The insurance sector promises the best job prospects in the first quarter of next year, according to an employment outlook for nine professions.

Around 37% of hiring managers from the financial services sector, which includes insurance, plan to increase headcount, recruitment specialist Hudson says.

The legal sector is the only other profession to score as high.

“From a hiring perspective, actuaries with strong stakeholder engagement skills are highly sought after and commanding good salaries,” EGM Dean Davidson told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“They are being moved into more strategic roles focusing on cost reduction in front-line operations, driving greater customer value and a better experience.”

Australia’s changing regulatory landscape is also driving demand for insurance professionals specialising in this area.

“Insurance businesses are also under pressure from regulators to align their risk frameworks with those used by large banks,” Mr Davidson said.

“Increased customer protection laws across financial services, including insurance, have also caused some concern for insurance companies.”

A separate report by Manpower notes an equally strong jobs outlook for the sector.

Hiring intentions at insurance-related companies, grouped with finance and real estate in the survey, are the highest, with 15% planning to add more staff in the first quarter.