Risk Managers Reported Decline in Uninsurability Fears
The 2026 survey suggests shifting strategies for managing AI and climate risks as organizations adapt.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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The Federation of European Risk Management Associations released its 2026 Global Risk Manager Survey, showing that fears regarding uninsurable business risks dropped to 37% from 53% in 2024. This finding follows a period where risk practitioners across 79 countries adjusted their corporate strategies to better navigate market uncertainty.
Why it matters
Risk managers are increasingly moving from reactive insurance buying to proactive strategic planning, with 92% of survey participants now integrated into corporate strategy. As organizations shift focus toward strategic response, identifying which risks remain inadequately managed becomes a primary objective for enterprise stability.
In the 2026 survey of 1,329 professionals, 46% identified AI as the least adequately managed risk over a two-to-five-year horizon. Additionally, 48% of respondents flagged climate and physical risks as likely to become uninsurable, highlighting a persistent gap in risk transfer capability.
The players
Federation of European Risk Management Associations
An international organization representing risk management associations that provides benchmarks on global business risks and corporate governance trends.
The details
Risk managers are adapting by strengthening internal loss prevention, negotiating longer-term agreements, and altering insurance purchasing patterns. Organizations are also attempting to address geopolitical uncertainty primarily through increased monitoring activities, though only 14% have implemented dedicated governance aligned with corporate strategy. This operational shift reflects a move toward more granular risk assessment rather than relying solely on external insurance markets.
Timeline
2022: The rate of fear regarding uninsurable risks was 41%.
2024: The rate of fear regarding uninsurable risks reached 53%.
October 5, 2026: The Federation of European Risk Management Associations released the survey results.
The Tech Race
The 2026 Global Risk Manager Survey provides a critical benchmark for how industries are balancing innovation with institutional stability. It situates AI as a primary, inadequately managed risk, marking a shift from historical concerns centered on physical or traditional financial exposures.
For business leaders and risk officers, the results indicate a need to formalize geopolitical monitoring and AI governance programs beyond standard insurance coverage. Firms that have not yet integrated risk managers into corporate strategy may face higher exposure to the inadequately managed risks identified in the survey.
The takeaway
Organizations should compare their internal risk governance against the 14% benchmark for dedicated geopolitical oversight. Stakeholders should track the two-to-five-year horizon for AI risks to determine if current loss prevention measures sufficiently mitigate the identified management gaps.
Further reading
For more on the intersection of organizational governance and emerging technologies, see the latest Artificial Intelligence analysis.
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