Willis sees Gulf political risk insurance rates rising 20%-30% amid Middle East tensions

• Willis Towers Watson report flags geopolitical volatility, Middle East tensions, rapid buildout of digital infrastructure as key drivers of a more complex global insurance market in 2026.
• Political risk rates in Gulf countries expected to rise 20%-30%, while traditional political risk cover and trade disruption insurance seen flat to up 5%.
• Property market continues to soften, with rate cuts up to 15% for single-carrier programs, up to 25% for shared or layered placements, despite rising losses from secondary perils such as wildfires, floods, severe storms.
• Trade credit remains competitive despite higher bankruptcies and claims, while tariffs emerge as a pressure point that could weaken credit quality via margin compression.
• Litigation severity is rising, with average of top 50 medical malpractice verdicts increasing to $56 million in 2024 from $32 million in 2022; investor-backed litigation tied to a 60.5% increase in payouts.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Willis Towers Watson plc published the original content used to generate this news brief via GlobeNewswire (Ref. ID: 202605070900PRIMZONEFULLFEED9715368) on May 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.