Digital Insurance contacted insurance professionals to comment on workers' compensation insurance predictions for 2026.
Beth Robertson, managing director, Keynova Group LLC
As consumers continue to expand their use of digital devices for everyday banking, shopping, entertainment and communication, the anticipation of always-on and immediate service access is driving new workers comp expectations from injured workers. Keynova Group anticipates that 2026 will see a rapid development of digital workers comp servicing designed to engage and support injured workers in risk management and accident prevention, recovery, and return-to-work outcomes.
Digital platforms will become a central pillar of this support, providing clarity about injured workers' role in the claims process, enabling workers to upload and e-sign claims-related materials, sign-up for reimbursement or have providers directly reimbursed, and receive a precise and detailed overview of claims requirements and status factors.
Interactions with medical providers will also be streamlined with options like digital appointment setting, tele-health support, and the ability for medical providers to obtain direct access to employees' claims files. The value of these platforms can also be extended to address both before- and after-claims events, as insurers provide risk management training, use digital tools to monitor key job and employee health and safety indicators, or engage and monitor workers in actions that will advance their recovery.
By eliminating intermediaries and delivering support where it is needed, digital platforms can help improve injured worker and employer satisfaction. In addition, these platforms can also provide a rich dataset to help insurers to improve their services, employ in predictive analytics and in underwriting applications, and continue to evolve highly targeted and responsive healthcare results for job-related injuries.
Michael Combs, president, CEO, and Chairman, CorVel
In 2026, workers' compensation will shift toward dramatically reducing the administrative burden created by years of expanding data and reporting demands. Agentic AI will accelerate this change by enabling faster software development, streamlined workflows, and more actionable insights for claims professionals. While some remain cautious about new technology, businesses must evolve to stay competitive. The most powerful transformation will come from combining human expertise with intelligent systems that amplify, not replace, judgment and creativity. This synthesis of people and technology will define the next era of claims management.
Sarah Scott, executive vice president, product and corporate services, CorVel
AI has evolved from a promising tool to an essential claims management partner, building on the rapid adoption and value-based care successes of 2025. The key differentiator lies not in the technology itself but in how AI enhances human connections, facilitates deeper conversations, and uncovers hidden barriers to recovery. This human-centered approach to innovation enables claims professionals to dedicate more time to complex cases that require empathy and strategic thinking. The industry is also shifting from reactive data analysis to proactive, predictive intelligence. These advanced capabilities identify severe claims early and enable strategic resource allocation, delivering personalized care at scale.
CJ Cypcar, vice president, network solutions & product integration, CorVel
The workers' compensation industry is experiencing a fundamental transformation from reactive claims management to proactive risk mitigation. Predictive analytics now identify potential issues before they escalate, while AI and automation streamline bill processing, integrate data across platforms, and accelerate decision-making—ultimately benefiting injured workers. Tomorrow's most successful programs will eliminate traditional silos among managed care—integrating these functions leverages interconnected systems to achieve superior outcomes and expedite return-to-work timelines.
Rob Evans, director, claim process technology, Broadspire
Data-driven transparency into adjuster performance will become table stakes for TPAs. As the use of data analytics expands across the insurance industry, stakeholders are growing more expectant that these tools will be applied to enhance transparency and drive data-backed decision making. In 2026, clients will increasingly require their TPA partners to provide analytics-driven visibility into adjuster strengths and improvement areas. Amid a tightening labor market, the ongoing retirement cliff among seasoned adjusters, and rising policyholder expectations, these insights will be essential not just for benchmarking, but to help clients understand whether caseloads are balanced, where additional support may be needed, and how to contextualize complaints or outliers with objective data that tells the fuller story.
