Why 2026 May Bring More Commercial Claim Delays
Looking ahead, several industry trends may increase the likelihood of delayed claim handling in 2026. Understanding these factors can help property owners anticipate challenges and respond proactively.
1. Increased Frequency of Severe Weather Events
The past five years have seen unprecedented natural disasters—hurricanes, derechos, hailstorms, freeze events, wildfires, flooding, and windstorms—many of which produced catastrophic losses for commercial properties. These events have strained insurance carriers nationwide.
As climate patterns continue to shift, insurers are:
- Receiving higher claim volumes
- Facing more large-scale catastrophe losses
- Struggling with adjuster shortages
- Tightening internal review processes
During times of high claim volume, carriers often prioritize their bottom line—not policyholders. Delays are a predictable outcome.
2. Staffing Shortages and Outsourced Adjusting
The industry has experienced a significant shortage of experienced adjusters, leading many carriers to outsource claims to third-party firms or inexperienced staff. The result:
- Poor communication
- Repeated requests for documents you already provided
- Slow or inconsistent inspection scheduling
- Lowball estimates based on incomplete assessments
Delays tied to staffing do not excuse carriers from their legal obligations.
3. More Complex Commercial Policies
Many commercial policies have evolved in response to rising claims and litigation. That means more:
- Exclusionary language
- Sub-limits
- Endorsements
- Coverage exceptions
- Depreciation factors
The more complicated the policy, the longer some carriers take to “review coverage”—sometimes using complexity as justification for avoidable delay.
4. Increased Reliance on Technology and Automation
Many insurers now use automated claim systems to process and prioritize claims. This can benefit simple residential claims but often works against commercial property owners, whose losses are more complex and require human evaluation.
Automation can cause:
- Claims to be flagged for additional “review cycles”
- Requests for unnecessary documentation
- Delays in estimate generation
- Communications bottlenecks
Technology should expedite claims—but for many commercial owners, it is doing the opposite.
5. Intentional Delay as a Cost-Control Strategy
Though no carrier will admit it, delaying payments can help insurance companies protect their financial interests. By dragging the process out, carriers hope that:
- Business owners give up
- Policyholders accept a lower settlement
- Evidence becomes harder for you to preserve
- The claim becomes less cost-effective to pursue
This practice is not only unfair—it may constitute bad-faith handling.
