May brought news of moderating pressures in the long-suffering personal lines space, with early signs that increases in reconstruction costs and personal auto premium hikes may be beginning to slow.
While claims declined, roof losses continue to grow more severe and less predictable, driven by aging housing stock, widespread hail exposure and rising replacement costs, according to Verisk.
The 2026 hurricane season, which starts on June 1, is projected to be below average, with eight to 14 named storms expected.
As personal auto policy shopping reached historic highs, distracted driving also increased, especially among older drivers.
The 75-page report presents a comprehensive set of recommendations for overhauling the federal government’s approach to disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
April delivered must-read insights for independent agents, including the retirement of the Safeco brand, hurricane season outlook and member recognition at the 2026 Big “I” Legislative Conference.
Agency mergers & acquisitions activity slowed to 148 deals in the first quarter of 2026, according to OPTIS Partners, who believe the decline is bottoming out.
While insurers saw declines in claims in 2025, emerging risks are visible in the claims data.
In March, Independent Agent magazine saw the Big “I” realize the fruits of its work with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in revising their property insurance requirements for federally backed mortgages.
AccuWeather is predicting between 11 to 16 named storms, including four to seven hurricanes and two to four major hurricanes.
