Insurers Post Strong 2025 Profits Amid Rising Risks
OECD's Global Insurance Market Trends 2026 report finds premiums grew and returns stayed high across more than 50 jurisdictions in 2025.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Insurance
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The OECD's Global Insurance Market Trends 2026 report, based on inputs from national insurance authorities across over 50 OECD and non-OECD jurisdictions, shows non-life premiums rose 8.7% in nominal terms and 4.1% in real terms in 2025. Insurers remained profitable despite growing climate, cyber, and geopolitical risks.
Why it matters
Premium increases reflect insurers passing on higher claims costs, particularly in motor vehicle and health insurance, while life premium growth in some jurisdictions was tied to pension reforms and demographic shifts. The findings matter for policyholders facing rising insurance prices as claims costs climb.
Non-life premiums rose 8.7% in nominal terms and 4.1% in real terms in 2025, while insurer return on equity averaged 16.7% in life and 15.7% in non-life. Only two of the jurisdictions covered reported negative non-life returns for the year.
The players
OECD
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental body of mostly high-income countries that publishes comparative economic and policy research across its member and partner jurisdictions.
The details
Insurers adjusted premiums to offset higher claims costs, particularly in motor vehicle and health insurance, as repair cost inflation, rising healthcare spending, and extreme weather losses in some jurisdictions drove payouts up. Life claims payments declined in real terms in half of reporting jurisdictions.
Timeline
June 2026: Preliminary insurance market data was released, which the report builds upon.
2025: The insurance market year covered by the report.
November 2, 2026: OECD published Global Insurance Market Trends 2026.
Market Dynamics
The 2026 edition continues the OECD's annual Global Insurance Market Trends series, extending its coverage of premium and return trends across more than 50 jurisdictions. It reports that 2025 premium growth coincided with insurer returns above 15% in both life and non-life sectors.
Policyholders may see continued premium increases in motor vehicle and health insurance as insurers respond to higher repair, healthcare, and weather-related claims costs. Reviewing coverage limits and comparing quotes can help households manage those rising costs.
The takeaway
Rising premiums and sustained insurer profits suggest that policyholders should expect continued price pressure in areas hit by higher claims costs. Reviewing policy terms and comparing coverage options can help offset those increases.
Further reading
For broader context on how insurance premiums and claims are priced and regulated, explore the Insurance section.
More information
Read the full OECD Global Insurance Market Trends 2026 report for jurisdiction-level data.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
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