The UK Retail Insurance Landscape 2026

Property and liability insurers are maintaining underwriting discipline, while cyber insurance remains a key area of focus due to increasing digital exposures. 

CONVENIENCE STORES 

The convenience retail sector has experienced a more balanced insurance market in 2026 compared with recent years, particularly for well-managed risks with strong claims histories. Insurers have continued to focus heavily on risk quality, including security measures, business continuity planning, and cyber resilience, and while premium increases have moderated compared to the post-pandemic period, inflation continues to affect pricing. 

FORECOURTS 

Petrol forecourts remain a specialist class of business and require insurers with sector-specific expertise. The market is more selective than for traditional retail operations due to the environmental and high-hazard exposures involved: risks such as fuel leaks, contamination, underground storage tanks, fire and explosion associated with flammable liquids, increased customer footfall, and payment card processing mean insurers place significant emphasis on site maintenance, tank inspections, compliance procedures, cyber resilience, and wider risk management when assessing these sites.

The outlook is cautiously positive: competition among insurers has improved for quality risks, supporting stable property and liability rates. However, inflation, cyber threats, weather-related losses, and supply chain disruption will continue to shape underwriting decisions. Businesses that invest in risk management, cyber security, and business resilience are expected to achieve the best insurance outcomes when it comes to renewal.

Read the full market review here: Retail Market Review 2026 | Christie & Co