Maritime Insurance Market : Trends and Outlook for 2026

Claire Lasserre

White papers

3 minutes

29 December 2025

The year 2026 begins with major challenges for the maritime sector

Routes are changing in response to tensions, the maritime energy transition is accelerating the adoption of new fuels, maritime digitalisation is creating unprecedented technical dependencies, and insurance costs are evolving with increasing market selectivity. For shipowners, charterers, port operators, finance and legal departments, P&I clubs and specialist brokers, these trends are not abstractions: they influence contracts, claims management and investment decisions.

The 2026 maritime insurance market reflects this complexity. Insured values are rising due to costly on-board technologies, while the average age of part of the fleet remains high. Route safety is once again becoming a critical variable, particularly when detours are necessary. In this context, marine insurance is no longer limited to risk transfer: it is becoming a common language between operators, financiers, lawyers and operations.

Quick overview of trends

Two-speed fleets: rising value, persistent ageing

Insured values are increasing with the arrival of more sophisticated vessels (electronics, propulsion, sensors), while part of the fleet is ageing. The result: heterogeneous risk profiles for hulls and machinery, stricter maintenance requirements, and more detailed discussions on insured value.

Maritime energy transition: new fuels, new practices

LNG, methanol, biofuels, and even hydrogen: adoption is progressing, leading to specific requirements (storage, handling, training, port procedures). The maritime energy transition is impacting technical clauses and pricing, without standards having yet been fully stabilised.

Maritime geopolitics and the reconfiguration of routes

Maritime geopolitics continues to reshape corridors: detours, delays, uneven support infrastructure. War risks are assessed on a trip-by-trip basis, with reporting requirements and possible surcharges. Downstream logistics (intermediate storage, rerouting) is becoming a focus for cargo shipping.

Accelerated digitalisation, increased cyber exposure

The connectivity of ships and terminals is increasing (maintenance, navigation, cargo tracking), with more tangible cyber exposure: business interruption, data tampering, blackmail. Contracts include more exclusions/endorsements, encouraging the formalisation of security policies.

Cargo: apparent stability, real selectivity

Access to the market remains open for standard flows. However, selectivity is increasing for perishable goods, certain raw materials and lithium-ion batteries. Controls are shifting towards proof (cold chain traceability, stock location, site audits).

Our 2026 economic outlook: understanding the market and securing your contracts

Our economic report provides a clear and structured overview of the market. It analyses the dynamics by line, hull & machinery, P&I, cargo, and changes in insurers' appetite. It highlights sensitive clauses, conditions of access and trends in insurance costs, while translating their operational impacts: routes, inventory management, perishable flows, cybersecurity and governance.

Download the report

L'analyse de nos experts

Claire Lasserre
Le contexte incertain de crise géopolitique multifactorielle actuel rebat les cartes du commerce international entre protectionnisme et exacerbations des tensions. De fait, le marché de l’assurance Marine poursuit sa croissance contenue mais soutenue en France.
Claire Lasserre - Directrice secteur Marine & Transport
Camille
Le marché Cargo en 2025 est stable sur les risques standards, avec une concurrence maintenue du fait de l’arrivée de nouvelles capacités. Toutefois, certaines lignes ou expositions demeurent plus difficiles à couvrir.
Camille Bertin - Directrice Cargo

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