By Tim Turner, Alessandro Lezzi, Bethany Greenwood, et al, Beazley —
Beazley, the leading specialist insurer, is sharing its predictions for 2026, covering a variety of areas.
2026: The Year of the AI Luddite
By Tim Turner, Group Head of MAP (Marine, Accident & Political) Risks
Geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty are reshaping the risk landscape, and data centers sit at the heart of both global tension and opportunity. As the backbone of the AI ecosystem, they symbolize progress but also provoke anxiety over building location, societal impact, and the future of jobs – issues that have already fueled opposition throughout 2025.
So far we’ve largely only seen this dialogue play out in the digital space, but will 2026 be the year it spills into the physical world?
Data centers, already critical infrastructure and flashpoints in a word of rising volatility, are increasingly prime targets for protest and disruption. Governments and businesses must prepare for incidents that threaten data centers and strengthen resilience to keep the essential systems they support running.
This is where Strike, Riots, and Civil Commotion (SRCC), political violence and terrorism, and cyber solutions play a vital role. As AI resistance shifts from rhetoric to reality, insurance must evolve from a simple safety net into a strategic enabler, helping organizations protect assets, keep operations running, and seize opportunities amid uncertainty.
2026: The year cyber outages could break a business
By Alessandro Lezzi, Group Head of Cyber Risks
This year has shown how fast a cyber incident can spiral into operational paralysis. And with the JLR attack in September shaving an estimated 0.2% off UK GDP, business face a stark reminder that a single outage can ripple far beyond the confines of IT teams, hitting revenue, reputation, and resilience in real time – and for a long time.
As digital infrastructure grows ever more interconnected, the stakes have never been higher. Ransomware, after a brief lull following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, has returned with force, now armed with AI-driven capabilities.
The risk extends beyond operations. Boards that fail to manage cyber risk might face long-tail D&O exposure, with shareholder lawsuits over poor preparation, weak response plans, or underinsurance potentially surfacing months or even years later.
In this complex environment, 2026 could be the year a major business suffers long-term damage or even failure from an outage caused by a cyber attack.
In the face of rising threats, businesses need a mindset shift – from panic to resilience. And true resilience isn’t about relying on insurance alone, it means preparing before, responding fast, and recovering stronger. That mindset will shape the cyber landscape in 2026 and be the difference between chaos and control.
2026: From rust to riches – the year the brownfield opportunity is unlocked
By Jenny Han, Focus Group Leader – Environmental climate
Once overlooked and forgotten, brownfield sites are fast becoming prime real estate for the next wave of infrastructure. From data centers and wind farms to battery storage facilities, these locations offer an answer to the challenge of sustainable development, and they are critical to the energy transition. As demand for renewable energy and electrification accelerates, brownfields provide the space to build the backbone of a low-carbon economy.
The benefits are clear. Regenerating blighted land, often already located close to existing transport and energy networks, reduces pressure on greenfield sites and revitalizes communities. And while society demands greener energy and better infrastructure, few want these projects in their own backyard. Brownfields offer a compromise, repurposing land with a history of industry, rather than consuming untouched countryside.
But environmental liabilities loom large. Former industrial use often leaves behind legacy contamination, chemicals that degrade over time, creating unpredictable conditions. Even with thorough due diligence, site investigations are indicative, not exhaustive. Developers may uncover unexpected pollutants during excavation, facing operational exposures like dust, vapor, or chemical runoff. Extreme weather events, such as flooding, can carry contaminants, impacting nearby sites.
But through insurance, developers can have confidence to invest and realize the opportunities of brownfields, enabling sustainable regeneration and supporting the next energy transition.
2026: The year energy ownership takes hold
By Lindsay Shipper, Head of Commercial Property (NA) & Simon Wilson, Head of Open Market Property (UK/RoW)
Geopolitical uncertainty, climate risk and supply chain fragility are reshaping how businesses think about energy. In 2026, many property owners will move from relying solely on external energy providers to bringing their energy supply chain in-house. From wind farms and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to nuclear and even emerging fusion technologies, organizations are investing in independent energy sources to secure resilience and business continuity.
Owning energy infrastructure offers clear advantages. From stability and sustainability, to autonomy. Yet, this shift introduces new property risks. As businesses explore innovation, they face vulnerabilities that traditional risk frameworks weren’t designed to handle. Battery systems bring fire risk, wind farms require complex maintenance, and nuclear projects carry significant regulatory and operational exposures. Add to this the growing threat of extreme weather events, which can disrupt continuity and threaten safety – and that’s before factoring in the ever-present danger of cyberattacks.
The insurance industry is responding. Innovators are developing solutions to address these emerging challenges, enabling businesses to embrace energy independence without compromising security. By de-risking investment in on-site generation and storage, insurance becomes a critical enabler of this transformation.
2026: The year tariff washing becomes the new compliance challenge
By Bethany Greenwood, CEO of Beazley Furlonge Limited and Group Head of Specialty Risks at Beazley
“Tariff-washing” is poised to join the ranks of disclosure pitfalls like “greenwashing” and “AI-washing” in 2026, highlighting the growing risk of miscommunication or omission around the impact of tariffs on business operations. As trade policies shift rapidly, corporate disclosure faces a persistent challenge- when and how to report tariff impacts, mitigation strategies, and financial implications. Overstating or understating these impacts can lead to severe consequences, from reputational damage and stakeholder mistrust to mounting legal action.
Court cases are beginning to surface, and lawyers are circling for inconsistencies. With AI tools now capable of reviewing every word a company or CEO has ever said, finding contradictions or omissions has never been easier. A single misstep in disclosure could lead to regulatory scrutiny or litigation.
To navigate this evolving risk landscape, insurers and compliance teams must work together to embed best practices for transparency and timely reporting. Clear, consistent communication reduces the likelihood of being called to account and helps safeguard against financial and reputational fallout.
About Beazley
Beazley plc (BEZ.L) is the parent company of specialist insurance businesses with operations in Europe, United States, Canada, Latin America and Asia. Beazley manages seven Lloyd’s syndicates and, in 2023, underwrote gross premiums worldwide of $5,601.4 million. All Lloyd’s syndicates are rated ‘A’ by A.M. Best.
Beazley’s underwriters in the United States focus on writing a range of specialist insurance products. In the admitted market, coverage is provided by Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., an A.M. Best A rated carrier licensed in all 50 states. In the surplus lines market, coverage is provided by the Beazley syndicates at Lloyd’s.
Beazley’s European insurance company, Beazley Insurance dac, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and is A rated by A.M. Best and A+ by Fitch.
Beazley is a market leader in many of its chosen lines, which include professional indemnity, cyber, property, marine, reinsurance, accident and life, and political risks and contingency business.
For more information, please visit www.beazley.com.
SOURCE: Beazley Group via Omnia Partners
