I recently attended the 2026 National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Summer National Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, alongside AAIS President and CEO Keith Wolfe. The meeting provided a useful look at the issues shaping the property and casualty insurance marketplace, and one theme came through clearly: insurance regulation is entering a period of broad transition.
Across committee meetings, conversations with regulators, and discussions with industry organizations, the same topics surfaced repeatedly: homeowners insurance affordability and availability, catastrophe risk, data transparency, artificial intelligence (AI), third-party models, cybersecurity, privacy, and regulatory modernization.
For me, the biggest takeaway was that regulators are not looking for a single solution. Instead, they appear to be considering a broader mix of tools, including better data, mitigation, market monitoring, transparency, rate review, technology oversight, and state-specific approaches.
Homeowners insurance remains the central issue. Affordability and availability continue to be major concerns for regulators and policymakers. Rising premiums, nonrenewals, catastrophe exposure, reinsurance costs, and consumer access to coverage are creating challenges that extend well beyond traditional rate regulation. The NAIC Property and Casualty Insurance (C) Committee’s adoption of the Affordability and Availability of Homeowners Insurance Playbook reflects a recognition that states need a range of options and that solutions will depend heavily on local market conditions.
Data is becoming more important and more complicated. Regulators want better information about what is happening in their markets, including homeowners data, statistical reporting, catastrophe data, mitigation data, and information tied to third-party models. At the same time, more data does not always mean better information. The challenge will be identifying the data that helps regulators understand market conditions without creating unnecessary reporting burdens for insurers.
Third-party models and AI are receiving more structured regulatory attention. The NAIC’s work on third-party data and models continues to evolve, including discussions of a voluntary regulatory framework for model and data providers. There are still practical questions about how such a framework would operate, but the broader message is clear: regulators are increasingly focused on how insurers use third-party data, advanced analytics, and AI.
Relationships continue to matter. Some of the most valuable conversations at NAIC meetings happen outside formal committee rooms. During the meeting, we spoke with regulators from several states about a range of regulatory and market issues, including filings, products, statistical reporting, third-party data, mitigation, AI, and homeowners insurance. Those conversations may not always produce immediate results, but they create opportunities and help build the trust needed for more constructive engagement over time.
For insurers, the practical lessons are clear:
- Regulatory intelligence needs to extend beyond traditional requirements.
- Data governance is becoming a regulatory issue.
- AI and third-party model governance should be proactive rather than reactive.
- Regulatory engagement should begin well before a filing is under review.
The NAIC Summer National Meeting reinforced that many of today’s regulatory conversations are connected. Homeowners insurance affordability and availability, catastrophe resilience, data transparency, AI, privacy, cybersecurity, and market sustainability may look like separate issues, but they are all part of a larger question: how do we build an insurance market that remains financially sustainable, technologically capable, appropriately regulated, and accessible to consumers?
Based on what I heard in Columbus, that conversation is only getting started, and those who stay engaged can help move it forward and shape where it goes next.
What are you seeing in your market? As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, we welcome the opportunity to hear from insurers about the issues and challenges they are navigating. To continue the conversation, reach out to me at ChrisA@AAISonline.com.
