--- title: "Global commercial insurance rates fall 5% in Q3 2026, ninth straight quarterly drop" description: "Property and cyber prices keep sliding and buyers are getting better terms, but casualty rates rose in the U.S. and Marsh sees early signs of…" url: https://insurance.skoop.news/global-commercial-insurance-rates-drop-5-in-q3-signs-of-stab-c8e343/ published: 2026-10-22T10:22:51.112501-04:00 modified: 2026-10-22T10:22:51.112501-04:00 section: "Insurance" publisher: "skoop.news" language: en keywords: ["U.S", "D&O", "Donnelly", "GIMI", "insurance", "premium", "coverage", "claims", "insurer", "underwriting"] hashtags: ["#Donnelly", "#Insurance", "#insurancenews"] image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Illinois_Mutual_Fire_Insurance_Company_insurance_policy_-_DPLA_-_7fb4470ce9f763c6f195c581402f3cbd_%28page_2%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled --- # Global commercial insurance rates fall 5% in Q3 2026, ninth straight quarterly drop > Property and cyber prices keep sliding and buyers are getting better terms, but casualty rates rose in the U.S. and Marsh sees early signs of stabilization. Published 2026-10-22 · Insurance, [skoop.news](https://skoop.news/) ## In brief - Global commercial insurance rates fell on average by 5% in Q3 2026, the ninth straight quarterly decline, which means buyers of commercial cover are still paying less than they did a quarter earlier. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) - Marsh attributed the decline to strong financial results in the global marketplace, favorable reinsurance terms, new market entrants, and expanded capacity from managing general agents. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) - Global property rates declined 10% in Q3 2026, the largest decline of any line of business. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) ## A ninth straight decline Global commercial insurance rates fell on average by 5% in Q3 2026, the ninth straight quarterly decline, which means buyers of commercial cover are still paying less than they did a quarter earlier. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) The drop follows a 6% decline in Q2 2026. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) [[2]](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/marsh-mclennan-global-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-5-in-q3-2026-marks-ninth-consecutive-qua-ce785cd8dc8cff21) Buyers in Q3 2026 were generally able to obtain reduced rates, enhanced coverage terms, higher limits, lower deductibles and long-term agreements. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) ## Why prices keep falling Marsh attributed the decline to strong financial results in the global marketplace, favorable reinsurance terms, new market entrants, and expanded capacity from managing general agents. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Strong insurer profitability, a surplus of capital, lower reinsurance costs, and higher investment returns were intensifying competition and contributing to lower rates. [[2]](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/marsh-mclennan-global-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-5-in-q3-2026-marks-ninth-consecutive-qua-ce785cd8dc8cff21) Donnelly said a benign U.S. hurricane season contributed to favorable underwriting results, helping sustain capacity and high levels of competition. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) ## Line by line Global property rates declined 10% in Q3 2026, the largest decline of any line of business. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) That follows a 12% fall in Q2 2026 and 9% in the first three months of 2026. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Global casualty rates increased 1%, the only uptick among the GIMI lines. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) The rise was driven by rate increases in the U.S., where litigation and large settlements influenced pricing. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Casualty capacity was increasingly selective, with higher attachments. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Global cyber rates declined 4%, the 13th consecutive quarter of declines. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) US cyber rates were flat, ending a streak of declines. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Global financial and professional lines rates decreased 3%, the seventeenth consecutive quarter of declines. [[2]](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/marsh-mclennan-global-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-5-in-q3-2026-marks-ninth-consecutive-qua-ce785cd8dc8cff21) Underwriting scrutiny was most seen for catastrophe exposure, US casualty, D&O, and cyber exposures linked to artificial intelligence, vendor dependencies, privacy and ransomware. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) ## The UK market UK commercial insurance rates fell 8% in Q3 2026, matching the prior two quarters, and extended the run of consecutive UK rate declines to 11. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) UK property rates fell 11%, unchanged from the prior quarter. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) The absence of major risk losses in the UK during the quarter supported the current pricing. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) UK casualty rates declined 3% overall, and casualty excluding motor fell 5%, the fourth consecutive quarterly decline. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) Motor outcomes varied by sector, ranging from increases of 5% to reductions of the same magnitude depending on the account. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) Growing electric vehicle claims continued to drive higher severity and longer repair times across UK motor lines. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) UK financial and professional lines rates fell 5%, compared with a 4% decline in the prior quarter. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) UK cyber rates fell 7%, slightly faster than the 5% decline in the prior quarter. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) UK financial institutions cover pricing is being monitored for the potential effect of the UK motor finance commission case. [[3]](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) ## What it means for buyers If you buy commercial insurance, Q3 2026 offered room to negotiate: buyers were generally able to obtain reduced rates, enhanced coverage terms, higher limits, lower deductibles and long-term agreements. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Some clients used the savings to restructure programs, obtain higher limits or broaden coverage. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) According to Donnelly, many clients were more inclined to retain premium savings in the uncertain geopolitical climate rather than reinvest them. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) If you buy casualty cover in the U.S., expect a different picture, since rates rose there and litigation and large settlements influenced pricing. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) If you buy cyber, D&O or catastrophe-exposed cover, underwriting scrutiny was most seen in those areas. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) Marsh observed early signs of rate stabilization emerging in Q3 2026. [[1]](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) ## Sources 1. [Global Commercial Insurance Rates Drop 5% in Q3; Signs of Stabilization - Carrier Management](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/10/21/889818.htm) — Carrier Management 2. [Marsh & McLennan : Global commercial insurance rates fall 5% in Q3 2026; marks ninth consecutive quarterly decline](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/marsh-mclennan-global-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-5-in-q3-2026-marks-ninth-consecutive-qua-ce785cd8dc8cff21) — MarketScreener 3. [UK commercial insurance rates fall for eleventh straight quarter](https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/property-insurance/uk-commercial-insurance-rates-fall-for-eleventh-straight-quarter-594357.aspx) — Insurance Business America Image: Photo (illustrative): Illinois Mutual Fire Insurance Company / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illinois_Mutual_Fire_Insurance_Company_insurance_policy_-_DPLA_-_7fb4470ce9f763c6f195c581402f3cbd_(page_2).jpg) --- Written from the sources above and checked twice (rules and an independent model) before publishing. How we work: https://skoop.news/how-we-work/ · Corrections: https://skoop.news/corrections/