5 Minute Takes

AXIS Global Head of Financial Lines John Van Decker says rate stabilization across D&O and related lines signals a more sustainable market in 2026. He notes expansion opportunities in the middle market and Canada, while pointing to AI‑related exposures, cybersecurity risks and global economic volatility as key factors shaping underwriting strategies in the year ahead.

Markel International’s Head of Portfolio Management, Phil Gadsden, says the insurer is expanding its talent search beyond traditional underwriting and actuarial roles to include data scientists, engineers and developers. Gadsden explains how blending technical expertise with creative problem‑solving improves portfolio insights, supports more strategic underwriting and helps Markel stay competitive as data and technology reshape insurance decision‑making.

Michael McKenna, Head of North America Specialty Insurance, AXIS, outlines the key trends shaping the industry as 2025 comes to a close and underscores that talent acquisition and rapid technology integration will be critical for specialty insurance in 2026.

Both traditional AI and Gen AI will play a complementary role in structuring that unstructured data summarizing data, enabling human underwriters to focus on important areas, said Ryan Cole, Vice President and Head of Group Innovation at Everest.