Crawford Report Charts Future of Claims Amid Climate and Tech Risks

ATLANTA, GA – March 05, 2026 – As the insurance industry confronts a confluence of escalating climate events, rapid technological change, and shifting market dynamics, a new report from Crawford & Company argues that the time for discussion is over and the era of decisive action has begun. The global claims management leader today released its “Built for the Future: U.S. Predictions Report 2026,” a detailed analysis of the forces reshaping the U.S. insurance claims ecosystem.

The report synthesizes perspectives from across Crawford’s leadership to offer a roadmap for organizations aiming to build resilience and intelligence in an increasingly complex environment. It identifies four pillars of transformation: evolving catastrophe recovery, the acceleration of data and automation, the personalization of the digital claims experience, and the need for greater industry-wide agility.

“The organizations that succeed in the years ahead will be those that invest intentionally in resiliency, embrace data and automation thoughtfully, and remain agile as market conditions continue to evolve,” said Mike Hoberman, CEO of U.S. Operations at Crawford & Company, in a statement accompanying the release. His comments underscore the report’s central thesis: proactive investment and strategic adaptation are no longer optional for survival.

The Climate Claims Crunch

A primary focus of the report is the undeniable impact of climate change on catastrophe claims. The document highlights a crucial shift away from a purely reactive disaster response model toward a more proactive, resilience-focused framework. This finding aligns with a broad consensus among industry analysts and reinsurers, who have for years warned of the increasing frequency of “high-loss” years driven by more severe and frequent natural disasters.

The Crawford report moves beyond the warning to offer specific, actionable strategies. It advocates for the development of “surge-ready” staffing models that can be deployed rapidly and scaled effectively. This involves not just having adjusters on standby, but also leveraging advanced catastrophe analytics to prioritize deployment to the hardest-hit areas, ensuring resources are allocated for maximum impact.

Furthermore, the report stresses the importance of fostering closer, pre-event collaboration with managed repair networks. By securing capacity and establishing protocols before a hurricane makes landfall or a wildfire spreads, insurers and their partners can significantly reduce delays and bottlenecks in the recovery process. This proactive stance is presented as essential for managing costs and, more importantly, for helping policyholders and communities rebuild faster after a disaster.

Beyond the Buzzwords: Data, AI, and Digital Transformation

While “digital transformation” has been an industry buzzword for years, the report suggests that 2026 marks a turning point where theoretical benefits are translating into real-world operational imperatives. The analysis indicates that many large carriers are moving beyond small-scale pilot programs to full, at-scale implementation of technologies like robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI).

According to the report's predictions, end-to-end digital claims journeys are becoming the standard, particularly in personal lines. This includes everything from a digital First Notice of Loss (FNOL) submitted via a mobile app to the use of AI-powered digital tools for damage assessment from photos. The benefits are clear: significant reductions in claim settlement times, improved accuracy, and enhanced cost control. These efficiency gains are critical in a competitive market, but the report also emphasizes a deeper transformation.

The document highlights a growing trend toward personalization within the digital experience. It is no longer enough to simply automate a process; the experience must be intuitive, transparent, and tailored to the policyholder's needs. The report cautions against a one-size-fits-all approach, advising a balanced model that uses automation for routine, low-complexity claims while ensuring skilled human adjusters are available for complex, high-emotion cases. This hybrid approach recognizes that an insurer's claims reputation is a powerful market differentiator, built on a foundation of both technological efficiency and human empathy.

The Talent and Agility Imperative

Underpinning the technological and environmental shifts is a fundamental challenge in human capital. The report addresses the “broader industry shifts” that test the agility and talent strategies of every organization in the sector. It points to intense competition for experienced adjusters and technical claims staff—a talent pool that is not growing as quickly as the demand for their expertise.

This talent crunch is exacerbated by the very technologies meant to improve efficiency. New platforms, data analytics tools, and regulatory requirements demand a new set of skills. Consequently, the report advocates for significant investment in both aggressive recruitment and robust internal upskilling programs. The adjuster of the future must be as comfortable interpreting data from a drone inspection as they are assessing physical damage on-site.

Operational flexibility is the other side of this coin. The report stresses the need for claims and underwriting leaders to develop scalable catastrophe playbooks and agile operating models that can adapt to extreme market and weather volatility. The rigid, siloed structures of the past are ill-suited for a world where a pandemic, a supply chain crisis, or a record-breaking storm can upend all previous assumptions. The ability to pivot, reallocate resources, and integrate new data streams in real-time is presented not as a luxury, but as a core component of a modern claims operation.

A Barometer for a Shifting Industry

While the report is published by Crawford, its predictions serve as a barometer for the entire insurance ecosystem. The themes of digital adoption, catastrophe preparedness, and talent management are not unique to one company; they are the central strategic concerns echoed in the boardrooms of competitors like Sedgwick and Gallagher Bassett and technology providers like Verisk. The widespread industry focus on these areas suggests a collective recognition of the path forward.

Crawford's own strategic initiatives appear to align with its predictions, lending credibility to its analysis. The company has publicly highlighted its ongoing investments in virtual inspection tools, advanced analytics platforms, and a robust managed repair network, indicating it is actively building the capabilities it recommends to its clients. By positioning itself as a thought leader, Crawford is not only guiding the industry but also signaling its own strategic direction.

Ultimately, the “Built for the Future” report paints a picture of an industry at an inflection point. The challenges are significant, but the tools and strategies to meet them are within reach. For an industry built on managing risk, the greatest risk of all may be failing to adapt to the future that is already arriving.