5 Lessons from INTRConnect 2026 on How to Maximize Your Impact in Property Insurance

This article is part of a series sponsored by Cotality.

As advanced technology permeates all aspects of society, human empathy has emerged as a major differentiator in the customer experience—especially in the human-driven property insurance industry.

At the Cotality™ INTRConnect® 2026 conference, leaders explored the theme “Intelligence Beyond Bounds™.” This serves as our industry’s answer to a key challenge: how to work with equal parts technical precision and human interaction. Transforming vast amounts of raw data into illuminating intelligence allows insurance companies to deliver the faster, smarter information that today’s customers expect.

To help us work towards this great idea, the Cotality team has developed INTRConnect 2026 into five courses.

These acquisitions will help property insurance professionals as they transform workflows into greater intelligence, ultimately keeping humanity at the heart of the insurance work ecosystem.

1. Actionable intelligence requires more than data collection

In his keynote address, Garret Gray, President of Cotality Insurance Solutions, noted that the property insurance system is at a crossroads: we can either drown in exponentially growing data or turn it into actionable intelligence.

In order to increase coverage and build social sustainability, the industry must move beyond collecting raw data, and, instead, skillfully transform all the information it receives into intelligence beyond borders. This change allows the industry to quickly create narratives from a mix of multiple data sources.

Realizing a vision requires more than just gathering the right data, using the right technology, and empowering the right people—it requires a seamless integration of all three.

Cotality’s brand vision for 2026 is built on four key pillars:

• Image to understand: Going beyond static images has “identified the intelligent.” By mapping images against billions of data points, we unlock location history to ensure absolute policy accuracy.
• Collaboration: Breaking down data silos. When data flows more easily from policy creation to reimbursement, we remove the friction that prevents teams from using empathy when policyholders need it most.
• Seamless workflow: Intelligence is limited by weak interfaces. A “seamless” experience ensures that professionals make sharp decisions without hindrance.
• Agent AI: We are seeing a shift from Generative AI, which answers questions, to Agentic AI, which solves problems while keeping a “human-centric” hand on the wheel.

2. There is no room for fear with AI, just healthy doses of hope and restraint

In 2026, staying competitive means embracing AI to solve specific operational issues rather than chasing passing trends. Whether in claims documentation or resource allocation, the goal is to identify the most confusing challenges and implement targeted AI solutions.

However, innovation should never override safety. While AI won’t replace experts, they must exercise caution while handling data—ensuring that sensitive customer information never enters the public domain.

The property insurance ecosphere must move forward with AI with conscious wonder, pushing the boundaries while staying firmly within regulatory and ethical boundaries.

3. Downsizing will be a key factor in financial and operational sustainability

We can no longer just “fix things”. Mitigation—through stricter building codes and flood prevention—has become an important financial tool.

When consumers grasp their true risk profile, they go from passive policy holders to active partners in the rebuilding process.

By prioritizing “risk learning,” insurers can reduce friction, increase defaults, and ensure that every dollar spent on prevention is viewed as an investment rather than an expense.

4. It is urgent to be aware of the invisible forces disrupting the economy

While catastrophic events dominate the headlines, equally important disruptors are often ‘invisible’ to the public eye. Record inflation (with materials up 38.5% over pre-2020 levels), abuse of the legal system, and high profits among regulators are the silent causes of the current unaffordability crisis.

These ‘invisible’ stressors represent a changing risk landscape when economic volatility disrupts like a Category 5 hurricane. Leaders must look beyond the climate and address structural erosion of affordability.

To combat these pressures, insurers and reinsurers must create integrated digital systems. These tools provide the granular data needed to navigate economic volatility and regulatory shifts, ensuring that businesses remain resilient even when “invisible” pressures mount.

5. Communication is as important as comfort

People want convenience, but not at the expense of connectivity. Today, technology is no longer a barrier to human touch; is the main provider. The real value of Agentic AI and Cognitive Imagery is in their ability to do 80% of the basic work.

By automating the heavy lifting, we empower professionals to contribute their unique strengths to the remaining 20%—a high-value human connection that builds trust and credibility during a policyholder’s most vulnerable times.

Trust and loyalty are not built automatically; they are built on relationships that involve people in their most vulnerable moments.

Looking Forward

As Garret reminds us, insurance is deeply personal—it protects the very foundation of the American Dream. And now, entirely in 2026, it’s time to turn lessons into action, proving that in a world of endless data, human empathy remains our greatest strength.

People want to feel seen and heard, not processed by a machine. Insurers and their partners can meet this need by using “Intelligence to Cross Borders.”

The discussion will continue until further notice. We will dive deeper into these strategies and promote the connections that drive our industry forward at INTRConnect® 2027 next February in San Diego. Register today to secure your spot.

In the meantime, use the methods outlined above to extract real meaning from your data and provide the actionable, accurate information your clients deserve.

© 2026 Cotality. All rights reserved. Cotality™, the Cotality logo, Intelligence beyond bounds™, and INTRConnect® are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. d/b/a Cotality or its affiliates or subsidiaries.

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