On Aon — Episode 96

Opportunities in a Changing Market — What Risk Buyers Need to Know

November 20, 2025

420 words … about a minute read

What’s new: In the latest episode of On Aon, Global Chief Broking Officer Cynthia Beveridge and Global Chief Claims Officer Mona Barnes discuss emerging trends in the commercial risk market as it heads towards the January renewals period. They discuss how the market is becoming increasingly fragmented and explain the factors driving recent developments in claims, including heightened natural catastrophe exposures, macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, rising cyber ransomware incidents and adverse litigation trends currently unfolding in the U.S.

Experts in this episode:

• Cynthia Beveridge — Global Chief Broking Officer, Commercial Risk, Aon
• Mona Barnes — Global Chief Claims Officer, Commercial Risk, Aon

Key Takeaways:

1. As organizations approach January renewals, they must adapt to a fragmented and rapidly evolving insurance market by reviewing and strengthening their risk programs.
2. Despite generally favorable pricing, risk buyers face rising claims complexity and costs driven by natural catastrophes, inflation and adverse litigation trends.
3. Success in today’s environment depends on close collaboration with claims advocates and leveraging insurer performance data to build resilient strategies for emerging risks.

Key moments:

(2:01) Insurers are generally growth-focused, competing aggressively and are looking to differentiate themselves through pricing, terms and risk improvement support.

(4:17) Natural catastrophes, increasing ransomware severity, macroeconomic pressures and adverse litigation trends are shaping claims trends.

(8:48) The growing availability of data and alternative sources of capital such as parametric, captives, catastrophe bonds, multiyear structured and facultative solutions are helping clients.

Soundbites:
Cynthia Beveridge
“Capacity has increased across much of the market during 2025. It's flowing in from both traditional insurers and the reinsurance market, but notably it's fragmented. While most placements can achieve full tower limits, the towers are really compromised. It's comprised of more insurers and more segments.”

Mona Barnes
“Claims inflation is contributing to increasing costs of everyday items as companies are looking to recoup losses by raising prices on all items, including food, housing and medical care — as well as insurance.”

Listen for more: The “On Aon” podcast is available on Spotify, Simplecast and Apple Podcasts (iTunes)

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