Brown & Brown Report Predicts Softening Commercial Rates and Expanded Capacity for 2026
Brown & Brown's 2026 Market Trends report forecasts softening commercial insurance rates and increased capacity driven by heightened carrier competition, benefiting buyers with strong risk management and positive claims histories. The report highlights persistent challenges in catastrophe-exposed regions, firm rate trends in select lines, and integration insights post-Risk Strategies acquisition.
1. Report Release and Combined Expertise
On February 11, Brown & Brown published its 2026 Market Trends Report, marking the first joint analysis with Risk Strategies specialists and offering a broad view of shifts in commercial coverage, employee benefits and personal insurance markets.
2. Commercial Insurance Trends
The report finds that enhanced carrier competition and increased capacity are driving softening commercial insurance rates, rewarding buyers with thorough renewal preparation and positive claims histories, while transportation, hospitality and risk-prone operations face less favorable terms.
3. Employee Benefits and Personal Insurance Outlook
In employee benefits, rising costs are prompting deployment of digital health tools like virtual primary care and cost transparency platforms, and in personal insurance, climate volatility and regulatory changes maintain pricing pressure in catastrophe-exposed regions despite expanding capacity.
4. Strategic Implications for Brown & Brown
Leveraging combined expertise, the firm aims to guide clients through market fluctuations, enhance risk management practices and capitalize on competitive dynamics to support revenue growth and client retention.