Overall Market
Overall, premiums across all major lines averaged a 4.9% increase again in Q2 — unchanged from Q1 — but with significant divergence between various lines. Umbrella coverage continued to harden sharply, while property softened further and certain lines saw premium decreases; cyber, workers compensation, D&O, EPL, and terrorism.
By Account Size:
Small Accounts
(+0.6 pts vs. Q1 2025)
Medium Accounts
(+0.3 pts vs. Q1 2025)
Large Accounts
(-2.4 pts vs. Q1 2025)
By Line of Business:
Commercial Auto
(down from 10.4% in Q1)
Umbrella
(highest of all lines - up from +9.5% in Q1)
General Liability
(down from 4.2% in Q1)
Commercial Property
(down sharply from +2.9% in Q1 and +6.0% in Q4 2024)
Cyber Insurance
Workers' Compensation
Employment Practices
Directors & Officers
The commercial insurance market Premiums averaged a 4.9% increase in Q2, with varied trends across lines, including sharp hardening in umbrella coverage and softening in property, cyber, workers' compensation, D&O, and EPL.
The management liability and EPL markets are soft, with abundant capacity and decreasing rates, although insurers are increasing retentions for specific exposures in EPL due to shifting social and political factors.
- Management liability remains a buyer’s market and D&O posted its sixth straight quarterly decrease, with abundant capacity and the sharpest competition on excess layers; brokers are winning broader terms alongside rate relief.
- EPL is similarly soft for clean risks, though carriers are quietly lifting retentions (e.g., class-action or CA/NY-specific) as social/political drivers shift the claims mix.
The cyber and workers' compensation insurance markets are experiencing stability or modest decreases, with new capacity and competitive pressures driving rates down, although some carriers are using these decreases to offset losses in other lines.
• Cyber remains stable-to-down as new capacity enters and excess factors compress; social engineering and related crime coverages are more commonly available at full limits for well-controlled buyers.
• Continued modest decreases (-1.8%) with a competitive market. However, it is noted that some carriers are using these WC decreases to offset pressure in tougher lines (such as umbrella lines).
