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Key Findings from the 18th Annual Emerging Risk Survey Released

The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) and the Society of Actuaries (SOA) have released key findings from the 18th Annual Emerging Risk Survey, highlighting the evolving concerns of risk managers, actuaries, and insurance professionals. As outlined in the report and the Executive Summary of findings, this year’s survey reflects the presence of global events, such as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and natural disasters like Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

This year, war — including civil war — joined climate change as the top emerging risk of concern, with disruptive technology (including artificial intelligence) ranked in the third spot. The survey, conducted in November 2024, shows differences in risk perception since the May 2024 Emerging Risk Flash Survey. In the most recent survey, financial volatility slipped off the top five list of emerging risks while disruptive technology when was #1 risk of concern.

Climate change — which impacts property coverage especially — is a spotlight issue worldwide, as insurers are especially observing increases in the frequency and severity of major natural catastrophic events and associated costs, for the past several years.

Disruptive technology, defined as the unintended consequences of technology leading to abrupt change — ranks #3 on the list. Driven by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI), disruptive technology will continue to change education, the workplace and society as a whole.

Stay informed on emerging risks shaping the actuarial and risk management landscape.

To mitigate recency bias, a mid-year flash survey will be conducted in May 2025.