To help employers prepare and capitalize on opportunities in 2018, Sedgwick has identified key trends that are likely to impact risk management and benefit decisions.

These key trends fall into the following five categories:

No. 5: Compounding global risks.

An unusually high number of natural disasters in 2017 underscored the need for organizations to have strong disaster recovery plans. Hurricanes, floods and wildfires cost the industry billions of dollars; the recent California mudslides are adding to that total. As a result, underwriting performance is tested, resources to restore supply chains are stretched, and timelines for rebuilding infrastructures to resume normalcy are impacted.