This year’s event, which was held in Las Vegas with its typical mix of industry suits and startup enthusiasm, focused more on genuine interactions than on glitzy product displays. The tone had changed, but the buzzwords were still in use (yep, generative AI was displayed on every booth wall).
The prominent voices this year were not promising to “disrupt insurance” in 30 days; instead, they were concentrating on gaining credibility, creating sustainable technology, and repairing the flaws in the system that we have all tacitly tolerated for far too long.
These are the main conclusions drawn from ITC 2025: what was significant, what inspired people, and what lies ahead.
1.The Emergence of Generative AI
The focus of last year’s interest in AI was capabilities. It was all about accountability this year.
Insurers and vendors alike are now facing serious scrutiny around how generative AI is used—especially in underwriting, claims, and customer interaction. Transparency, explainability, and governance were at the forefront of any responsible roadmap, especially with the implementation of new international legislation like the EU AI Act.
2.Despite being ubiquitous, embedded insurance is still not widely underst
Insurance that is embedded is not new.
An unexpected tendency is the need for “embedded empathy.” Successful platforms are beginning to provide coverage at emotionally relevant times rather than just slapping a policy into a checkout page (think: shortly after a move, during a business launch, or post-health diagnosis).
3.The Killer App Is Trust
This year at ITC, there was a discernible change in terminology. There are fewer people discussing “customer acquisition.” More discussion of advocacy, trust, and loyalty.
The explanation is straightforward: customers are burned out by complexity and overloaded with options. We learned from session after session that the brands who genuinely answer the phone, follow the rules, and communicate with people are the ones that succeed.
4.Once more, distribution is becoming personal.
The middle of the insurance funnel seemed to be going extinct for a few years. However, distribution is changing in 2025 rather than going away.
Brokers and agents are here to stay. Actually, a lot of ITC businesses were creating tools for advisers rather than taking their place. Why? Because people still desire people even when danger becomes complex—whether it is health, climate, or cyber.
5.Climate Coverage Is Turning Into a Differentiator
With good reason, the climate sessions were packed. The industry is aware that climate risk is no longer insurable in the conventional sense following yet another devastating year filled with hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.
The good news is that ITC’s reinsurers and startups are investigating resilience-based approaches. Consider community-level climate risk pooling, weather-responsive regulations, and incentives for green construction renovations.
Final Thoughts: Less Disruption, More Dignity
ITC 2025 felt like an industry coming to terms with itself. Less obsessed with “blowing things up” and more focused on fixing what matters—trust, access, transparency, and simplicity.
The startups that stood out weren’t necessarily the most funded—they were the ones that had done the most listening. The carriers that made headlines weren’t the loudest—they were the ones that owned their flaws and showed how they were fixing them.
In short: the industry is growing up. And in 2025, that might just be the biggest innovation of all.
