The explosive growth of the E&S market, coupled with higher seller valuations, is driving a steady stream of carrier M&A activity, said Jason Murgio, Principal & CEO and Paul Procops, Vice President, of boutique insurance investment bank Merger & Acquisition Services.

“That’s what we live for,” said Darren Tasker, Head of Construction, North America, Allianz Commercial, emphasizing the deep expertise needed to navigate multi-billion-dollar data center construction projects and deliver tailored, comprehensive insurance coverage.

From cat losses from wildfires and hurricanes to litigation battles to the shifting commercial insurance landscape — these are the stories that defined our industry in the last 12 months. In celebration of Insurance Insider US Honors Awards, please enjoy our Year in Review video.

January 1 renewal rates will be determined by the next 60 days of possible hurricane loss activity and any change to interest rates.

As the reinsurance industry “fought incredibly hard” for its recent underwriting profits, SiriusPoint CEO Scott Egan remains hopeful that the market will remain disciplined coming into Jan. 1 renewals.

MGA’s can be challenging but cost effective and “we use them to expand our footprint in new markets and new lines of business”.

It is your people who differentiate you in a competitive reinsurance market, Klinger said.

While investors recently have favored the “instant gratification” of supporting brokers and MGAs, start-up reinsurer Mereo CEO David Croom-Johnson said he thinks capital will “fall back in love” with balance-sheet companies who deliver consistent profitable results.

Named peril specific mass tort litigation coverage is a $5bn opportunity for reinsurers.

Alternative capital can support M&A, says Eric le Mercier.

The E&S market has “the same DNA as we do”.

AI is fuelling MGA growth in Europe and the UK, Clausner says.

Paul Campbell details how the most profitable insurers act during a soft versus hard market.

New technologies, including autonomous vehicles, are impacting loss trends already, said Charlie Bartlett, head of P&C for North, Central and Eastern Europe, SCOR, in the walk up to the annual RVS conference in Monte Carlo.

The insurance industry faces fierce competition to replace retiring professionals amid evolving expectations from younger workers. Tony Chimera, Talent Executive, Westfield Specialty, reveals how investing in people and culture drives success in recruiting and retention.

While volatile stock markets and increased geopolitical strife may have dampened global Mergers & Acquisitions, transactions among brokers remain robust, said M&A Services Inc.’s Managing Director Chris Hughes and Senior Associate Stephen Scales.

Insurers are pairing accumulation and exposure management with modeling to navigate natural catastrophes, said Monica Ningen, CEO P&C Reinsurance US, Swiss Re.

Insurers could face a “heightened claims exposure” due to increased regulation scrutiny on the fintech industry, including buy now pay later schemes, AI and crypto, said Nick Rugg, Head of Fintech and Investment Management Insurance for Markel International.

The increase in business and leisure travel – plus niche travel, such as for cosmetic procedures – is driving increased demand for travel insurance, said Guy Bonwick, Head of Global Specialty Accident and Health at AXIS.

“Wildfire is a specialist peril," said Kevin Stein, Co-Founder and CEO of Delos, explaining how harnessing data is redefining wildfire risk underwriting.

Companies are focusing on offering mental health support to employees. “We're listening, we're learning and we're sharing,” said Vince Tizzio, President and CEO of AXIS, with Phil Schermer, Founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds.

As AI and data analytics reshape the insurance industry, Brendan Hanley, managing director of binding P&C at Markel, explains how these tools can offer real efficiency gains.

Jack Kuhn, President of Westfield Specialty, discusses the shifting market cycles and changing landscape at RISKWORLD 2025.

Alliant is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and is the ‘furthest thing from a serial acquirer,’ Greg Zimmer, CEO, Alliant, said at RISKWORLD 2025.