insurance systems, allowing legacy carriers to modernize their communication stacks without necessarily overhauling their entire back-end infrastructure. Hi Marley has expanded its reach through strategic partnerships and product launches aimed at centralizing the ecosystem of service providers, such as repair shops and medical facilities, that interact with carriers during the lifecycle of a claim.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has tracked Hi Marley’s research and product evolution over several years. In late 2026, the publication covered Hi Marley Research Reveals 75% of Policyholders Embrace AI but Demand Human Access, which initially identified the consumer demand for human intervention in automated workflows. Earlier that year, the outlet reported on the company’s efforts to streamline the broader insurance ecosystem with the story Hi Marley Launches Unite to Centralize P&C Insurance Service Provider Communications. Additionally, FF News documented the company's collaborative efforts to modernize the financial aspects of the policyholder relationship in One Inc Partners with Hi Marley to Disrupt Payment Processing & Modernize Customer Experience, highlighting a partnership focused on digital payment integration.

What this means from an insurtech perspective

This data highlights a precarious "trust gap" that could threaten the ROI of AI investments for P&C carriers. While insurers view AI as a tool for efficiency and scale, policyholders view it through the lens of accessibility and reliability during the "moment of truth"—the claim. For insurtech vendors and incumbent carriers, the pressure is no longer just on the capability of the LLM or chatbot, but on the seamlessness of the "handoff" to human staff. Carriers that automate too aggressively without clear human-in-the-loop triggers risk damaging their brand equity and increasing churn. Furthermore, the 92 per cent demand for transparency suggests that "stealth AI" is a significant regulatory and reputational risk that the industry must address through clear disclosure frameworks.