Insurance News You Can Use – The Year Ahead: 2026

January 08, 2026

After years of volatility driven by pandemic aftershocks, inflation spikes, unpredictable weather, and geopolitical instability, will 2026 bring a steadier outlook, despite the persistence of significant challenges? Where do we start?

Industry capital is abundant, and technological adoption is accelerating, but certain persistent forces continue to influence the market. Geopolitical transformations are disrupting the global order, elevating cyber and political risk, while tariffs and regulatory shifts pressure supply chains and disrupt operations. Inflation is driving claim severity, and climate-driven events remain significant loss drivers. AI adoption is reshaping the workforce and creating new risks for both workers and businesses. Investment and risk management practices are challenged by globally divergent economic policies, fiscal deficits, persistent inflation, and seemingly extreme valuations across a broad range of risk asset categories. So, a little something for everybody across the value chain of the insurance industry. Read on for a variety of insights and informed guidance for the year ahead. Enjoy!

The Big Picture

Investments

Mercer | Investment Considerations
Blackrock | Global Insurance Report
Clearwater | Alternatives
Clearwater | Outsourcing

Insurance Linked Securities

Artemis | Why ILS?
Gallagher Re | All You Need to Know
Cambridge Associates | Diversification & Opportunity

Sustainability

Allianz | The Virtuous Cycle
Insurance Development Forum | Closing Protection Gaps
LGT Capital | The ILS Agenda

Artificial Intelligence

Oliver Wyman | Reinventing Insurance
Deloitte | Collaborative Automation
Vertesia | Agentic AI and Insurance

Generational Cliffs and The NextGen

The Insurance Lead | Talent Imbalances
The Insurance Lead | Recruitment
Nassau Financial Group | The Opportunity
Cake & Arrow | Gen Z

Miscellaneous Topics

Global Challenges Foundation | Catastrophic Risks
Conde Nest | Best Hotels in the World: Gold List
The Economist | Best Books of 2025
Whiskey Advocate | Top Whiskies of 2025

Meet Our Authors

Gregory Cobb

Director of Insurance Solutions

Bob Smith

President and Co-Chief Investment Officer

Meet Our Team Explore More Insights

Disclosures

This is for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice or an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, strategy or investment product. Although the statements of fact, information, charts, analysis and data in this report have been obtained from, and are based upon, sources Sage believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee their accuracy, and the underlying information, data, figures and publicly available information has not been verified or audited for accuracy or completeness by Sage. Additionally, we do not represent that the information, data, analysis and charts are accurate or complete, and as such should not be relied upon as such. All results included in this report constitute Sage’s opinions as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice due to various factors, such as market conditions. Investors should make their own decisions on investment strategies based on their specific investment objectives and financial circumstances. All investments contain risk and may lose value. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Sage Advisory Services, Ltd. Co. is a registered investment adviser that provides investment management services for a variety of institutions and high net worth individuals. For additional information on Sage and its investment management services, please view our web site at sageadvisory.com, or refer to our Form ADV, which is available upon request by calling 512.327.5530.

Market Commentary

Insurance News You Can Use – The Year Ahead: 2026

Insurance News You Can Use – The Year Ahead: 2026

Meet Our Authors

Gregory Cobb

Bob Smith

Disclosures