WBN Survey: Global Business Leaders Shift Risk Strategy With Insurance

Global organization are moving from risk mitigation to a risk-led strategy as business leaders shift their approach to risk, influenced by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, and technological disruption.

According to Worldwide Broker Network’s (WBN) “New Risk Reality Report,” resilience has become a competitive advantage, said senior business executives surveyed across the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain.

“As organizations navigate uncertainty, risk management has never been more mission critical, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and undervalued levers of corporate resilience,” Olga Collins, CEO of the independent insurance broking and employee benefits network, in the report. “Having the right risk strategy can make the difference between reacting to disruption and confidently shaping the future.”

Forty-five percent of the 1,750 C-suite leaders surveyed listed risk management as the second most critical driver of corporate resilience. And it’s more than just managing exposures. The leaders said they look at insurance as a integral part of resilience rather than just an “unavoidable expense” for some protection. Nearly 9 in 10 said they expected insurance to become increasingly strategic over the next three years.

“As risk grows in both severity and coordination complexity, expectations of brokers are evolving in parallel, demanding deeper insight, clearer value, and a more proactive role in helping organizations navigate an increasingly uncertain world,” WBN said in the report.

The survey also asked for more detail related to evolving risks and insurance challenges.

• Cybersecurity ranks as the top business risk (48%), followed by AI disruption (40%) and talent shortages (20%)
• 47% cite rising premiums as their biggest insurance-related concern
• 43% report cyber coverage gaps amid escalating digital threats
• 40% highlight capacity constraints in natural catastrophe markets

AI has become a top-tier risk, ranked second globally by 40% of leaders, just behind cybersecurity. Company leaders also cite supply chain disruption and talent shortages.

“Understanding the pressures facing business leaders is essential to understanding our clients. As organizations navigate today’s uncertainties and complexities, risk management has never been more mission-critical,” said Collins. “This study sheds light on the increasingly strategic role of insurance as a vital investment in resilience and business performance.”

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