Member trust in insurers is on the decline among Gen Z and Millennials, down 10.5% between 2023 and 2026, new research from Accenture found.
This trust gap, according to analysts, could cost $3 billion in future member lifetime value for the largest commercial payers over the next decade.
“When members don’t trust their health plan, they don’t just disengage; they route around it,” said Bracken Flynn, Accenture’s Health industry principal director, in a statement. “Our data shows that younger consumers aren’t asking for less from their insurer. They want more. They’re looking for a partner that helps them navigate care, understand costs, and make confident decisions. The insurers that earn that trust now will define what health coverage means for the next generation.”
During a Sept. 14 AHIP webinar, Flynn said the report—which polled 1,200 consumers—found members trust insurers when they believe the health plan will help them make good healthcare decisions and navigate them to the best care.
“That's across clinical and administrative touchpoints,” Flynn said. “And so it's a partnership. In practice, it's a partnership.”
The lack of trust in insurers is causing younger members to turn to artificial intelligence tools, with 62% of respondents saying they have used AI to help choose a health plan.
“Trust is the precondition for AI, not the other way around,” Flynn said.
Analysts urged insurers to take four steps to increase member trust:
- Design affordable and transparent products
- Deliver personalized guidance at scale
- Build radical clarity across a member's journey
- Design long-term trust as a measurable asset