IAIS steps up life sector monitoring in 2026

The plan aims to help supervisors deal with structural changes in the industry.

The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) has published its Roadmap 2026 to 2027, setting out its priorities and work programme for the next two years under its Strategic Plan 2025–2029.

The roadmap focuses on four areas: monitoring key risks and trends in the global insurance sector, setting and maintaining global supervisory standards, supporting supervisors through guidance and capacity building, and assessing how consistently global standards are being implemented.

IAIS Executive Committee Chair Toshiyuki Miyoshi said the plan aims to help supervisors deal with structural changes in the industry, climate and natural catastrophe protection gaps, digitalisation, and the rollout of global standards such as ComFrame and the Insurance Capital Standard (ICS).

One of the main priorities for 2026 is closer monitoring of structural shifts in the life insurance sector. 

Building on its 2025 issues paper, the IAIS will look more closely at rising investments in alternative assets and the growth of asset-intensive reinsurance, which it said could have systemic implications.

Climate risk and natural catastrophe protection gaps will also remain a core focus. 

The IAIS plans to provide supervisors with guidance on climate metrics, scenario analysis and tools to help narrow protection gaps.

On global standards, the IAIS will prioritise implementation assessments in 2026 to 2027, with a focus on ComFrame.

This includes starting assessments of the ICS and the qualitative elements of ComFrame, alongside other reviews covering its wider membership.