Sustainability in the insurance sector is at a critical juncture. Regulatory demands, particularly the EU’s CSRD, have shifted focus from strategy to compliance, leaving many sustainability professionals disillusioned. At the same time, climate-related losses are rising and protection gaps widening, creating risks for both insurers and society. Despite declining public and boardroom attention, there is evidence that sustained action works, as shown by Europe’s emissions–growth decoupling and improvements in urban air quality. Insurers must embed sustainability into their core business, extend planning horizons, and embrace their role as enablers of resilience and innovation.

Sustainability within European insurance appears to be at an inflection point. After a surge of attention in recent years, the topic has slipped down board agendas and out of headlines, just as climate-related losses mount and protection gaps widen. R+V (Germany) reflects on this tension and argues for a reset: less box-ticking, more strategy; fewer short-term promises, more long-term execution…