Ten big questions confronting specialty broking – and how InsuranceFest 2026 will tackle them
Last year, Insurance Business’ festival experiment drew 727 specialty professionals to the Santa Monica Pier for what one co-founder called “Coachella vibes meets C-suite conversations.”
On July 16, InsuranceFest 2026 returns to the Pier – bigger, sharper, and designed around the toughest questions facing brokers right now.
From cyber spillover to E&S capacity swings, from AI disruption to talent shortages, here are 10 of the most urgent questions brokers are asking, and where InsuranceFest is tackling them head-on.
Cyber risk no longer sits in a silo. It bleeds into D&O, EPL, crime, and even casualty. Regulatory scrutiny around AI, data privacy, and cyber reporting is tightening fast.
Reid Eanes, specialty lines leader at Lockton, will address this on the panel Specialty Lines, Unplugged – Financial, Construction, Cyber and Beyond.
“I’ve always been in financial lines: D&O, E&O, and cyber. But today, financial risk, cyber risk, construction risk, and casualty have never been more blended," he told Insurance Business.
He warned that emerging risks often lack a robust legal framework. “If brokers and carriers aren’t paying attention to the shifting legal landscape, we could find ourselves flat-footed.”
Cyber challenges will also be pressure-tested in the Shore Zone’s live cyber crisis simulations and at sponsor-led Cyber Discussion Tables, where brokers can workshop coverage overlaps in small groups.
After years of hardening, the E&S property market is shifting quickly. Dawn Cusack of Brown & Riding sees opportunity, not fear.
“The market has become very soft. There’s a lot of new capacity entering the market and everybody’s competing for every single piece of business,” she said. “Something that a market declined for the last three to five years, they’re now entertaining.”
Cusack will speak on Beyond the Model: Rethinking NatCat Risk for a Volatile World, unpacking what’s driving pricing, capacity and coverage changes on the ground.
E&S-focused Discussion Tables will also zero in on securing capacity when traditional markets say no.
With wildfire, quake, and secondary perils reshaping underwriting, detail is everything. Cusack emphasized the importance of granular submissions: wildfire mitigation steps, construction type distinctions (reinforced vs. unreinforced masonry), and model inputs that can materially alter pricing. “Construction type can really change the models,” she said. “It’s important to have the right information when you’re submitting a risk.”
NatCat pricing and capacity trends will be front and center in the Palm and Ocean Zones, where brokers can compare notes across MGA and London market perspectives.
AI is everywhere in the conversation. But where is it delivering measurable value? Christina Lucas of Google will headline a session in the Ocean Zone focused on moving AI from hype to ROI.
Meanwhile, Kader Sakkaria, global head of data technology at Gallagher, sees a turning point ahead. “The next three years will determine which firms shape the future of insurance, and which are left behind,” Sakkaria said. “Regulatory tailwinds, heightened customer expectations, and disruptive AI technologies are converging.”
He argues the real challenge isn’t tech, but transformation. “Too often, firms underestimate the change management and interoperability challenges involved.”
Digital transformation Discussion Tables at InsuranceFest will tackle GenAI adoption, legacy systems, and practical automation strategies.
Amidst the technology transformation, competition in the distribution channel is no longer limited to traditional broker peers.
“Insurtech platforms, digitally native brokers, and even AI platforms like OpenAI are poised to reshape the insurance distribution system,” Sakkaria warned.
The Ocean Zone will examine distribution shifts, RegTech pressure, and evolving broker value propositions in a world of automation and personalization.
As risks become more interconnected, brokers must move beyond transactions.
“The good brokers of the future won’t just be transactional insurance salespeople,” Eanes said. “We need to be trusted advisors. We need to understand our clients’ businesses intimately and help them make strategic decisions.”
Panels across specialty lines and construction will explore how brokers can embed earlier in clients’ growth, tech, and capital strategies.
With 56% of brokers worried about the industry’s talent pipeline, culture and skills development are pressing concerns.
The Palm Zone focuses on people, leadership, and client experience – from upskilling teams for AI-enabled workflows to attracting the next generation into specialty broking.
After years of consolidation, the question is no longer if deals will happen, but what kind.
Ocean Zone sessions will assess M&A drivers in a moderating rate environment, including how specialty capabilities and tech integration affect valuations.
Client expectations are shifting toward instant responsiveness and seamless transactions.
Payment innovation, including embedded finance and refund solutions, will be explored in the Palm Zone, with industry voices like Anis Taylor of SnapRefund examining how payments can become a differentiator rather than a friction point.
The Shore Zone’s hands-on workshops and live simulations, including sessions featuring leaders from Aon, will put brokers in real-time crisis scenarios.
From cyber breaches to complex construction losses, the focus is on sharpening response strategies before the next headline event hits.
InsuranceFest 2026 returns to the Santa Monica Pier on July 16 with 1,200+ specialty professionals across E&S, MGAs, carriers, reinsurers, tech innovators, and risk leaders.
Pacific Zone – main stage keynotes, including Rochelle Lewis of Red Bull on reimagining risk partnerships
Ocean Zone – AI, RegTech, nuclear verdicts, and M&A
Palm Zone – talent, culture, E&S placement strategies, and payment innovation
Shore Zone – live cyber simulations, claims workshops, and straight-talk Q&As
New for 2026: 50+ sponsor-led Discussion Tables across cyber, digital transformation, construction, and E&S – small-group, candid conversations designed to sharpen placement strategy and spark relationships that translate into business.
Register now to secure your place at InsuranceFest 2026.
