• Why carriers are now “underwriting the broker, not just the risk” and how trust, track record, and specialization are being priced into transactions
• The segment-by-segment reality—hospital towers that now take 10+ carriers to build, the sharp capacity contraction in social services, the allied “race to the bottom,” and where senior living still works
• What separates a submission that gets quoted from one that gets declined, plus the early-engagement and expertise that protect your renewals in a fundamentally different market

Download the 2026 RPS US Healthcare Market Outlook Report for the full breakdown and the broker strategies to navigate a tighter, more selective year.

The post Healthcare Market Report 2026 appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

In this session, Michelle Yuko and Joey Shapiro, hospitality specialists from Amwins, discuss the current marketplace for hotels, challenging exposures, and how retailers can help position their clients for success.

Key Takeaways //

• Factors impacting today’s insurance market for hotels
• Unique exposures
• Emerging trends in this sector
• Risk mitigation strategies
• How wholesale partners can provide value in navigating the hotel insurance marketplace

Presenters //

Michelle Yuko serves as executive vice president and national practice leader of Amwins’ Hospitality Practice. She began her career in underwriting at Great American, where she developed a strong technical foundation before transitioning to wholesale broking. In her almost 20 years in the industry, Michelle has cultivated a deep understanding of market dynamics and operational exposures unique to the hospitality sector, delivering solutions that safeguard assets, ensure compliance and support long-term resilience. In addition to her professional achievements, Michelle serves as a committee member for the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA), further demonstrating her commitment to industry advancement and thought leadership.

Joey Shapiro serves as executive vice president and national practice leader of Amwins’ Hospitality Practice. A dedicated casualty professional, he joined Amwins in 2018 and has focused primarily on providing tailored, custom risk solutions for clients in the Hospitality & Entertainment sector. Joey is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio with nearly eight years of insurance industry experience. He was recognized as one of IBA’s Rising Stars in 2025, demonstrating his dedication to excellence and innovation.

The post Hotels: Top Trends and Exposures Impacting Today’s Insurance Market appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Covenir surveyed 152 US-based insurance ops leaders from carriers, MGAs, and Insurtechs to find out. The result is a candid field report from the people running the machine.

• 88% of leaders are optimistic about the industry, yet 65% say their teams are more stretched than ever, and which level of the org feels the pressure most acutely
• Where AI is delivering real, measurable impact in live operations, and the quiet workforce shift showing up first among the most mature adopters
• 2 moments where brand promise often breaks down, and why outsourcing and operational insights have become strategic levers rather than tactical fixes

The opportunity is clear, and so is the work. Download the 2026 Insurance Operations Leaders Trends Report to see where your organization stands and what to prioritize next.

The post 2026 Insurance Operations Leaders Trends Report appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Sixty-eight percent of agencies say they’re likely to increase AI use in the next twelve months, yet only eight percent are using it regularly and strategically today. That gap isn’t about curiosity. It’s about operational readiness. AI amplifies maturity; it does not create it.

This guide gives independent agency leaders a practical framework for building the workflow clarity, data discipline, and governance that make emerging tech actually pay off.

• Why automation, not AI, is the first and necessary step to adopting intelligence at scale, and the three outcomes it delivers for your agency
• What AI actually adds within structured workflows, from interpreting unstructured documents to surfacing patterns across your entire book of business
• A disciplined, step-by-step roadmap for adoption that starts with operational visibility instead of vendor demonstrations

Stop chasing features and start building a durable operational advantage. Download the guide to see where your agency stands and what to strengthen first.

The post The Independent Insurance Agency’s Guide to AI & Automation appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

For many carriers, keeping policy forms organized, updated, consistent, and compliant means scattered systems, weeks of manual comparison, and slow handoffs that drain time and crowd out innovation.

This white paper looks at what’s driving that complexity and how purpose-built tools—powered by GenAI—can turn forms management into a strategic source of value.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• The five hidden ways forms management slows P&C innovation, from competitive comparisons and regulatory language updates to legacy version control and the growing talent squeeze
• Why off-the-shelf GenAI can be risky for sensitive form work, and what GenAI built by ISO experts (rather than general-purpose models) makes possible for ISO and proprietary forms alike
• How leading carriers are moving from “inbox-driven” workflows to a single, searchable source of truth—accelerating comparisons, updates, and governance across lines and at scale

Ready to rethink forms management as a strategic asset rather than a compliance chore? Download the white paper to see what a future-ready forms strategy looks like.

The post The Evolution of Forms: How GenAI Is Powering Smarter Insurance appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Program groups makes it easy to find what you need:

Alphabetical list of markets help you get in contact:

Print it out as a handy desk reference or save it on your device for offline usage on the go!

Get your copy of Insurance Journal’s bi-annual Program Directory now! (34-page PDF)

The post Insurance Journal’s Program Directory (Summer 2026) appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

🚨 Mission Critical

💰 US Personal Lines Insurers Ask for Less Rate After Period of Catch-Up

👷‍♂️ Travelers: Aging Workforce, New Employees Drive Complexity in Injury Claims

📈 US Sees 27% Increase in Product Recalls in Q1, Report Shows

📊 Workers’ Comp Calendar Year Combined Ratio at 91; Accident Year Combined Ratio 102: NCCI

🌍 War Overtakes Civil Unrest as Top Political Violence Exposure for Global Businesses

📚 2026 Program Directory, Summer Edition

…and more!

The post Insurance Journal June 8, 2026 Issue appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Beyond Price: Operational Excellence as a Growth Strategy for MGAs and Wholesalers explores why operational performance has become a competitive advantage in today’s distribution environment. The guide looks at how manual workarounds, disconnected systems, inconsistent workflows, poor data quality, and limited reporting can quietly restrict growth, even when teams are working hard.

Download the guide to learn what strong MGA and wholesale operations look like, where operational friction usually begins, and why the right technology foundation can help organizations improve turnaround, strengthen controls, support compliance, and scale without adding unnecessary complexity.

For leaders looking to grow without relying on constant fire drills, this guide offers a practical framework for turning operational excellence into a more reliable path to profitable growth.

The post Beyond Price: Operational Excellence as a Growth Strategy for MGAs & Wholesalers appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

In this report, you’ll discover:

• Where lean and large agencies break down (duplicate data entry, fragmented quoting, etc.) and what high-performing agencies do differently to eliminate that friction.
• The core systems that actually drive growth, including what to look for in your AMS, CRM, comparative rater, client portal, and analytics stack.
• A practical framework for evaluating your own tech stack, with the specific questions agencies should be asking to identify where work is slowing down.

Connected workflows outperform disconnected tools every time. Download the “2026 Agency Technology and Growth Outlook Report” to see where distribution drag may be costing your agency and how to build the foundation for distribution velocity.

The post Agency Tech & Growth Outlook 2026 appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Many insurance carriers are stuck in a cycle of “pilot fatigue,” experimenting with flashy AI tools that fail to generate measurable ROI or integrate seamlessly into core workflows. The true challenge isn’t the technology itself, but moving past the experimentation phase to secure real process commitment. If your organization is struggling to bridge the gap between interesting AI concepts and actual business impact, this panel provides the roadmap you need.

What You Will Learn:

• Strategies to transition from isolated proof-of-concepts to full-scale, integrated implementations.
• Actionable frameworks for deciding whether to build, buy, or bolt-on AI capabilities based on your business model.
• Techniques for building trust with your underwriters by embedding AI as an intuitive, adaptable review tool.

Stop tiptoeing around digital transformation. Watch this session now to discover the practical steps your carrier can take to successfully scale AI!

The post Beyond the Pilot: Why Some AI Fails & What Actually Scales in Insurance appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

In today’s hyper-accelerated world of cyber threats, climate shifts, and social inflation, the greatest risk an insurer faces is the risk of inaction. However, the pressure to move quickly often leads to information overload, where decision-makers drown in data instead of relying on structured frameworks. This session unpacks how to confidently navigate unprecedented, compounding risks without sacrificing disciplined underwriting.

What You Will Learn:

• How to build decision-making frameworks that balance rapid response times with acceptable loss ratios.
• Methods for continuously monitoring risk and identifying early warning indicators before they result in catastrophic losses.
• The importance of keeping human judgment in the driver’s seat while leveraging AI to synthesize trusted data.

Don’t let outdated decision-making models leave your organization behind. Watch this session to learn how to transform complex data into confident, proactive risk management!

The post Making Decisions in Difficult Risk Environments appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Disconnected systems and fragmented data pipelines are creating major bottlenecks in the insurance life cycle, forcing customers and agents to repeatedly submit the same information. This administrative drag not only frustrates policyholders but directly increases the risk of data errors. To truly scale a five-star customer experience, insurers must shift their focus from adopting isolated tech solutions to building cohesive, end-to-end user journeys.

What You Will Learn:

• Ways to break down internal silos to ensure seamless data connectivity from underwriting through claims.
• The “problem-first” approach to innovation that prioritizes actual user needs over chasing flashy technology.
• Strategies for fostering a passionate, empowered internal culture equipped to solve customer issues instantly.

Technology alone won’t fix a fundamentally broken process. Watch this session today to explore how aligning your people, data, and digital tools can completely redefine your customer experience.

The post Scaling Customer Experience appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

The claims sector is currently wrestling with a widening talent gap, an aging workforce, and skyrocketing customer expectations. Adjusters are spending the bulk of their day bogged down by manual administrative tasks—chasing documents, reading unstructured notes, and entering data—rather than applying their critical judgment. This session explores how modern technology can capture institutional knowledge and eliminate the manual grind.

What You Will Learn:

• How to modernize claims training by delivering real-time, in-workflow coaching for new professionals.
• The benefits of embedding AI to instantly summarize dense documents and surface actionable insights.
• Methods for maintaining critical human empathy and transparency while significantly accelerating the claims process.

Empower your adjusters to focus on the work they love. Stream this session now to learn how AI can help you deliver faster, more accurate, and highly empathetic claims resolutions.

The post How AI Is Redefining Claims Training and Customer Experience appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

Once a worker is off the job for more than three months, their odds of returning to the workforce drop below 50 percent, and your clients absorb the productivity loss, replacement training, and claims costs that follow.

This white paper lays out how a well-designed return-to-work program brings injured employees back about 1.4x sooner, controls medical and lost-wage costs, and strengthens retention — a conversation-starter you can bring to any workers’ comp renewal or prospect meeting.

Share it with your clients to show them:

• The benefits of return-to-work programs, from controlling claims costs to retaining experienced workers and easing the stress of time away
• A step-by-step framework for building a program, including policy development, provider panels, transitional-duty assignments, and more
• Real examples of transitional-duty tasks and how to design meaningful assignments (not “busywork”) that support recovery while keeping employees productive

Download now to add a practical risk-management resource to your client conversations.

The post Return to Work: An Effective Post-Loss Risk Management Strategy for Workplace Injuries appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.

In this white paper, you’ll learn:

• Five best practices independent agencies can use to deliver the instant, 24/7, multilingual service today’s insurance consumers expect — without the overhead of hiring more staff
• Why zero hold time is now attainable and how answering every call (even during catastrophic event surges) translates directly into more captured leads, higher retention, and stronger customer satisfaction
• How Voice AI handles complex quoting, servicing, and follow-up — including consistent multi-channel follow-up on quotes — so producers and account managers can focus on revenue-generating activity and your most complex policyholders

The insurance industry is at a pivotal point. With customer expectations higher than ever and labor costs squeezing margins, sticking to the status quo means falling behind more agile competitors. Download the white paper to see how your agency can grow profitably with Voice AI.

The post How Insurance Agencies Can Use Voice AI to Capture Market Share and Scale Profitably appeared first on Insurance Journal Research.