Conference Chairperson & Opening Remarks

The Insurance Market in 2026: Pressures, Priorities and Emerging Risk

Litigation Trends and Developments in the Insurance Sector

Speaker: Sarah Murphy, Partner, A&L Goodbody LLP

• Recent notable cases (aircraft lessor, Motor Finance Litigation in the UK recommission arrangements)
• Representative actions + impact for insurers
• How the imminent Civil Justice Reform Bill 2025 may impact insurance disputes
• Third party funding update (the Government seems set against legislation but law reform due to report early 2026 and may give further impetus to change)
• FSPO trends in the insurance sector
• New EU Product Liability Directive to be implemented by December – risks and opportunities for insurers

Claims Handling Under Pressure: Cost, Delay and Customer Expectations

• Rising claims costs and the challenge of maintaining service standards
• Managing delay, communication and customer frustration more effectively
• Claims handling issues that lead to complaints and escalation
• Practical lessons in improving consistency and defensibility
• Where claims teams are under the most pressure in the current environment

Fraud, Financial Crime and Suspicious Claims Activity

• Current fraud risks across insurance products and functions
• Red flags in claims, customer interactions and internal processes
• The challenge of increasingly sophisticated fraud methods
• Strengthening awareness, reporting and escalation
• Balancing fraud prevention with fair customer treatment

Cyber Exposure, AI Risk and Insurance Response

• Why cyber remains a major concern across the market
• AI-enabled fraud and emerging operational risk
• New exposures for insurers, brokers and customers
• Product, claims and governance issues arising from digital risk
• Practical steps firms are taking to respond

Consumer Protection, Complaints and Customer Vulnerability

• Fair treatment and customer outcomes in practice
• Identifying and responding to vulnerability more effectively
• Complaints trends and common causes of customer dissatisfaction
• Communication and documentation issues that create avoidable risk
• Strengthening customer handling across the insurance lifecycle

Geopolitical Instability, Business Interruption and Market Exposure

• How global instability is affecting insurance risk and pricing
• Political violence, supply chain disruption and knock-on exposure
• Business interruption concerns linked to wider global events
• What brokers and insurers need to consider in a less stable world
• Translating major headlines into practical insurance relevance

Underinsurance, Inflation and Cover Adequacy

• Why underinsurance remains a major issue in the current market
• Inflation, rebuild costs and sums insured under pressure
• Customer misunderstanding and disputes around adequacy of cover
• The role of brokers, insurers and claims teams in managing this risk
• Practical ways to improve clarity and reduce future problems

Regulation, Governance and What Good Insurance Oversight Looks Like

• Current regulatory themes affecting insurance firms
• Governance expectations across claims, conduct and customer-facing functions
• Where firms are being caught out on oversight and accountability
• Linking risk, compliance and operational decision-making more effectively
• Building stronger internal ownership around key insurance risks