It’s London Risk Week starting next Monday, so here are some thoughts from Swiss Re on the current outlook;
As industry and government leaders prepare for London Risk Week and the Global Risk Summit, Swiss Re executives examine how the London Insurance Market is navigating the forces reshaping the global economy today:
- As investment accelerates, AI adoption is rapidly spreading across industries, helping to reshape economic growth, financial markets and risk pools, while also creating a new risk landscape. Recent Swiss Re Institute analysis highlights how AI adoption is transforming insurers’ own operations while also introducing new and complex risk exposures.
- The cyber threat landscape and loss trend environment continue to evolve rapidly, amid concerns about systemic loss events and rising privacy liability litigation. Research from Swiss Re’s cyber team reveals the depth of underinsurance among SMEs (at 10–20%) and particularly micro-SMEs (at 5–10%), as well as the need for insurance to help bridge the SME cyber protection gap.
- Global insured losses from natural catastrophes reached USD 107 billion in 2025, with secondary perils such as wildfires, severe convective storms and floods accounting for a record 92%. Swiss Re’s modelling shows that, in a peak-loss scenario, insured losses could hit USD 320 billion in 2026, underscoring the need for well-designed adaptation and risk mitigation measures.
Pravina Ladva, Group Chief Digital & Technology Officer
“As AI shifts from experimentation to execution, it is becoming a powerful enabler of the high-value knowledge work that defines the London Market. The opportunity is clear: improving decision-making, increasing productivity and delivering better, more consistent outcomes for clients. At the same time, this is not about adopting AI at any cost. Success depends on a disciplined approach – grounded in strong data quality, robust governance and a clear view on where AI can truly improve outcomes, while keeping humans firmly in the loop. The London Market is strongly positioned to seize this opportunity, combining deep risk expertise and world-class talent with a long-standing culture of innovation.”
Jason Richards, CEO UK & Ireland, P&C Reinsurance
“The UK’s USD 0.8 billion of natural catastrophe losses in 2025, driven largely by winter storms and Storm Éowyn, is a timely reminder that weather risk is not standing still. There is an encouraging message in the data too: adaptation works. Without today’s flood defences, annual household flood losses would be close to three times higher. But resilience cannot stand still either. As infrastructure ages and exposure continues to grow, the UK will need sustained investment, modern building standards and commitments to smart public-private solutions. As the world’s leading insurance hub, London has a vital role to play not only by providing balance sheet protection, but also by bringing risk insight, modelling expertise and capital to help build the resilience of societies, economies and communities.”
Nina Arquint, CEO UK & Ireland, Corporate Solutions
“Between extreme weather events, AI-related risks, supply chain disruption and other emerging risks, businesses need solutions that do more than just respond after a loss. The London Market plays a crucial role in helping to strengthen the global economy in these volatile times and, in the commercial insurance space, clients are demanding differentiated offerings that meet their evolving needs. This is why alternative risk transfer solutions such as captives and parametrics are expected to become an increasingly important part of the risk management toolkit. Used well, they can help companies approach risk more strategically, strengthen data-led decision-making and build flexibility across cycles, complementing traditional insurance with bespoke structures that support long-term resilience.”
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