Trailblazing Women in Insurance: Leading the Charge for Change
The full Trailblazing Women in Insurance 2025 report features insights from twenty-two leaders across the global insurance industry, curated to celebrate International Women’s Day. Download the report here: Reuters Events: The Future of Insurance USA 2026
In insurance firms worldwide, a transformation is underway. Women aren’t just joining the industry, they’re redefining it. The 2025 Trailblazing Women in Insurance report from Reuters Events captures voices of twenty-two leaders whose journeys reveal what it takes to break barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field.
Finding Purpose in the Unexpected
Most didn’t set out to revolutionize insurance. Mirjam Bamberger was drawn to protecting people’s lives through finance and risk management. Crystal R. Brown discovered the field through an internship. Cat Reese started with a temp job during Florida’s brutal 2004 hurricane season and found her calling in catastrophe response.
What keeps them engaged runs deeper: insurance as the foundation that helps people and communities remain resilient. As Bamberger notes, the impact becomes real “when floods damage your home, a theft occurs while you’re on vacation, or your doctor delivers some uncomfortable news.”
Representation Ignites Possibility
A constant refrain: seeing yourself reflected in leadership matters profoundly. Christy Kaufman was inspired by her mother’s insurance career and a professor who brought the industry alive. For others, the absence of role models intensified challenges, particularly imposter syndrome.
Cat Reese’s advice resonates: “Trust your experience and recognize your contributions… another point of view can help you recognize your achievements and reframe your thinking.”
Beyond Breaking Barriers
Christy Kaufman offers a striking metaphor: “As we work to shatter the glass ceiling, we must also ensure we are protected from the shards.”
Breaking through isn’t enough. Andrea Hecht emphasizes authentic action: “Words without actions are meaningless and the more opportunities you offer to your employees, the better chance you will have of creating a diverse workforce that mirrors your customer base and helps drive positive business outcomes.”
Mentorship and Sponsorship
Nearly every leader stresses: seek mentors, become one. But there’s a crucial distinction. Bobbie Collies notes mentors work best when formed organically, and encourages women to cultivate multiple mentoring relationships.
More critical is sponsorship. Mentors advise, sponsors advocate. Kelly Coomer credits a male CIO who recognized her potential: “Without his support, I might not be where I am today.” Now she ensures emerging talent has “the right sponsorship to advocate for their advancement.”
The Business Imperative
These leaders make compelling business cases for diversity. Laura Boettcher is direct: “It’s not just about ticking boxes; it’s about recognizing that diverse perspectives help us perform better.”
The logic is clear: insurance serves diverse populations. How can companies understand varied needs if decision-makers share similar backgrounds and blind spots?
Permission Not Required
“Own your space. Don’t wait for permission,” advises Pamela S Corey. Amy Friedrich encourages women to “do the hard thing, whatever that is for you, and take on the hardest job.”
Yet these leaders acknowledge the paradox: systems often punish in women the behaviors they reward in men. Individual courage matters, but systemic change is equally essential.
Purpose as Fuel
What sustains these leaders through challenges is clear purpose. Nichole Lecher speaks to this: “I believe in our noble purpose of providing financial security for future generations.”
Insurance transforms from abstract product to deeply human service, being there when everything falls apart.
Looking Forward
Aspirations vary: board positions, technological innovation, mentoring the next generation. But the common thread is continuing to learn, grow, and make impact.
Ryann Foelker captures this spirit: “After all, great minds don’t think alike, and those differences are where the real magic happens.”
The Call to Action
The 2025 International Women’s Day theme was #AccelerateAction. This report delivers practical wisdom from lived experience.
For women in insurance: Your voices matter. Build your network, find mentors, trust your expertise, and claim your seat at the table.
For organizations: The business case is clear. Will you take meaningful action? True change requires commitment from the top and accountability at every level.
For the industry: Insurance stands at an inflection point. The leaders who’ll navigate this complexity are those who draw on diverse perspectives, balance innovation with integrity, and build trust in uncertain times.
The women in this report prove that insurance can be a place of innovation, purpose, and meaningful impact. They’re writing a new story about leadership, one with room for empathy alongside analytics, collaboration alongside competition, humanity alongside profitability.
The future of insurance will be shaped by voices like theirs. Who will join them?
The full Trailblazing Women in Insurance 2025 report features insights from twenty-two leaders across the global insurance industry, curated to celebrate International Women’s Day. Download the full report here: Reuters Events: The Future of Insurance USA 2026