Goldman Sachs's asset-management unit, which oversees $250 billion for insurers, said an economic slowdown in the U.S. is the biggest investment risk for the industry for the first time since the financial crisis.

Customers will always be the lifeblood of the insurance industry, and so carriers must find new and innovative ways to keep them around for the long haul.

Given that past pricing pressures have dictated premium rates for about a decade, it's time for insurance carriers to more effectively drive reinsurance negotiations using accurate data sets that can better reflect risk and lead to more favorable terms.