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You probably don’t think much about the technology behind your insurance policy. You pay the premium, file a claim when something goes wrong, and hope for a fair outcome. That routine hasn’t changed much in decades.But behind the scenes, the insurance industry is undergoing one of the most significant technological shifts in its history. And this time, the changes won’t just affect how insurers operate internally. They’re likely to change what you pay, how fast your claims get processed, and how your next policy gets priced.A February 2026 report from McKinsey & Company lays out exactly how AI is reshaping insurance across four major subsectors: brokers, managing general agents, software providers, and third-party administrators. The consulting firm estimates that generative AI alone could unlock $50 billion to $70 billion in insurance industry revenue, with the biggest gains in marketing, sales, customer operations, and software engineering.The real question is: What does this mean for you, the person actually buying and using insurance?McKinsey’s ‘AI staircase’ explains how insurance is evolvingMcKinsey describes the insurance industry’s AI adoption as a three-step progression it calls the “AI staircase.” The first step, traditional AI in the form of predictive analytics, is already well established. Insurers have been using it for fraud detection, pricing models, and risk assessment for years.The second step is generative AI, which is beginning to reshape document-heavy tasks such as policy issuance, claims handling, and submissions processing. If you’ve ever filed a claim and wondered why it took so long to hear back, gen AI is designed to accelerate exactly that kind of bottleneck.The third step could change everythingThe third and most disruptive stage is agentic AI, systems that can autonomously manage entire workflows. McKinsey suggests these systems may eventually handle end-to-end processes, from purchasing a policy to certain types of risk assessment, with limited human involvement.That doesn’t mean your insurance agent is disappearing tomorrow. McKinsey is clear that AI is more likely to reshape existing models than to replace them entirely. But for you as a policyholder, the shift means faster responses, more personalized pricing, and potentially lower costs as insurers reduce their operational overhead.Your insurance broker is about to get a powerful new toolIf you buy insurance through a broker, AI is already changing how that relationship works behind the scenes. McKinsey reports that early gen AI use cases are improving efficiency by automating submission ingestion, matching carrier appetites, and enabling renewal copilots that help brokers cross-sell products.McKinsey notes that AI-driven digital lead generation and targeting have reduced customer churn by up to 50% in some cases, by engaging clients with the right message at the right point in their journey.Insurance brokers who adapt will serve you betterFor you, this means a broker equipped with AI tools can spend less time on paperwork and more time giving you tailored advice. McKinsey points out that AI is reducing administrative friction by simplifying interactions across carrier websites for quoting, prefilling applications, and processing endorsements.The brokers who adopt AI effectively will build bigger books of business and gain access to better data, which in turn should mean more competitive options for their clients. The ones who don’t adapt will fall behind, and their clients may notice the difference at renewal time.AI could cut your policy quoting time from weeks to hoursManaging general agents, the specialized firms that underwrite and distribute insurance on behalf of carriers, are where some of the most dramatic AI gains are already showing up.McKinsey reports that U.S. premium volumes channeled through MGAs have grown at about 14% annually over the last decade, with direct premiums nearly doubling from $47 billion in 2020 to $97 billion in 2024. That explosive growth is now colliding with AI’s ability to make underwriting dramatically faster.The speed gains for insurance quotes are measurableMcKinsey cites that specialty risk engineering tools can now generate initial risk assessments that cut quoting times from more than one month to just days. Commercial and specialty property and casualty models incorporating predictive win rates now deliver quotes in one to two hours instead of two to three days.If you’ve ever waited weeks for a commercial insurance quote or dealt with a painfully slow renewal, those timelines are about to compress. Early forms of agentic underwriting “work cells” are already beginning to quote and bind simpler policies with minimal human intervention.What AI underwriting means for your insurance premiumsFaster underwriting doesn’t automatically mean cheaper premiums. But it does mean more granular risk assessment. AI can perform highly detailed segmentation and risk scoring, which should mean you pay a premium that more accurately reflects your actual risk profile rather than a broad average.For low-risk policyholders, that could be good news. For others, more precise pricing could mean higher premiums if your risk factors have been underpriced in the past.Claims processing is getting faster, but there’s a catchThird-party administrators (TPAs), the companies that handle claims processing for insurers, are another area McKinsey highlights for AI disruption. TPA deals have grown at about 15% annually over the past five years, according to PitchBook data cited by McKinsey.These firms sit on transaction-level servicing data that makes them well-positioned to deploy AI for speed, consistency, and better service levels.More Personal Finance:Why selling a home to your child for a dollar can backfireElon Musk says ‘universal high income’ is comingFTC, 21 states sue Uber over ‘shady’ subscription billingThe Evident AI Use Case Tracker backs this up. Insurance AI use cases grew 87% year over year, with about 40% of insurers now reporting tangible business outcomes, noted Insurance Edge. Agentic AI also accounted for 21% of public AI deployments in the sector in Q4 2025, with the majority focused on claims management.The revenue model problem you should know aboutHere’s where it gets complicated. McKinsey flags an important tension: Many TPA arrangements are still based on headcount or activity-based pricing. Under those models, automation can actually pressure the TPA’s top-line revenue, even when performance improves. Better outcomes and higher accuracy don’t always translate to higher compensation. Faster claims processing is good, but if the companies handling your claims aren’t incentivized to invest in AI because their pricing models penalize efficiency, the benefits may take longer to reach you.Wall Street is already pricing in the AI disruption for the insurance industryThe financial industry isn’t waiting around to see how this plays out. Bank of America identified more than $15 billion in commissions paid to independent agents in 2025 across just six major carriers, largely in low-complexity personal lines and small commercial business, per Fortune.BofA’s thesis is that these routine policies are exactly where AI chatbots can effectively replace human agents.Insurance broker stocks dropped roughly 9% after news broke in early 2026 that digital insurance companies had launched ChatGPT-powered assistants for personalized home insurance quotes. Analysts at multiple firms, including Berenberg and UBS, called the sell-off overdone, but the signal was clear: The market sees AI as a real force in insurance distribution.The bigger picture for insurance investorsMcKinsey’s report identifies four priorities for insurance investors: embedding AI evaluation across the deal lifecycle, building a firm-wide AI playbook, running scenario plans for different adoption curves, and projecting how AI will change talent models.The firm estimates that current technologies could theoretically automate more than half of current U.S. work hours, with two-thirds of those hours devoted to nonphysical work similar to what’s common across insurance.If you own shares in insurance companies or financial services ETFs, these shifts should factor into your investment thesis. The companies that integrate AI effectively will likely see margin expansion. Those that don’t could face competitive erosion.How to navigate your insurance decisions as AI reshapes the industryThe AI transformation of insurance is happening now, not five years from now. Here are specific steps you can take to stay ahead of the curve as a consumer and policyholder.Compare quotes more frequently: As AI enables faster and more personalized pricing, your current premium may not reflect the best available rate. Shop your auto, home, and health insurance at every renewal, not just when costs spike.Ask your broker about their technology: Brokers who use AI-powered tools for carrier matching and risk assessment can offer you more competitive options. If your broker can’t explain how they’re using technology to find you better coverage, consider one who can.Expect faster claims, but review outcomes carefully: AI-driven claims processing can resolve straightforward cases faster, but complex claims still need human judgment. Don’t accept an AI-generated settlement without reviewing it against your actual damages and coverage.Understand that “personalized pricing” cuts both ways: AI lets insurers assess your risk more precisely. If you maintain good credit, a clean claims history, and updated home or vehicle maintenance, more granular pricing should work in your favor. If not, you may see higher premiums than before.Watch for embedded insurance products: AI is enabling insurers to offer coverage at the point of purchase, built into things like e-commerce, ride-sharing, and banking platforms. These micro-policies can fill gaps in your coverage, but read the terms before you buy.The insurance industry’s AI race is just getting startedMcKinsey’s report makes one thing clear: AI in insurance is not a future possibility. It’s a current reality with measurable results. Industry AI spending is expected to grow by more than 25% in 2026, and the global AI in insurance market is projected to grow at a 32.3% compound annual growth rate through 2035, according to InsightAce Analytic.For everyday policyholders, the shift will unfold gradually. You probably won’t wake up one morning to an AI agent managing your entire insurance portfolio. But the small changes, faster quotes, more precise pricing, quicker claims, and new product options are already accumulating.Insurers, brokers, and MGAs that invest in AI now will likely offer better products at more competitive prices. The ones that don’t will struggle to keep up. And as a consumer, the best thing you can do is stay engaged, compare your options, and treat your insurance decisions with the same attention you give to your investment portfolio.Related: When AI meets law enforcement: The future of predictive policing

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealAlthough there are certain areas of your home that can be adjusted to fit your existing furniture and personal possessions, your closet isn’t one of them. Whether you live in a house, apartment, or condo, when you move-in, you’re pretty much stuck with the closet space you’re dealt with. While the market has tons of options to help you store all the sweaters, sweatshirts, pants, shirts, and more clothing that you’ve accumulated over the years, it seems there’s not always a lot of options when it comes to storing your shoes. And if there is, you usually have to have a decent amount of floor space in your closet to use them. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you have to start sorting through the piles of sneakers, heels, and boots you’ve acquired over the years to decide which shoes stay and which go. It simply means you need an alternative storage solution — and Amazon has the perfect one on sale right now. The Onlyeasy Shoe Storage Organizer, designed to fit under your bed, is under $25 right now. Although that doesn’t seem like a major deal, it does mean that you can get two organizers for only $22 right now. Onlyeasy Shoe Storage Organizer, $22 at Amazon

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Why do shoppers love it?Say goodbye to clutter and a giant pile of shoes crowding the bottom of your closet. This sturdy organizer, which comes in a set of two, is made to easily slide in and out from underneath your bed, perfect for easy access when you need a pair of shoes with the convenience of being out of sight and out of the way otherwise. Measuring 5.9 inches high, it fits neatly under most bed frames, even ones that sit a bit lower than standard models. Made with 100% polypropylene non-woven fabric that feels similar to linen, the organizer is gentle enough not to scratch floors when it’s being pulled out or pushed back in on hard ward floors. However, inside the organizer, shoes stay neatly put in their place thanks to the heavy-duty 2-millimeter thick cardboard that provides structure and support.Each slot is about 2.4 inches wide, so while the organizer can fit sandals, flip-flops, flats, ballet shoes, dress shoes, slides, and casual footwear, there are certain sizes that work better than others. For example, women’s shoes above a size 10, men’s shoes size 9-10, and wedge heels fit, but can be a tight squeeze, so occasionally you may have to use two slots for one pair so that each shoe fits seamlessly. Boots, bulky sneakers, or overly wide shoes may have a harder time fitting comfortably, so it would be best to use your judgement especially since you wouldn’t want to compromise the fit or design of a shoe with improper storage. Overall, the organizers can, on average, fit about 16 pairs of shoes per organizer, which means for a two-pack you could give 32 pairs each their own perfect storage space. And when the organizers are tucked away under the bed, they have a zippered, clear, plastic layer that not only protects from dust  and moisture but it also makes it easy to find the shoes you’re looking for at a quick glance. Related: Amazon is selling a 28-piece drawer organizer set for $14 to kickstart your spring cleaningThe organizers come in four different colors, and all have two, double reinforced handles that make it easy to get it out and put it back under the bed whenever you need to. Details to knowMaterial: 100% polypropylene non-woven fabric, cardboard, and transparent plastic.Dimensions: Each organizer measures 37.7 inches long, 23.6 inches wide, and 5.9 inches high. Colors: Four.Space: Each organizer holds on average about 16 shoes. Shoppers appreciate that the slots inside these organizers are sturdy and not flimsy, so shoes stay firmly put and secure in their allotted space. It’s easy to retrieve from under the bed and slide back under, especially with the side handles, and shoppers say that it still feels lightweight even when it is full of shoes. It’s perfect for storing seasonal shoes, and lots of shoppers love that if you have the under bed space, they are durable enough to stack on top of one another. Shop more deals Vtopmart 25-Piece Plastic Drawer Organizer Set, $18 (was $21) at AmazonBaleine 6-Pack Oversized Moving Bags, $24 (was $49) at AmazonLifewit 6-Pack Foldable Storage Binds, $16 (was $30) at AmazonInstead of having to face the hard decision of choosing which shoes stay and which shoes go when it comes to organizing your closet, skip the struggle and grab the Onlyeasy Shoe Storage Organizer — only $22 right now!

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealIt seems like most of us barely go a single day without listening to our earbuds at least once. Whether you use them while on public transportation, during exercise, or even just cleaning up around the house, noise-canceling headphones or earbuds are the way to go. Amazon understands this daily need we have to consume music and podcasts, which is why it offers such a huge selection of high-quality personal audio equipment. To that end, the behemoth retailer is currently selling a pair of noise-canceling earbuds at a discount rate that’s almost hard to believe.The Exzhig Noise-Canceling Earbuds are on sale for just $21. That’s 5% off the original price of $22. If you’ve been looking for high-quality earbuds that won’t break the bank, then you’ve just found them. Exzhig Noise-canceling Earbuds, $21 (was $22) at Amazon

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Why do shoppers love it?These earbuds have so many features that might have never even been imagined just a decade ago. The continuing march of exponential advancements in technology has benefited us all, and now so can this price drop. The earbuds have a silicone seal in the form of earbud tips that create the perfect environment to listen to your music and tune the rest of the world out. Further aiding in the solitary experience of these earbuds is the deep bass technology that allows for booming rumbles in the lows that add depth to the crisp mids and highs. While the noise reduction features of this product make listening a joy, there is also another noise-canceling feature that makes it special. The built-in microphone has noise-canceling technology as well, which allows the person on the other end of any phone call to hear you without the distraction of ambient noises. The mic easily captures your voice for clear phone calls every time in both directions. They’re also IPX7 waterproof, which means that they’re great for sweaty workouts, strolls in the rain, and can even handle being dropped into a meter’s depth of water without sustaining any internal damage. The earbuds come in a convenient recharging case that includes a large LED display that constantly shows you how much charge remains. The earbuds and charger come in both black and white colorways, so why not buy one of each? Related: Amazon is selling a pair of noise-canceling wireless earbuds for just $20 that have up to nine hours of playtimeDetails to knowConnection: Bluetooth.Colorways: Two variants.Water resistance: IPX7 rating.Amazon shoppers were very happy with these earbuds. One called them the “best,” before adding, “These earbuds are a fantastic all-rounder. The sound is impressive with deep, punchy bass that doesn’t drown out the mids and highs.”Shop more deals Monster N-Lite 216 Wireless Earbuds, $27 (was $30) at AmazonBeats Solo Buds Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, $70 (was $80) at AmazonBose QuietComfort Earbuds, $139 (was $179) at AmazonThe Exzhig Noise-Canceling Earbuds are a great pick for anyone who likes versatile audio equipment that can go anywhere you can. They only cost $21 at the moment, which means you may want to get them now, rather than waiting any longer. It sounds to us like the perfect excuse to pick up a new pair of earbuds.