The landscape of insurance claims

The insurance industry is facing a rapidly changing litigation environment. Emerging risks, regulatory developments, and technological advancements are reshaping how insurers approach underwriting, claims, and risk management.

As we look towards the horizon, this article explores several key trends that are poised to shape the legal terrain of insurance claims which industry professionals should know about so that they are well armed to contend with these emerging trends.

Key exposures for the insurance industry will likely include claims relating to:

• PFAS
• Microplastics
• Ethylene oxide
• Hair relaxers
• Social media

The increased use of artificial intelligence in the underwriting and claims process will present challenging legal and ethical considerations for insurers.

This article aims to provide a general overview of these emerging claims and the impact of AI on the insurance industry.

The future

What is apparent from the developing and emerging claims trends in the insurance industry is the notable commonality of the impact on human health. Whether such damage or injury arises from the potential for harm to human health from chemicals, microplastics, or from new technologies affecting mental health, these evolving challenges will require the insurance market to adapt to the changing litigation landscape in their underwriting processes, governance and claims practices to mitigate and manage these emerging risks effectively.