RIMS Sets 2026 Legislative Agenda Ahead of Summit

RIMS, the risk management society, has outlined its 2026 legislative priorities as its Public Policy Committee prepares for the organization's Legislative Summit on March 18–19 in Washington, DC. The committee evaluates legislative, regulatory, and legal developments affecting risk professionals' ability to implement insurance and risk mitigation strategies and has identified four key focus areas for the year ahead.

A central priority is third-party litigation funding (TPLF), which allows outside investors to finance plaintiffs' lawsuits in exchange for a portion of any settlement or award. RIMS said TPLF contributes to rising legal exposures and so-called nuclear verdicts. The organization is advocating for greater transparency in funding arrangements and is urging congressional leaders to bar foreign third parties from financing US civil litigation.

The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) is also a focal point. RIMS supported the law's reauthorization in 2019. Originally signed in 2002, TRIA established a federal backstop for insurance claims related to acts of terrorism. The program is set to expire in December 2027. RIMS plans to advocate for its renewal, citing its role in maintaining the affordability and availability of insurance in major cities and in providing a public-private response to catastrophic terrorism-related losses.

The organization will also press for long-term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the primary source of flood coverage for residential properties in the US. RIMS said the NFIP supports private insurers' participation in the flood market, helps property owners and developers protect assets, and funds flood zone mapping and building code updates.

Nonprofit tax reform rounds out the 2026 agenda. In 2025, preliminary discussions within the incoming administration included a proposal to impose a 21 percent corporate tax rate on all net, nondonation income of tax-exempt organizations. Although the proposal did not advance, RIMS joined the Steering Committee of American Society of Association Executives' Community Impact Coalition to advocate for the nonprofit sector and to oppose renewed efforts to impose such taxes.

These priorities will anchor discussions at the RIMS Legislative Summit 2026, scheduled at the US Chamber of Commerce. The March 18 program will feature educational sessions led by risk professionals, government relations professionals, and congressional staff members, focusing on legislative developments and lobbying strategies. On March 19, attendees will meet with elected officials and their staff to present RIMS's positions on current and future legislation.

RIMS also highlighted the role of RISK PAC, its political action committee, which supports US elected officials aligned with the organization's legislative priorities through member contributions.