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Australian Construction Insurance Market Update 2026

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The Australian construction industry has continued to experience improving insurance market conditions into 2026, supported by increased reinsurance capacity and sustained insurer competition.

Our Construction Insurance Market Update 2026 provides a current view of market conditions across the construction sector, combining local insights, coverage, underwriting developments and practical guidance to support insurance strategy and program decisions.

Following several years of challenging conditions, the market has continued to become more competitive. Insurers are competing more actively for well-performing risks, creating opportunities to revisit pricing, limits and program structure. At the same time, underwriting is becoming more selective and data-led. Submission quality, clarity on risk controls and a clear claims narrative continue to influence outcomes, particularly for complex projects, longer construction periods and accounts with adverse loss experience.

This industry-specific update offers a detailed view of the construction insurance market, covering:

  • Contract works insurance (including delay in start-up)
  • Construction liability insurance
  • Design and construction professional indemnity insurance

What this update includes

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Construction insurance market trends and outlook

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Coverage and pricing developments

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Insurer appetite and market influences

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Tips on maximising renewal outcomes

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Download the Australian Construction Insurance Market Update to access the latest insights, trends, and expert advice tailored to the Australian construction sector.

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FAQs

Our Construction Insurance Market Update 2026 is an industry-specific report providing insights into insurance market trends, coverage developments and risk management strategies within the Australian construction sector. It’s an addendum to the Australian Insurance Market Update, helping construction firms understand current conditions and emerging risks.

Renewal outcomes are being shaped by a combination of insurer appetite, available capacity, competition, claims experience and the strength of risk information provided. Underwriters are also placing greater emphasis on data quality and demonstrated risk controls, particularly for complex projects and higher-risk exposures.

Demonstrating strong risk management in on site safety, onsite risk mitigation, project timelines and contractual risk allocation will be key in differentiating your risk profile to insurers. By implementing robust safety protocols, improving project management practices, and proactively managing subcontractor relationships, construction firms can reduce claims frequency and severity, strengthen your risk profiles and negotiate better coverage terms.

Contract works, construction liability, and design and construction professional indemnity remain core insurance classes for construction businesses. It is also important to review how programmes respond to common loss drivers and insurer concerns, including water damage exposures, claims complexity, and workforce-related claims trends.

By staying informed about insurer appetite shifts and emerging market trends, construction companies can tailor their project planning, select suitable risk transfer solutions and position their bids more competitively, ultimately improving project feasibility and insurance outcomes.

Our people

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Maarten van Haaps

Head of Construction, Marsh Specialty, Pacific

  • Australia

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It is important to note that reported pricing changes are averages observed in the first half of 2026. The data used to estimate the changes cover a wide range of clients in terms of size, industry, location, claims history and other parameters. Many clients received pricing changes that deviated from the average, some higher and some lower.

This publication is not intended to be taken as advice regarding any individual situation and should not be relied upon as such. The information contained herein is based on sources we believe reliable, but we make no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. Marsh shall have no obligation to update this publication and shall have no liability to you or any other party arising out of this publication or any matter contained herein. Any statements concerning actuarial, tax, accounting, or legal matters are based solely on our experience as insurance brokers and risk consultants and are not to be relied upon as actuarial, accounting, tax, or legal advice, for which you should consult your own professional advisors. Any modelling, analytics, or projections are subject to inherent uncertainty, and any analysis could be materially affected if any underlying assumptions, conditions, information, or factors are inaccurate or incomplete or should change.

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