Insurance leaders urge proactive risk management amid emerging threats

At the 2026 Insurance and Risk Management Leadership Dinner hosted by Ensure Insurance Brokers, industry leaders emphasized the need for businesses to move beyond simple insurance policies toward proactive risk management. The event, held at the Happy Valley Hotel, gathered business leaders from Eswatini, South Africa, and Mozambique to discuss a changing risk landscape.

Lovemore Vilane, CEO of Ensure Insurance Brokers, highlighted that while insurance is essential for financial protection and economic continuity, it cannot replace sound governance or guarantee business continuity. He noted that emerging threats such as cyberattacks, artificial intelligence, climate-related events, geopolitical tensions, and economic uncertainty are rapidly altering the business environment. Vilane warned that some risks may become increasingly expensive or difficult to insure, necessitating stronger internal risk management systems.

Broader industry analysis identifies cybersecurity and climate change as primary risks. As technology evolves, insurers face the dual challenge of protecting their own data and covering policyholder losses. Simultaneously, the increasing frequency of severe weather events globally requires insurers to adjust policies, pricing, and investment strategies to manage rising liability and physical risks.