The landscape of risk is undergoing a dramatic transformation, becoming increasingly complex, frequent, and unpredictable. This new reality demands a fundamental shift in how businesses and insurers approach risk assessment and management, according to a white paper by Majesco on trends shaping insurance in 2025.

Insurance operational costs are increasing, growth is limited, and profitability challenges are becoming more pronounced. These issues underscore the fact that current operational business models and technology frameworks are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of today’s dynamic world, the report contends.

For example, only around 5% of property/casualty and life, accident and health insurers are “leading the way in innovation,” according to an April 2023 report by AM Best, Majesco noted.

Without a new business model and technology foundation, insurers will struggle to find a profitable growth strategy, improve operationally, respond rapidly to market opportunities, innovate with new products and services, and satisfy customers, employees, or distribution partners, according to the report.

A new report from Majesco cites the following eight trends will shape the insurance industry in 2025:

Trend 1: New Era of Risk Demands New Technology

The increasing frequency and complexity of risk events is forcing insurers to completely rethink how they assess and manage risk. Over the past five years, the U.S. has experienced an average of 18 billion-dollar disasters annually, more than double the long-term average of 8.1 such events per year from 1980 to 2022, according to the report. This stark increase is attributed to a combination of factors, including increased exposure, vulnerability, and the impacts of climate-related perils.

Moreover, the nature of risk events is evolving, often presenting as combined risks that amplify their impact. Hurricane Helene serves as a prime example of this trend, Majesco noted. The storm not only caused extensive property damage but also led to significant business interruption and more than 100 fatalities.

Traditional predictive models are becoming obsolete as insurers must adopt innovative technologies and data analytics to better understand, prevent, and mitigate increasingly unpredictable risks.

Trend 2: Growing Protection Gap Consequences

The widening gap between insured and uninsured losses is creating a crisis of affordability and trust in the insurance industry, with rising costs forcing many customers to reduce coverage or go uninsured.

Recent catastrophic events have highlighted the severity of this issue. Hurricane Helene, estimated to be a $50 billion event, saw an estimated 95% of losses go uninsured, according to Majesco.

The impact of rising insurance costs is felt across generations. According to recent research, 76% of younger consumers (Millennials and Gen Z) have had to tighten their budgets due to increased insurance expenses. Even 61% of older generations (Gen X and Boomers) report similar financial pressures.

Trend 3: Rise of Climate Risk Technologies

Climate change is driving insurers to adopt sophisticated technologies like AI models, IoT sensors, and advanced analytics to better understand and respond to environmental risks. This technological evolution is also creating convergence between insurance and banking sectors as both industries grapple with measuring and managing climate-related financial risks.

Technology enables insurers to rethink loss control for property. “Today it is primarily used for high-value or high-risk properties, leaving a large portion of insurers’ portfolios untouched,” the report noted. “Instead, by leveraging technology with self-surveys and videos with advanced analytics to assess the risk, insurers can segment and assess their entire property portfolio cost-effectively.”

Trend 4: Modern Insurance Constrained by Out-of-Sync Business Model

Legacy insurance operating models are struggling to keep pace with modern risks, leading to decreased profitability and higher expense ratios, according to the report. The report emphasizes the need for insurers to leverage emerging technologies like Cloud, APIs, AI/ML, GenAI, and IoT to optimize operations and innovate.

This shift is not just about staying competitive, but also about improving efficiency, speed to market, and customer experience in a rapidly changing risk landscape.

Trend 5: Democratization and Demonetization of Data

The insurance industry is witnessing a significant trend toward democratization and demonetization of data, making it more accessible, understandable, and actionable through new technological approaches that eliminate traditional cost barriers and data silos.

This shift is expected to level the playing field between large and small insurers by reducing data and analytics costs, eliminating the cost multiplier effect from the use of data by multiple entities, and making advanced data and analytics available to any organization, regardless of size. The trend is being driven by factors such as intelligent core solutions, embedded analytics, and the adoption of AI and GenAI.

“Data has always been the lifeblood of the insurance industry but today it is a vital asset in our digital world and increasingly crucial across every part of the insurance value chain. But access to data continues to be challenging and expensive,” the report stated.

Trend 6: AI and GenAI Propels Real Business Optimization

The integration of AI and GenAI into insurance business processes is transforming the industry, driving improved productivity and accelerating employees’ performance. A report from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) highlights that only 4% of companies have fully integrated AI across functions, yielding significant value, while an additional 22% have implemented AI strategies and are starting to see substantial gains.

Over the past three years, AI leaders achieved 1.5 times higher revenue growth, 1.6 times greater shareholder returns, and 1.4 times higher returns on invested capital while also excelling in non-financial areas like patents filed and employee satisfaction, the BCG report found.

This AI transformation is particularly crucial as the insurance industry faces a massive workforce transition with half of insurance professionals expected to retire by 2030, the report noted.

Trend 7: Market Shifts Fuel New Product Growth Opportunities

Customer needs and changing risk patterns are driving demand for new insurance products. The report highlights four key areas of growth in the insurance market: Protection as a Service, the rise of specialty insurance, the emergence of parametric products, and the growth of supplemental and worksite products.

“Today’s customers are increasingly disillusioned with the ‘traditional’ insurance approach, creating a loyalty fault line between customers’ needs and expectations with insurers’ ability to deliver. While risk and trust tend to be constants, customers increasingly have no guaranteed loyalty to old models, even from trusted brands,” the report’s authors said.

Trend 8: The Algorithmic Economy Powers Intelligent Core Solutions

The integration of advanced analytics and AI directly into core insurance processes is creating a new “algorithmic economy” that fundamentally changes how insurance operates. This embedded intelligence is enabling insurers to make better decisions, operate more efficiently, and respond more quickly to market changes and customer needs.

“Embedded intelligence is part of the new ‘algorithmic economy’ and is the innovation catalyst needed to help insurers stay ahead of market trends and technological shifts, giving them the confidence to navigate complexities with ease and significantly improve business operations,” the report stated.

Obtain the full Majesco report here.

Auto and home insurers’ investments in mobile app features and refinements have led to a significant rise in customer satisfaction scores, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Claims Digital Experience Study.

The study revealed that overall satisfaction with the auto and home insurance digital insurance claims process is 871 (on a 1,000-point scale), up 17 points from 2023. This increase is attributed to the introduction of new features such as automatic collision reporting capabilities, enhanced image upload, and body shop selection tools, according to J.D. Power.

“The digital channel has now surpassed traditional phone-based communication as the most satisfying way for insurance customers to submit a new claim,” stated Mark Garrett, director of global insurance intelligence at J.D. Power. He further emphasized that while the insurance industry has made significant strides in digital claims reporting, there is still room for improvement, particularly in helping policyholders navigate between digital and offline channels.

The study, now in its fifth year, evaluates digital experiences among property/casualty insurance customers throughout the claims process. It examines the functional aspects of desktop, mobile web, and mobile apps based on four factors: visual appeal; clarity of the information; navigation; and range of services.

Insurers made an average of 6.75 updates to their mobile apps in 2023, an increase from 5.72 in 2022, according to Michael Ellison, president of Corporate Insight Inc., which partnered with J.D. Power on the study.

“The industry is reaching an important tipping point in which digital channels—particularly mobile apps—are the primary conduit to insurance customer engagement,” Ellison stated.

While 84% of claimants said their insurer provides an easy digital communication process, just 39% said their insurer always responded in a timely fashion to emails and text messages.

Nearly 20% of customers said they used more than one channel when they had a question about their claim, which the study noted was a frustration point that reduced satisfaction by more than 100 points. Among those who used more than one channel for the same topic, email, apps and phone calls were the most frequently cited.

More information about the J.D. Power study can be found here.

The insurance industry is poised for significant employment growth in the coming year, with over half of insurers planning to increase their workforce, despite ongoing challenges in recruitment and retention, according to a recent study by the Jacobson Group and Ward/STG Performance Benchmarking.

The Q1 2024 Insurance Labor Market Survey revealed that a slight majority of insurers (52%) is planning to increase staff in the next 12 months. This trend is particularly strong in the property/casualty (P/C) segment, where 53% of companies intend to expand their workforce, compared with 47% of life/health insurers.

Looking at specific lines of business, 66% of commercial lines P/C carriers are set to increase staff over the next 12 months, which is 32 and 16 points higher than personal lines and all lines carriers, respectively, the report stated. While 10% of insurers plan to decrease staff, 38% expect to maintain their current levels.

When it comes to company size, 53% of both medium (300 to 1,000 employees) and large insurers (over 1,000) plan to add staff, compared to 51% of small companies (under 300).

The primary reasons behind the planned hiring surge are expected business volume growth (34%) and expansion into new markets, the survey found. On the other hand, automation and reorganization were cited as the top reasons for reducing headcount in the insurance industry.

Revenue Growth Expectations and Drivers

Three-quarters, or 77%, of insurers expect revenue to rise in the next 12 months, the survey reported. Leading the pack in optimism are commercial lines P/C companies, with 84% anticipating increased revenue. This bullish outlook was shared by 78% of personal lines companies and 75% of all lines  companies, while 71% of life/health insurers also expect to see revenue growth.

The primary drivers behind these revenue expectations have shifted, the survey found. For the first time since 2012, change in market share (46%) has overtaken pricing factors (37%) as the main catalyst for projected revenue changes. However, this trend is not uniform across all segments. P/C companies, in particular, still cite pricing (43%) as their top revenue driver.

Recruitment and Retention Challenges

With 90% of insurers planning to increase or maintain staff and voluntary turnover slowing slightly, recruitment will remain challenging in 2024, according to the report. Companies will also focus on retaining top talent amid shifting complexities and expectations.

Technology, underwriting, and claims roles are expected to see the greatest growth during the next 12 months, the survey showed. Product management and sales/marketing are the top areas where companies are looking to add experienced staff, while operations and claims roles were identified as areas most likely to add entry-level positions.

Actuarial, executive, and analytics positions are the most difficult roles for insurers to fill in the current market, the survey reported.

The ability to hire talent has improved compared to a year ago, with 14% of insurance companies feeling it has become more difficult, down from 25% in the January 2023 survey. About half of employers (53%) said the ability to attract talent is about the same as a year ago, while 28% said it was moderately better and 4% said it was significantly better.

To obtain a copy of the Q1 2024 Insurance Labor Market Survey, visit Jacobsen’s website.

The commercial property/casualty (P/C) insurance market shows signs of stabilization in 2024, despite persistent challenges like frequent natural disasters and social inflation, according to a midyear market report from The Baldwin Group (TBG). While rate increases have slowed and capacity has improved in some areas, insurers remain cautious, focusing on policyholders’ ability to manage potential loss scenarios.

“Though certain lines, industries, and geographies remain challenging, overall market conditions are easing,” the report’s authors state. “While rate increases have decelerated and there is new capacity for certain lines, insurers are still taking a very stringent approach to underwriting by putting a magnifying glass on insureds’ ability to prevent, respond to, and rebound from potential loss scenarios.”

Key Market Drivers and Trends in Commercial P/C

Severe weather events continue to be a major focus for insurers in 2024, as they remain concerned about the impact of unmodeled secondary perils and interconnected weather events on their books of business, according to TBG. Experts are predicting an increase in named storms for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, further emphasizing the need for insurers to closely monitor and assess their exposure to these risks, TBG noted.

Litigation trends have also had a significant impact on the commercial P/C market. The effects of legal system abuse and social inflation have become more evident, with the U.S. P/C industry witnessing a downturn in favorable reserve developments in 2023, stemming primarily from adverse developments in general liability and auto liability sectors, the report stated.

“Losses for these two lines are only projected to continue to grow at a fast rate due to social inflation and nuclear verdicts,” TBG said.

Several states have begun to fight back against legal system abuse, nuclear verdicts, and third-party litigation funding (TPLF). However, other states have expanded liability in certain areas, such as wrongful death cases, creating a complex and varied regulatory landscape for insurers to navigate, according to the report.

The economy continues to pose challenges for businesses and insurers alike. Slowing economic growth, persistent inflation, and high interest rates have created a difficult environment by increasing the cost of capital, claims, and goods, TBG reported. As a result, insurers are hesitant to deploy capital and implement drastic rate reductions, instead taking a cautious approach to exposure growth.

Geopolitical dynamics also play a role in shaping the commercial P/C market. Political dynamics and the threat of civil instability at local, state, national, and global levels pose risks to economic growth and supply chain stability, adding another layer of complexity for insurers to consider, according to the report.

To address these challenges, insurers are increasingly turning to advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning solutions. These technologies are being leveraged to address underwriting talent gaps, improve risk modeling accuracy, enhance operational efficiency, and boost long-term profitability, TBG reported.

One notable development, according to the report, is the release and adoption of Moody’s RMS Version 23 software, which is expected to capture recent trend — both catastrophe losses and higher repair and replacement costs — that have driven up insurer claims costs and provide larger modeled probable maximum losses.

Reinsurance Market Developments

For commercial property reinsurance, April 1 renewals brought increased capacity appetite on excess layers, while lower or primary layers remained challenging.

June 1 renewals in Florida saw some price reductions as dedicated capacity flowed into the market. However, the prospect of a highly active 2024 hurricane season has left reinsurers reluctant to support lower layers on programs, leading to continued bifurcation in appetite and pricing, according to TBG. Despite these developments, reinsurance prices remain well above historical averages from a technical pricing perspective. The next phase of the market cycle will be clearly dictated by how the hurricane season unfolds, the report noted.

On the casualty side, reinsurers continue to express concerns about reserving adequacy due to the impacts of social inflation. The unpredictability of losses related to COVID-19 shutdowns has increased conservatism, especially for casualty and auto portfolios heavily exposed to social inflation, where the expected claimant is a member of the general public rather than a contracted third party, according to the report. Adverse development from claims in the previous soft market (2015 to 2019) have led to increased scrutiny by reinsurers, many of which continue to reiterate their concerns on reserving adequacy, TBG reported.

Commercial Lines Market Conditions and Rate Trends

At the start of 2024, the commercial P/C insurance market showed early signs of stabilization, with a more orderly January 1 reinsurance renewal season indicating improved capacity and potential rate deceleration. As the year has progressed, these early developments have reached fruition, TBG stated.

Though certain lines, industries, and geographies remain challenging, overall market conditions are easing. While rate increases have decelerated and there is new capacity for certain lines, insurers are still taking a very stringent approach to underwriting by putting a magnifying glass on insureds’ ability to prevent, respond to, and rebound from potential loss scenarios, according to the report.

TBG provided a line-by-line update of its earlier market predictions, including rate trends based on the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) Q1 commercial property/casualty pricing survey:

In the property market, the average rate increase in Q1 was 10.1%, but the market has notably stabilized due to insurer profitability in 2023, favorable renewals, and greater competition. However, distressed risks may see much steeper increases, TBG said.

General liability continues to see a clear bifurcation driven by the type of organization and likely claims sources, with an average rate increase of 4.1% in the first quarter. Social inflation, third-party litigation funding (TPLF), and nuclear verdicts are leading to continued market hardening, according to the report.

Commercial auto remains challenged due to litigation trends and high repair costs, with an average rate increase of 9.8% in Q1. Driver shortages are a focal issue in lawsuits, and insurers are adopting stricter underwriting tied to fleet size. Buyers should expect continued rate increases in this line, TBG reported.

Workers’ compensation remains competitive with plenty of capacity and stable rates, seeing an average rate decrease of 1.8%. It is an area of potential cost savings for insureds, as insurers look to increase profitable business, TBG noted. But medical inflation, an aging workforce, and state regulations could adversely affect claims patterns, the report adds.

In the directors and officers (D&O) liability market, public D&O rates have flattened, with most companies seeing relatively flat renewals. The private D&O market is shaped by bifurcation between stable and challenged risks, with an average Q1 rate decrease of 0.8%.

Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) is seeing an average rate increase of 0.8% in the first quarter, with capacity and rates remaining stable. However, employee-friendly laws and regulations in states like California, New York, Florida, and Illinois continue to be challenging jurisdictions for underwriters, TBG noted.

Cyber liability has continued its stabilization in 2024, with an average Q1 rate increase of just 0.4%. Flat renewals and eager insurers characterize the market, with security controls and policies being the biggest factors in underwriting.

“Developments with AI are still too nascent for them to be felt in the market, though this will likely change as AI tools become even more prevalent,” TBG reported.

Umbrella liability capacity is restrained, especially for higher limit placements, due to social inflation and nuclear verdicts. Monoline coverage is less competitive than supported umbrella coverage, and the average rate increase in the first quarter was 7.0%.

To view the full report, visit The Baldwin Group website.

Every $1 invested in disaster resilience and preparedness saves $13 in economic impact, property damage and cleanup costs, emphasizing the value of proactive measures in mitigating the financial toll of natural disasters on U.S. communities and businesses, according to a new report from Allstate, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

The research, based on an analysis of 25 disaster scenarios, shows the return on investment (ROI) in resiliency programs includes economic benefits like saving jobs, preserving workforces, and reducing losses to production and income.

The U.S. has faced a growing toll from costly disasters in recent decades. From 1980 to the present, the nation experienced 383 climate-related events that each caused more than $1 billion in damage (adjusted for inflation to 2023 dollars). Cumulatively, these events have resulted in a total cost exceeding $2.7 trillion. To put this figure into perspective, the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) was $22.4 trillion in 2023, the report noted.

The scale and location of disasters significantly impact the overall costs incurred. Larger disasters that strike urban centers tend to have far greater financial consequences compared to smaller events or those affecting rural areas, the research shows. However, regardless of the size or setting, the mounting costs of disasters present policymakers and citizens with difficult decisions about how to allocate limited resources, according to the report.

Economic Benefits of Investing in Resilience and Preparedness

A widely accepted ratio of the ROI of resilience, based on National Institute of Building Sciences research, is that $1 invested in resilience and disaster preparedness reduces damage and cleanup costs by $6. But the economic benefits extend far beyond that: The same $1 investment also reduces a community’s economic costs by an additional $7, the research found.

The potential savings are substantial across a range of disaster scenarios.

For example, $10.8 billion of investments to prepare Miami for a Category 4 major hurricane would prevent the loss of about 184,000 jobs and save $26 billion in production and $17 billion in income. In San Diego, $833 million invested to mitigate against a major earthquake would save about 38,000 jobs, $5.8 billion in production, and $3.3 billion in income.

Even in smaller cities, the economic savings are substantial. Investing $83 million in resilience and preparedness for a destructive tornado hitting Nashville would save more than 5,300 jobs, $683 million in production, and $464 million in income. The same $83 million investment to prepare Santa Fe for a major wildfire would save 388 jobs and preserve $45 million in output and $20 million in income.

Resilience and Preparedness Investment Options

“Doing nothing to prepare your community, business, or home for natural hazards is—without understatement—a recipe for disaster,” the report’s authors stated.

The report captured various resilience and preparedness efforts, organized into the following categories:

• For Communities: Investing in Infrastructure
  Community-based disaster risk reduction focuses on preventive action before a disaster strikes, including measures such as poverty alleviation, asset redistribution plans, and providing basic services like education and health care. Early warning systems are also crucial for alerting community members of impending disasters. Additionally, adopting zoning, land-use practices, and building codes through mitigation planning can help prevent or reduce damage from hazards.

• For Businesses: Mitigating Risk and Fostering Resilience
  Businesses can invest in hazard mitigation measures, such as structural improvements, adjustments based on professional hazard audits, accessibility updates, and employee training for emergency response. Applying disaster risk reduction practices is also essential. Five essentials practices outlined by the United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction are: promoting public-private partnerships, leveraging private sector expertise, fostering collaborative data exchange, supporting risk assessments, and strengthening laws and regulations. 

• For Families: Awareness, Planning, and Home Improvements
  Families play a crucial role in building resilience and preparedness. The first step is to understand the types of disasters that could occur in your area and learn how to stay safe. Creating a family disaster plan that includes meeting places in case family members are separated is also essential. Home improvements, such as elevating electrical appliances, using flood-resistant materials, and maintaining or upgrading roofs, can help protect your home and loved ones during a disaster.

To view the complete report, visit the Allstate website.