U.S. P&C Insurers Dominate AI Patent Landscape Amid Shifting Strategies

Recent data from Evident's Insurance AI Patent Tracker reveals that AI patenting within the insurance sector is concentrated predominantly among a few U.S. property and casualty (P&C) insurers.

Since January 2023, 30 major insurers in North America and Europe have filed 166 AI-related patents, with State Farm, USAA, and Allstate responsible for 77% of AI patents over the past decade. The P&C segment leads with 89% of AI patents, reflecting its strong focus on telematics, IoT-based risk monitoring, and sensor-driven innovations that meet patent standards in U.S. and European markets.

Despite significant interest and investment in AI technologies, total AI patent filings remain approximately 30% below their 2020 peak, indicating a more strategic, selective approach in the post-2020 period. However, there is a marked increase in patents related to generative AI, rising from 4% to 31% of insurer filings in 2023, largely targeting customer service and claims automation. Agentic AI, which involves autonomous decision-making systems, is emerging but still limited to a few insurers, with USAA leading in this area.

Patent data highlights how insurers integrate AI across various operational areas. Examples include USAA’s use of generative AI for analyzing aerial imagery in property damage claims and State Farm's advancements in machine learning for claims triage and autonomous vehicle fault assessment. Allstate is innovating with in-vehicle AI assistants to automate claims and enable behavior-based discounts, while Swiss Re focuses on predictive analytics for medical data.

This concentrated patent activity indicates two potential trajectories for the insurance industry. Either AI-related intellectual property remains controlled by a small group of frontrunners, especially in U.S. P&C, who hold advantages in telematics and automation, or patent filings could expand as a broader indicator of competitive strategy with more insurers adopting production-scale AI deployments.

The evolution of patenting strategies reflects a shift from protecting existing systems to securing advanced AI capabilities. Generative and agentic AI technologies increasingly influence underwriting, claims management, customer interactions, and internal workflows. This transition underlines a strategic decision point for insurers regarding whether to pursue defensive IP positions or lead innovation efforts within the evolving AI landscape.