Companies are strengthening cyber defenses as artificial intelligence intensifies the risk

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) today released the results of its 2026 Travelers Risk Index, with cyber threats ranking as the top overall business concern for the fifth time in eight years. Companies are more knowledgeable about cyber threats, more confident, and taking more preventive steps than they were a year ago – yet vulnerabilities remain, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes embedded in everyday operations.

"Businesses view cyber threats as a serious concern, and they’re getting smarter and more prepared – investing in controls, building confidence and turning to their insurance carrier for guidance," said John Menefee, Vice President and Enterprise Cyber Lead at Travelers. "At the same time, the rapid rise of AI is creating opportunities for attackers just as companies are making progress on basic defenses. The message is clear: Organizations of all sizes should treat cyber threats, especially AI-related cyber risk, as a core business issue and take steps to strengthen defenses."

Top Concerns

Nearly 6 in 10 respondents (58%) from the annual nationwide survey said they worry some or a great deal about cyber threats, ahead of economic and geopolitical concerns.

The top five overall concerns were:

Cyber threats (58%).
Broad economic uncertainty (55%), last year’s top concern.
Medical cost inflation (53%).
The impact of the global economy on a company (49%).
Global/political conflict, terrorism and social unrest (48%).

Emerging AI Risks

Concerns about a cyber breach, security incident or another cyber event involving AI ranked as the second-highest specific cyber worry, nearly tied with fears of a traditional security breach or unauthorized access to a company’s computer systems. Decision makers pointed to two external threats in particular: attackers using AI to identify and exploit system vulnerabilities, and AI-generated phishing, deepfakes and social engineering aimed at employees or customers.

The pace among companies to adopt strong cyber defenses is part of the challenge. Nearly 9 in 10 survey participants (89%) reported AI use on a day-to-day basis within their workforce – yet fewer than 6 in 10 (59%) have formal practices in place to govern the use of AI.

"This 30-point gap really stands out, and it cuts both ways," Menefee said. "Companies are focused on what cybercriminals are doing with AI, and that concern is justified. However, companies should be equally focused on the risks created by their own AI use when the right practices and policies aren’t in place."

Cyber Policy Purchasing and Preventive Steps Climb

According to this year’s survey, 70% of companies now report having purchased cyber insurance. That is an increase of seven percentage points from 2025 and the highest share since the Travelers Risk Index became cyber-focused in 2018. Coverage gains were evident across all size segments, with large businesses reaching 82% (up from 73% in 2025) and small businesses hitting 50% (up from 43%).

Companies are also investing in more cyber controls, with adoption up year over year on nearly every measure tracked, including:

Firewall use: 81% (up from 76%).
Data backups: 81% (up from 76%).
Employee background checks: 79% (up from 70%).
Protocols for onboarding/offboarding users: 74% (up from 63%).
Using multifactor authentication to validate administrative users: 72% (up from 60%).

Confidence and self-reported knowledge are also up, with two-thirds now rating themselves as extremely or very confident in their cyber practices. And businesses view insurance carriers as trusted cyber partners: 92% said they are confident in their carrier’s cybersecurity expertise and guidance.

To learn more about this year’s Travelers Risk Index results, click HERE.

Travelers Institute Cyber Awareness Events

Travelers is bringing these findings directly to businesses through the Travelers Institute®, its public policy division. A Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar on Sept. 30 will examine global cyber risks and how to communicate cyber safety effectively, featuring Jeff Greene and Nicole Tisdale, former cyber leaders at the White House and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Special episodes of the "Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience Podcast" will also cover key cyber topics in October, including AI and vulnerability discovery. Both resources are free and open to the public. To learn more or register, visit the Travelers Institute’s Cyber: Prepare, Prevent, Mitigate, Restore® page.

About the Survey

Hart Research conducted a national online survey of 1,202 U.S. business insurance decision makers June 15-28, regarding their top challenges. The survey was commissioned by Travelers.

About Travelers

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has more than 30,000 employees and generated revenues of nearly $49 billion in 2025. For more information, visit Travelers.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260922759009/en/

Media:

Michael Whitmer, 860.277.2010

mwhitmer@travelers.com

Kerry Pillion, 908.447.1708

kpillion@travelers.com