10 insurance industry trends shaping underwriting in 2026

What's driving the market this year – and what it means for your underwriting strategy.

The commercial and specialty insurance market is entering 2026 under a very different set of conditions than it faced 12 months ago. Rates are softening across most lines. AI is moving from pilot to production. Climate losses are mounting. And the operational foundations that carriers have long deferred are now determining who can compete and who can't.

Send's team cuts through the noise to identify the ten trends every insurer, MGA, and reinsurer needs to understand right now – from the deepening soft cycle and its effect on underwriting discipline, to the way geo-economic fragmentation is reshaping global risk, to the regulatory pressures that are quietly becoming a strategic variable.

Whether you're rethinking your operating model, evaluating your technology stack, or simply trying to keep your team aligned on what's coming, this is your starting point for 2026.

Download the full report for a deep dives on each trend, expert perspectives, and what it all means for your underwriting strategy in 2026.