Top 28 insurance KPIs for effective monitoring

In today’s digital world, the insurance industry is undergoing significant changes, transitioning from a stable, risk-focused sector to one driven by data and insights. Insurers can no longer ignore Business Intelligence (BI) and data-driven strategies to stay competitive. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are essential for monitoring performance, measuring success, and guiding decision-making. This post highlights the top 28 KPIs for insurers, managing directors, chief people officers, and country managers to track effectively.

Types of insurance KPIs

KPIs are vital in the insurance industry, enabling companies to track progress, make informed decisions, and adapt to evolving market conditions. Here’s how insurers can leverage KPIs to improve operations and thrive in the digital era.

Financial insurance KPIs

Premium growth rate

The Premium Growth Rate measures the percentage change in premium revenue over time. Monitoring this KPI helps evaluate marketing and sales performance. According to McKinsey, insurance premiums are expected to grow at 5–6% annually by 2025.

Formula = ((Current Premiums – Previous Premiums) / Previous Premiums) * 100

Loss ratio

The Loss Ratio measures the ratio of claims paid to premiums earned, indicating underwriting performance. In 2019, the US property and casualty insurance industry reported a loss ratio of 62.8%. A lower loss ratio reflects better underwriting and higher profitability.

Formula: (Claims Paid / Premiums Earned) * 100

Combined ratio

The Combined Ratio evaluates overall profitability, considering both expenses and losses. A lower ratio indicates higher profitability.

Formula: (Loss Ratio + Expense Ratio) * 100

Loss reserve adequacy

This KPI assesses whether insurers have sufficient reserves to cover potential claims. In 2020, US property and casualty insurers held total loss reserves of $729 billion. Adequate reserves ensure financial stability and reliability.

Formula: (Loss Reserves / Total Claims) * 100

Expense ratio

The Expense Ratio measures operational efficiency by comparing expenses to revenue. A lower ratio indicates cost-effective operations. In 2019, US insurers reported an average expense ratio of 27.1%.

Formula: (Operational Expenses / Premiums Earned) * 100

Solvency ratio

This KPI evaluates an insurer’s ability to meet obligations, maintain client trust, and comply with regulations.

Formula: (Total Assets / Total Liabilities)

Investment yield

Investment Yield measures returns on invested premiums, optimizing reserve performance.

Formula: (Investment Income / Total Investment Assets) * 100

Underwriting profit margin

This KPI measures the profitability of underwriting activities. In 2021, global underwriting profits exceeded $40.6 trillion.

Formula: (Premiums Earned – Claims Paid – Operational Expenses) / Premiums Earned * 100

Customer-centric KPIs

Policy renewal rate

This KPI measures the percentage of policies renewed upon expiration. Bain & Company found that a 5% increase in retention can boost profits by 25–95%. High renewal rates indicate satisfied customers and steady revenue.

Formula: (Renewed Policies / Total Policies Expiring) * 100

Customer acquisition cost

This KPI calculates the cost of acquiring a new customer, helping optimize marketing and sales budgets.

Formula: (Total Marketing and Sales Costs / Number of New Customers)

Customer churn rate

Churn Rate shows the percentage of customers who do not renew. Harvard Business Review notes that reducing churn by 5% can increase profits by 25–95%. Understanding churn is key to retention strategies.

Formula: (Lost Customers / Total Customers at Start of Period) * 100

Policyholder satisfaction

Direct feedback from policyholders gauges satisfaction. Satisfied customers are more likely to renew and advocate for your company.

Formula: (Satisfied Customers / Total Survey Respondents) * 100

Channel effectiveness

This KPI measures the efficiency of distribution channels to optimize marketing focus.

Formula: (Policies Sold via Channel / Total Policies Sold) * 100

Claims management KPIs

Claims processing time

Measures the average time to process claims. Faster processing leads to higher customer satisfaction. The Insurance Information Institute reports average processing times of 30–60 days.

Claims frequency

Indicates how often claims are filed, helping assess risk and set premiums.

Formula: (Total Claims / Total Policies in Force)

Claims denial rate

Shows the percentage of rejected claims. High rates may indicate issues in claims management.

Formula: (Denied Claims / Total Claims) * 100

Loss severity

Measures the average cost of claims, supporting risk management and pricing strategies.

Formula: (Total Claim Amount / Total Claims)

Loss retention ratio

Indicates the insurer’s share of claims before reinsurance, crucial for financial stability.

Formula: (Retained Claims / Total Claims) * 100

Claims settlement ratio

Measures the percentage of claims successfully settled. In the US, the average is 96%, reflecting customer trust.

Formula: (Settled Claims / Total Claims) * 100

Underwriting KPIs

Underwriting efficiency

Assesses how effectively underwriters evaluate and price risks, critical for sustainable profitability.

Formula: (Underwriting Expenses / Premiums Earned) * 100

Digital transformation KPIs

Digital transformation progress

Tracks the adoption of digital technologies in insurance. Accenture reports that 75% of insurance executives believe AI boosts profitability.

Formula: (Digital Transformation Achievements / Total Transformation Goals) * 100

Risk management KPIs

Reinsurance utilization

Measures how much risk is ceded to reinsurers. The global reinsurance market is expected to reach $348.6 billion by 2026.

Formula: (Reinsured Claims / Total Claims) * 100

Compliance and security KPIs

Regulatory compliance

Ensures adherence to industry regulations, avoiding fines and legal issues.

Cybersecurity preparedness

Assesses readiness against cyber threats. Global cybercrime costs are predicted to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, highlighting the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.

Product and sales KPIs

Average policy value

Calculates the average value of insurance products, helping identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

Formula: (Total Policy Value / Total Number of Policies)

Sales growth rate

Measures the growth of insurance sales, tracking new and renewed policies.

Formula: ((Current Sales – Previous Sales) / Previous Sales) * 100

Retention rate

Shows the proportion of existing policies renewed versus new policies issued.

Formula: ((Policies in Force at End – Policies Acquired) / Policies in Force at Start) * 100

Policies in-force per agent

Divides the total active policies by the number of agents to measure agent productivity and support growth strategies.

Formula: (Total Policies In-Force / Total Agents)

By tracking these KPIs, insurers can improve operations, customer service, financial stability, and risk management, positioning themselves for success in 2024 and beyond.

How to define the best insurance KPIs?

Developing effective KPIs requires a deep understanding of processes and interdependencies. Insurance companies often face data silos, making consolidated insights a challenge. Consider these steps:

Determine objectives – Define clear goals and measure progress to create meaningful KPIs.

Adopt a holistic approach – Consider organizational factors beyond individual processes for accurate metrics and data controls.

Centralize data – Break down silos and unify data sources to enable better insights and decision-making.

Use pre-built templates – Leverage ready-made visualization templates to speed up analysis and time to insights.

How can Brickclay help?

KPIs are the lifeblood of insurance operations. With efficient monitoring, insurers can gain real-time insights into performance, make strategic decisions, and stay ahead in a competitive market. These top 28 KPIs empower insurance companies to navigate challenges and seize opportunities effectively.

Is your insurance company ready for the future? With Brickclay’s expertise in business intelligence, you can unlock the full potential of your data to drive growth. Contact us today for customized solutions designed for your business needs.

general queries

Frequently asked questions

The best KPIs for insurance companies include financial, customer-centric, claims management, underwriting, digital transformation, and risk management KPIs. These metrics help insurers monitor insurance financial performance, optimize operations, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Tracking key performance indicators for insurers such as premium growth rate, loss ratio, combined ratio, and underwriting profit margin enables better insurance financial performance analysis. These KPIs guide decisions that enhance profitability and operational efficiency.

The loss ratio measures the percentage of claims paid relative to premiums earned, reflecting underwriting performance. The combined ratio adds the expense ratio to the loss ratio, giving a complete view of insurance profitability by factoring in operational costs.

Insurers can reduce the expense ratio by streamlining processes, adopting digital tools, and leveraging insurance business intelligence dashboards. This approach helps monitor operational costs, optimize workflows, and improve overall insurance profitability.

The policy renewal rate measures customer retention and loyalty. A higher renewal rate indicates satisfied policyholders and contributes to sustainable data-driven insurance performance metrics and long-term profitability.

Measuring insurance digital transformation strategy involves tracking KPIs such as digital adoption progress, automation efficiency, and AI-driven insights. Tools like BI dashboards help quantify digital initiatives and their impact on insurance performance metrics.

Key claims management efficiency metrics include claims processing time, claims frequency, claims denial rate, and claims settlement ratio. Monitoring these KPIs ensures faster claim resolutions and higher customer satisfaction.

AI tools for insurance analytics and insurance business intelligence dashboards are effective for real-time KPI tracking. These tools consolidate data, provide actionable insights, and enable proactive decision-making.

Insurance business intelligence dashboards allow insurers to visualize KPIs in real-time, track trends, and make data-driven insurance performance metrics decisions. They help improve operational efficiency and enhance financial and customer performance.

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About Brickclay

Brickclay is a digital solutions provider that empowers businesses with data-driven strategies and innovative solutions. Our team of experts specializes in digital marketing, web design and development, big data and BI. We work with businesses of all sizes and industries to deliver customized, comprehensive solutions that help them achieve their goals.