Last year, a unique festival for insurance professionals drew more than 700 specialists to the Santa Monica Pier, blending a lively festival atmosphere with serious industry discussions. This summer, InsuranceFest 2026 is back, bigger and more focused on the pressing challenges brokers face today. Set for July 16, the event promises to bring together over 1,200 experts from various corners of the specialty insurance world, including E&S markets, MGAs, carriers, reinsurers, and tech innovators.
The festival will tackle ten key questions on brokers’ minds, covering a wide range of topics from cyber risks and insurance market shifts to AI’s role and talent shortages. One big theme is the expanding reach of cyber risks, which now impact several insurance areas like directors and officers, employment practices, crime, and casualty coverage. Reid Eanes of Lockton, who leads specialty lines, will explore this overlap and caution that legal frameworks are still catching up, urging brokers and carriers to stay alert to changes that could leave them unprepared.
On the property side, the excess and surplus (E&S) market is softening after years of rising prices and tighter capacity. Dawn Cusack from Brown & Riding sees this as the start of new opportunities rather than a threat. She will address how brokers should rethink submissions for natural catastrophes—wildfires, earthquakes, and other risks—with an emphasis on detailed information, like construction types and mitigation efforts, to improve pricing and coverage.
Artificial intelligence is a hot topic, too. Christina Lucas from Google will lead a session on moving AI from just hype to actual return on investment. Meanwhile, Gallagher’s head of data technology, Kader Sakkaria, predicts the next few years will shape which firms succeed or fall behind as AI, changing regulations, and customer expectations collide. The event will include discussions on AI adoption, dealing with legacy systems, and practical automation.
The impact of AI and insurtech platforms on insurance distribution will also get attention. Sakkaria warns that new players, including AI-driven platforms, could reshape how insurance reaches customers. These changes will be explored in sessions focused on evolving broker roles and regulatory pressures.
Beyond technology, the festival will examine what it means to be a “trusted advisor” in today’s interconnected risk environment. Eanes stresses that brokers must move beyond simple transactions to truly understand their clients’ businesses and help guide strategic decisions. The event will include panels around specialty lines and construction to show how brokers can engage earlier in their clients’ growth and technology plans.
The industry’s talent shortage is another key concern. With more than half of brokers worried about finding skilled workers, sessions in the Palm Zone will focus on leadership, culture, and attracting new talent. This zone will also cover payment innovations like embedded finance and refund solutions, featuring experts like Anis Taylor from SnapRefund who will explain how smooth payments can set brokers apart.
Mergers and acquisitions remain a hot topic as well. The Ocean Zone will discuss what comes next in deals, especially as market conditions and technology integration affect company values.
Finally, InsuranceFest will prepare brokers for the next claims crisis. The Shore Zone offers hands-on workshops and live cyber simulations led by industry leaders, including those from Aon, designed to sharpen response skills before real disasters strike.
InsuranceFest 2026 is organized across four zones—Pacific, Ocean, Palm, and Shore—each focusing on different themes from keynote speeches to interactive discussions and live simulations. Over 50 sponsor-led Discussion Tables will encourage small group conversations about cyber risks, digital changes, construction, and E&S strategies.
Registration is open now for those who want to join a growing community of specialty insurance professionals ready to face the challenges ahead. This event promises not just insights but practical takeaways that can help brokers thrive in a fast-changing market.