UK insurers are approaching 2026 with a strong focus on technological advancement alongside tighter management of operational risks, a research firm has reported.
A new research published by Dun & Bradstreet, a provider of business decision data and analytics, showed that British insurers were concentrating on expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as well as strengthening oversight of third-party relationships, fraud, and other external exposures.
According to the research firm, both objectives depend heavily on the availability of accurate, well-managed data.
A news report on the Dun & Bradstreet research published by Reinsurance News, a leading industry-focused online medium, indicated that 37% of UK insurance firms identifed internal AI adoption as a leading priority for 2026 while an equal proportion pointed to third-party risk reduction as a key area of focus.
- Advertisement -
The company interpreted this alignment as a reflection of insurers seeking to pursue growth and efficiency gains while responding to increased risk linked to suppliers, partners, and wider ecosystems.
The research findings also cited less frequently other strategic priorities of the insurers, with 31% of firms focused on market expansion and 26% on embedded finance initiatives and improved decision-making processes.
The research also revealed persistent data-related barriers with more than half of insurers surveyed having experienced unsuccessful AI initiatives due to poor data quality, while only 17% currently operate unified data platforms. The company noted that without improvements in data governance, integration, and accuracy, insurers are likely to struggle to achieve consistent returns from AI investments.
Beyond AI, Dun & Bradstreet identified operational risk as a growing concern across the sector, with the challenges linked to fraud, cyber incidents, and supply chain disruption are being intensified by fragmented systems and legacy infrastructure.
In addition, the company reported that regulatory developments, including the EU AI Act and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), were increasing expectations for transparency, control, and accountability.
Based on the situation, Dun & Bradstreet’s research found that 76% of respondents considered operational risk, including third-party and supply chain exposure, to be a top concern.
The company concluded that insurers’ ability to integrate, verify, and act on timely data was becoming a central component of effective risk management and long-term resilience.
Commenting on the research findings, the company’s Head of Insurance, Zulf Raja, said: “As we move through 2026, the insurance market is navigating a delicate balance between innovation and risk management.
“Firms are not just exploring AI and digital transformation, they are doing so with a sharper eye on third-party risk, data integrity, and economic uncertainty. The companies that succeed will be those that combine growth ambitions with resilience”, the expert added.
