More than half, 54%, of U.S. executives are confident their company will survive and thrive this year, according to the 2026 C-Suite Stress Index Survey by Sentry, a mutual insurance group. Sixty percent of respondents also report feeling more stressed than in 2025.
Respondents cited the top business risks as supply chain or logistic challenges, 45%, economic pressure, 44%, tariffs and trade uncertainty, 39%, labor shortages, 38%, rising employee healthcare costs, 28%, and cyberattacks, 37%.
Nearly all the respondents, 98%, said they plan to reevaluate the company's insurance policies and 83% said they are not completely confident in their insurance coverage.
Cybersecurity risk was the top scenario professionals were expecting with 39% saying attacks would definitely happen and 52% believing cyber incidents would probably occur. Climate risk was also a top risk for respondents who believe a significant event is definitely going to happen (31%) or that one was probably going to happen (52%).
The survey was fielded online, October to December 2025, among 100 insurance industry professionals. Respondents represent a range of organization types including agencies/brokerages, 33%, P&C carriers, 18%, multi-line carriers, 15%, health insurance carriers, 12%, and life insurance carriers, 7%.
Almost all, 92%, of the respondents from the Sentry survey reported having experienced a
Eighty-four percent of executives said they are asking more of their employees like tasks outside their role and above their level, while more than half 51% are also calling employees to work longer hours or take fewer breaks, according to the results.
