Allianz SE is planning a sizeable reduction of roles at its travel and assistance insurance unit, Allianz Partners, as it implements artificial-intelligence-based solutions. Bloomberg reports that the company will eliminate between 1,500 and 1,800 positions across Europe.
Tomas Kunzmann, chief executive officer of Allianz Partners, told an event in Munich that the reductions will be handled mainly through severance packages, early retirement schemes and other agreement-based measures. The company has been in continuous talks with works councils over the past six months and has launched voluntary exit programmes in several countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux nations.
Allianz Partners employs more than 22,000 people. While the company had previously warned that AI-driven restructuring could affect staffing levels, the latest announcement explicitly identifies the spread of artificial intelligence as the direct cause of the planned cuts.
The move comes amid broader concern about AI's impact on employment. Bloomberg Economics estimates that around 27 percent of workers in advanced economies could be substantially affected by the spread of the new technology. Munich Re’s direct insurance arm, Ergo, has announced a similar step: it plans to cut roughly 1,000 jobs in Germany in part due to wider AI adoption.
Kunzmann emphasized that affected colleagues will be treated fairly when shaping exit arrangements. The announcement underscores the tension between technological investment and labour-market stability, raising questions about how to balance digital transformation with protection for workers.
Practical implications
- The planned 1,500–1,800 job reductions will affect multiple European markets.
- Allianz Partners intends to rely primarily on voluntary programmes, severance and early-retirement options to implement the cuts.
- The company has been negotiating with works councils and has already rolled out voluntary departure schemes in several jurisdictions.
This decision illustrates how AI adoption is changing operational models in the insurance sector, with potential long-term effects on work processes and employment structures.
