The insurance industry is at a crucial turning point. Over the next three years, brokers must fully embrace digital technology or face growing challenges in cost, speed, and customer service. This urgency is the focus of InsuranceFest 2026, the largest specialty insurance event in the world, which will spotlight how firms can build, fund, and manage digital change while making sure it delivers clear results.
Kader Sakkaria, global head of data technology at Gallagher, describes the coming years as a make-or-break moment. He points out that new regulations, higher customer expectations, and advances in artificial intelligence are all coming together, creating a rare opportunity to rethink how insurance is done. Sakkaria highlights that clients want quick, personalized service, regulators are increasing scrutiny on AI and cyber security, and the competition now includes not just traditional brokers, but also insurtech and AI platforms such as OpenAI.
The old way of working, with outdated systems and isolated data, won’t cut it anymore. Instead, leading firms are investing in modern data systems, using AI to make decisions, and changing the customer experience with automation. But Sakkaria emphasizes that technology itself isn’t the biggest challenge. The real test lies in getting everyone on board, upgrading skills, and finding new ways to add value with data. Many companies still underestimate how hard these changes can be.
At InsuranceFest, several sessions will move beyond hype and talk about practical steps. A panel called “The AI Revolution – From Hype to ROI” will show how companies are planning technology and people strategies over the next two years, with a focus on staying within budget. Other discussions will allow brokers to share their experiences with AI — both their wins and their failures — making the event very peer-focused.
The event also challenges the old idea that digital upgrades are just about cutting costs. Instead, speakers will argue that improving the client experience is key to keeping customers, especially as the market consolidates and competition grows. Attendees will look closely at where human interaction is still needed, when online portals help or hinder, and how to measure the value of these investments.
Besides front-end changes, insurance companies need to fix their back-end systems too. InsuranceFest will include workshops on how to slowly update legacy systems, like payment and workflow tools, without disrupting daily business. Another session on RegTech will show how compliance can speed things up, with real examples of using digital audit trails, automated documents, and AI governance to reduce red tape and stay ahead of regulators.
Attendees will walk away from InsuranceFest 2026 with useful tools and ideas, including clear plans for using AI and automation, ways to budget and measure returns, tactics to modernize old systems, compliance approaches that work efficiently, and customer experience strategies that help keep clients loyal. The event offers open conversations on what works and what doesn’t, making it an important moment for anyone in insurance.
Registration is now open for InsuranceFest 2026, and for brokers and insurers wanting to stay competitive, it’s one event not to miss.