From: Captive.com/IRMI
Editor’s Note: As captive insurance becomes increasingly embedded in enterprise risk strategy, the 2026 Captive Insurance Companies Association (CICA) International Conference centers on how leaders are navigating uncertainty, capital pressures, regulatory evolution, and talent development.
In this Q&A, Dan Towle outlines how this year’s theme, “Navigating Risk in a Changing World,” signals where the industry is heading and how captive owners can position themselves for sustained growth, resilience, and long-term credibility in the years ahead.
The 2026 conference theme is “Navigating Risk in a Changing World.” How do this year’s general sessions and educational tracks reflect the most pressing challenges facing captive owners today?
Captive owners today are operating in an environment defined by volatility. “Navigating Risk in a Changing World” reflects the reality that captives are no longer niche risk financing tools; they are strategic components of a company’s overall risk management strategy.
Our theme reflects that reality. Captive owners are not just managing insurance programs. They are leading through uncertainty. They are helping their organizations think long-term about resilience, capital, and stability.
This year’s sessions highlight changing risks and leadership trends. Educational tracks provide practical insights on how captives can enhance strategy, governance, and long-term value.
The aim is straightforward: to provide leaders with the tools to proactively manage change with confidence and innovative strategies, instead of merely responding to it as it happens.
Several sessions focus on strategic uses of captives, including employee benefits and medical stop loss. What trends in those areas influenced the development of this year’s programming?
Organizations are feeling pressure from rising healthcare costs and workforce expectations. Leaders are asking how they can create more stability and transparency in their benefits programs.
Captives are increasingly part of that conversation. What was once considered an alternative approach is now becoming a strategic tool to help organizations manage employee benefits in a more thoughtful and calculated way.
