# Daily Inspiration: The Future of Insurance: “New risk demands new thinking. Uninsurable risk demands bold thinking”
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"New risk demands new thinking. Uninsurable risk demands bold thinking." - Futurist Jim Carroll In just about a month, I'll head to California to headline a major insurance conference. The fact that I'm speaking in a region that is home to one of the largest insurance losses in US history is not lost on me, and in fact, will provide form for much of my talk. Loosely structured, I will be focusing on 'the future of risk.' The fact is, I've done this talk on numerous occasions over the years.  Not trying to boast, but I've done keynotes or have led leadership meetings for a vast array of insurance companies over the years. Some time ago, another company asked for such a list. Ok, here goes: Manulife, SunLife, New York Life, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, RBC Insurance, Cigna, Hartford Life, Farmers, MetLife, Lincoln Financial, Towers Perrin, RGA Reinsurance, Magellan Health, Gore Mutual, Economical Insurance, Chubb, the American Fidelity Group, Providence Health Plans, Aegeon, Blue Cross/Blue Shield US (multiple events) and CGU Insurance – and even a private event, invite-only event where he had the CIOs/CFOs/CTOs for Allianz, XL Insurance, Travellers, Zurich, Allstate, AXA, MetLife Auto & Home, Farmers, CNA, ICICI Lombard, Nationwide, American Family, Chubb, Ping An, Lloyds of London, Liberty Mutual, The Hartford, General, USAA, Geico, ACE, State Farm, Progressive, RSA. I think there were many others! Anyways, back to the issue. Here's a good example of something I posted in March 2007: Back to work, and I’m off to San Antonio, Texas, to keynote the Property and Casualty Insurers Association of America Joint Underwriting/Marketing conference. I’ll be speaking to them on the broad theme of the “future of risk;” what unique new risks might we face in society as we go forward? I look at technological, social, demographic, international, bio/health care issues, and a wide variety of other trends that are changing our ideas about risk. The session description reads: In today’s high-velocity economy, it’s all about rapid time to market balanced by appropriate underwriting caution. The insurance industry today is immersed in a period of unprecedented, relentless change; impacted by hyper-innovation, fast-paced technological evolution, the rapid emergence of new forms of risk, and increasing business market turmoil. Permanence has been torn asunder, as customers and business organizations empower themselves with information, and as underwriting decisions become ever more complex. In an era such as this, every insurance organization needs to ensure that they are focused on the concepts of “agility, insight, and execution.” The way to the future is clear: it’s no longer about simple risk management: it’s about having the flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances; the insight to spot emerging new forms before they impact the bottom line; and operational excellence in deployment of new insurance products based on sound, reliable underwriting. Join international futurist, trends, and innovation expert Jim Carroll, as he shares his insight into how organizations are focused on management strategies that focus on agility, insight, and execution. You get the idea. My generic insurance keynote topic - the teaser that draws an executive in the door - reads like this: Insurance in the Era of Disruption: The Challenge of Change with Fintech, Accelerated Risk and Hyper-Connectivity The world of insurance is being transformed at a pace that defines new opportunities, presents new challenges, and turns the established order upside down. It also challenges every assumption the industry has made. You need a real expert – with real insight – into the trends that are underway. The industry is being rapidly disrupted by tech companies. Existing brokerage and distribution networks will be obliterated as more people buy insurance directly. Predictive analytics will shift the industry away from actuarial-based historical assessment to real-time coverage. Policy niches, micro-insurance, and just-in-time insurance will drive an increasing number of revenue models. The Internet of Things (IoT) and massive connectivity will provide for massive market and business model disruption. Fast-paced trends involving self-driving cars, the sharing economy, personal drones, swarm-bots, smart dust, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality will either mitigate, accelerate or challenge the very notion of risk assessment and underwriting! What happens when Amazon, Google, or some kid in a garage decides to change the insurance business model? And then there is the element of risk itself – at a recent global insurance risk summit in Switzerland, Jim Carroll outlined the dramatic new forms of accelerated risk that the industry must now confront. What seemed to be science fiction just a few short years ago has become a reality today, as time compresses and the future accelerates. Whichever way you look, all sectors of the insurance industry are set for an era of disruption, challenge, and change! Is the industry ready for transformative change? Not really! A recent survey indicated that while 94% of Chief Strategy Officers at insurance companies agree that tech will “rapidly change their industry in 5 years,” fewer than 1 in 5 CSOs believe their companies are prepared. Does the insurance industry have the innovation culture necessary to deal with the potential for what comes next? Maybe not. Jim Carroll has been assisting insurance organizations around the world to understand the tsunami of change that is underway: the rapid business emergence of new business models, accelerated risk, the emergence of new global competitors, and heightened customer expectations. In his keynotes he puts into perspective the real trends impacting the future of insurance, offering critical insight into the key innovation and leadership strategies in a time of disruptive change, as well as clear, action-oriented strategic insight that will compel you to action. Anyways, back to the issue of today's quote. Think about it - for years I've been indicating that clearly, new risk demands new thinking. But we are now in the midst of a massive new trend - one in which uninsurable risk demands bold thinking. The fact is, the insurance industry finds itself at a pivotal moment where traditional models are colliding with accelerating risk. The very foundations of insurability are being challenged by climate, technology, and societal shifts. But in every challenge lies opportunity - and here's where the bold thinking comes in, Think about what's happening right now: Coastal property insurance is collapsing in regions where rising seas meet increasing storm intensity. Traditional auto insurance is being disrupted by the connected car. Pandemic risk coverage is being fundamentally reshaped by vaccine hesitancy and emerging pathogens. Supply chain interruption insurance is desperately trying to keep up with a world where 'just-in-time' meets 'constant disruption' and where the mad whims of the delusional destroy global commerce. Carbon emission insurance is attempting to price risks that didn't even exist a decade ago. The risks of uninsurable risk are real. In Florida, major insurers are pulling out faster than a speedboat in a hurricane. In California, wildfire zones that were once easily insurable are now insurance deserts. The cyber insurance market is dealing with risks that evolve not yearly or monthly, but hourly. Environmental liability insurance is grappling with contaminants we haven't even discovered yet. There are entire population zones that will see a decrease in life expectancy due to healthcare denialism - and the current political climate will simply accelerate that trend. These aren't just changes - they're seismic shifts in the insurance landscape. But here's where it gets interesting. Every one of these challenges is pushing us toward new solutions that are as innovative as the risks they address: Parametric Insurance Products are the ultimate velocity play - they're insurance at the speed of risk. When a Category 5 hurricane is bearing down, you don't have time for adjusters and paperwork. These products say 'If X happens, you get Y - instantly.' It's the Netflix of insurance - immediate, digital, frictionless. We're moving from 'assess and pay' to 'trigger and transfer.' This isn't just innovation; it's insurance at the speed of tomorrow. Hybrid Coverage Solutions represent the fusion mindset we desperately need. Think of them as the insurance equivalent of a hybrid car - combining the best of multiple technologies to achieve what neither could do alone. When traditional coverage hits the wall, these solutions break through it by combining multiple risk transfer mechanisms. They're the ultimate insurance mashup, and they're letting us insure the previously uninsurable. Risk-sharing Pools are the collaborative future in action. In an era where individual companies can't shoulder massive systemic risks alone, these pools are creating strength through unity. It's the sharing economy that meets insurance-distributed risk for a distributed world. We're seeing the emergence of what I call 'risk cooperatives' that can tackle everything from autonomous vehicle fleets to space tourism. Public-private Partnerships are rewriting the rules of what's possible. When private markets say 'no way,' these partnerships say 'let's find a way.' They're the ultimate example of what I call 'possibility thinking' - combining the innovation engine of private enterprise with the stability and scale of government. This isn't just risk transfer; it's risk transformation through collaboration. Behavior-based Pricing Models represent the gamification of risk. They're turning passive policyholders into active risk managers. Through real-time monitoring and instant feedback, we're creating what I call 'insurance athletes' - people and organizations actively competing to lower their risk profile. It's the Peloton model applied to insurance - making risk management engaging, competitive, and rewarding. John Hancock is doing this with its Vitality insurance product. Here's the thing about uninsurable risk - it's not uninsurable. It's just waiting for the right innovative approach. This isn't about tweaking the old models; it's about fundamentally reimagining how we think about risk transfer in an age of exponential change. These solutions aren't just patches on an old system - they're the building blocks of Insurance 2.0 3.0 or 4.0, where risk becomes an opportunity for innovation rather than a barrier to progress. And remember: in the world of accelerating risk, standing still is moving backward. The only way forward is through bold, decisive innovation that matches the velocity of change we're experiencing. By the way, here's the AI-generated summary I'm working with that will start to form my talk. Future Insurance Coverage Challenges: A Comprehensive Analysis Property Insurance 1. Coastal Property Insurance Coverage affected: Full property coverage in coastal zones Reasons for withdrawal: Increased frequency and severity of hurricanes Rising sea levels threatening coastal properties Storm surge damage becoming more common Erosion of natural barriers like dunes and wetlands Increased flooding risk beyond flood zone boundaries 2. Wildfire Zone Property Insurance Coverage affected: Structure and content coverage in fire-prone regions Reasons for withdrawal: Expanding wildfire seasons Urban-wildland interface development Drought conditions in previously low-risk areas Limited firefighting resources Increased rebuild costs in remote areas 3. Flood Plain Property Insurance Coverage affected: Building and contents coverage in flood-prone areas Reasons for withdrawal: More frequent extreme rainfall events Urban development reducing natural drainage Aging flood control infrastructure Changes in precipitation patterns Rising water tables in coastal regions 4. Agricultural Property Insurance Coverage affected: Crop and farm structure coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Unpredictable weather patterns Extended drought periods New pest species in changing climate zones Extreme temperature fluctuations Increased soil erosion risks Health Insurance 5. Pandemic Risk Coverage Coverage affected: Treatment for infectious disease outbreaks Reasons for withdrawal: Vaccine hesitancy increasing transmission risks Evolution of resistant pathogens Global travel spreading new variants Healthcare system strain during outbreaks Treatment cost uncertainty 6. Alternative Medicine Users Coverage affected: Standard medical coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Delayed conventional treatment increases costs Higher complication rates Non-compliance with preventive care Increased emergency intervention needs Higher mortality rates in treatable conditions 7. Genetic Predisposition Coverage Coverage affected: Specific condition coverage based on genetic testing Reasons for withdrawal: Advanced genetic testing revealing high-risk individuals Increased life expectancy costs for genetic conditions Complex treatment requirements Multiple condition interactions Preventive treatment compliance issues 8. Environmental Health Impact Coverage Coverage affected: Treatment for environmental exposure conditions Reasons for withdrawal: Increasing air pollution in urban areas Water contamination risks Chemical exposure in developing areas Long-term health impact uncertainty Complex causation chains Vehicle Insurance 9. High-Risk Zone Auto Insurance Coverage affected: Comprehensive coverage in extreme weather areas Reasons for withdrawal: Increased flooding damage to vehicles Hail damage in storm-prone regions Wildfire risk to parked vehicles Higher theft rates in disaster-prone areas Emergency response limitations 10. Traditional Vehicle Insurance Coverage affected: Coverage for non-automated vehicles Reasons for withdrawal: Higher accident rates compared to autonomous vehicles Increased liability risks Higher repair costs for newer technology Reduced parts availability Higher injury rates in accidents 11. Ride-Share Vehicle Insurance Coverage affected: Commercial coverage for shared mobility Reasons for withdrawal: Complex liability determination Higher usage rates increase wear Multiple driver risk profiles Uncertain maintenance records Passenger safety concerns Business Insurance 12. Supply Chain Interruption Insurance Coverage affected: Business interruption coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Global supply chain vulnerabilities Political instability impacts Natural disaster frequency Transportation infrastructure risks Cyber attack impacts 13. Cyber Attack Coverage Coverage affected: Data breach and cyber attack protection Reasons for withdrawal: Increasing sophistication of attacks Ransomware proliferation IoT device vulnerabilities Cloud service dependencies Social engineering risks 14. Event Cancellation Insurance Coverage affected: Large event coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Pandemic risks Extreme weather events Civil unrest potential Transportation disruptions Security threat increases 15. Professional Liability Insurance Coverage affected: Error and omission coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Increased litigation risks Remote work complications Technology dependence risks Complex regulatory environment Higher settlement costs Specialty Insurance 16. Travel Insurance Coverage affected: International travel coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Political instability risks Health emergency costs abroad Natural disaster impacts Transportation disruptions Pandemic-related restrictions 17. Sports and Recreation Insurance Coverage affected: High-risk activity coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Extreme sports popularity Climate impact on winter sports Higher injury rates Equipment failure risks Remote location risks 18. Construction Insurance Coverage affected: Builder's risk coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Extreme weather impacts Material cost volatility Labor shortage risks New technology risks Environmental regulation changes 19. Marine Insurance Coverage affected: Shipping and vessel coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Severe weather risks Piracy in new regions Port infrastructure risks Navigation hazard increases Environmental regulation costs Life Insurance 20. High-Risk Lifestyle Coverage Coverage affected: Life insurance for specific lifestyle choices Reasons for withdrawal: Extreme sport participation High-risk occupation increases Substance use risks Non-traditional medical choices Risk-taking behavior patterns 21. Climate Impact Life Insurance Coverage affected: Coverage in high-risk climate zones Reasons for withdrawal: Heat-related mortality risks Air quality impact on health Natural disaster risks Access to healthcare issues Mental health impact of climate stress 22. Pandemic Risk Life Insurance Coverage affected: Coverage for unvaccinated individuals Reasons for withdrawal: Higher mortality rates Increased hospitalization risk Long-term health impact uncertainty Healthcare access challenges Treatment cost escalation Environmental Insurance 23. Environmental Liability Insurance Coverage affected: Pollution and contamination coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Increasing regulation complexity Long-term impact uncertainty Clean-up cost escalation New contaminant discovery Legacy contamination risks 24. Carbon Emission Insurance Coverage affected: Carbon liability coverage Reasons for withdrawal: Regulatory change risks Technology transition costs Market mechanism uncertainty Reporting requirement changes Legal liability increases 25. Renewable Energy Project Insurance Coverage affected: Alternative energy installation coverage Reasons for withdrawal: New technology risks Weather damage potential Grid integration challenges Performance guarantee risks Installation quality concerns  

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Source: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-the-future-of-insurance-new-risk-demands-new-thinking-uninsurable-risk-demands-bold-thinking/