Six forces reshaping how insurers, brokers, and businesses manage risk — backed by 1M+ loss events and $10T in loss value.
Risk isn’t just changing — it’s accelerating. AI-powered cyber threats, billion-dollar natural disasters, record nuclear verdicts, and tightening regulations are colliding to create the most complex insurance environment in recent memory.
Zywave’s 2026 Risk Report examines the six forces driving it all:
- Emerging Risks — AI liability, climate exposures, and gig economy coverage gaps
- Causes of Loss — Cyber incidents now average $4.9M per breach; ransomware keeps climbing
- Types of Loss — Tangible, intangible, and human-related losses and where coverage falls short
- Laws & Regulations — 20 states now have consumer privacy laws; AI governance is tightening fast
- Litigation Trends — Nuclear verdicts averaging $86M; BIPA losses topping $1.8B; PFAS settlements exceeding $34B
- Cost of Loss — Social inflation at ~7%; median losses over $1M up 68% since 2012
Grounded in Zywave’s proprietary dataset of 1M+ verified loss events, this report gives insurers, brokers, and risk managers the intelligence to act — not just react.
