{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"58748","rtpr_id":"nBw9QMnd5a","ticker":"AIZ","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["AIZ"],"title":"Assurant’s 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report Finds That as Connected Tech Becomes More Critical, Reliability, Support, and Transparency Matter More Than Ever","author":"Business Wire","published_at":"2026-06-09T12:30:00.551Z","article_body":"Assurant’s 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report Finds That as\nConnected Tech Becomes More Critical, Reliability, Support, and Transparency\nMatter More Than Ever\n\nGlobal study of 11,000+ consumers highlight rising expectations for\nreliability, protection, and predictability as AI drives device complexity\n\nAssurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ), a global company that redefines the boundaries of\nprotection – safeguarding and servicing connected devices, homes,\nautomobiles, and commercial equipment in partnership with the world’s most\nsuccessful brands, released its 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report\n(GCCTR), highlighting how consumers view connected technology as no longer\nbeing just a convenience; it is now critical infrastructure in everyday life.\n\nThe study shows 80% of consumers globally say connected technology makes life\nbetter, an increase of 19 percentage points since 2021. At the same time, the\nrapid integration of artificial intelligence into everyday devices is raising\nexpectations. Respondents believe in the technology, while increasingly\ndemanding reliability, simplicity, predictable costs, and trusted support.\n\n“As technology becomes more powerful, it is also becoming more essential –\nand less forgiving when it fails,” said Biju Nair, EVP and President, Global\nConnected Living at Assurant. “Our research shows that consumers now expect\nthe same consistency and dependability from their devices that they expect\nfrom other forms of essential infrastructure. Protection is no longer\noptional; it’s foundational.”\n\nKey Global Findings\n\nThe 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report highlights several decisive\ntrends shaping consumer behavior worldwide:\n\n\n * Technology as critical infrastructure: Smartphones and connected devices are\nnow primary gateways to work, payments, identity, mobility, and access to\nservices.\n\n * AI drives both excitement and complexity: While enthusiasm for AI-enabled\nfeatures is strong in many markets, consumers are increasingly aware of rising\ncosts, learning curves, and repair challenges.\n\n * Protection expectations are evolving: Protection has shifted from “peace of\nmind” to continuity and cost control, with 85% of consumers saying\ncustomizable protection plans make them more likely to purchase a device.\n\n * Reliability, support and transparency matter more than ever: Across regions,\nconsumers want technology that works consistently, is supported end to end,\nand does not result in unexpected financial burdens or service disruptions.\n\nRegional Insights\n\nWhile sentiment varies by market, the study reveals consistent, underlying\nglobal expectations:\n\n\n * The United States: A market of optimistic digital adopters, with three\nquarters of consumers saying connected technology improves their lives,\nalongside more skepticism around AI, citing privacy and transparency concerns.\n\n * APAC: High optimism and rapid adoption, paired with rising demand for\nsimplicity and support as complexity increases.\n\n * Europe: More cautious, trust-driven approach, prioritizing transparency,\nprivacy, and predictable costs.\n\n * Latin America: Ranks among the most optimistic regions globally, with\nprotection playing a critical role in enabling confident, mobile-first\nadoption.\n\n * Canada: Measured optimism, with strong emphasis on clarity, reliability, and\ndependable service.\n\n“Across all markets, the message is clear: innovation succeeds when\nconfidence is built in,” added Nair. “Protection, service,\npersonalization, and support are now central to how consumers evaluate and use\ntechnology.”\n\nThe Global Connected Consumer Trends Report reinforces Assurant’s role in\nhelping consumers, businesses, and ecosystems adapt to an increasingly\nconnected and AI-enabled world. By delivering protection solutions that\nemphasize reliability, service continuity, and predictable outcomes, Assurant\nsupports confident adoption across the entire connected life journey.\n\nThe full 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report is available here\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fazure-na-assets.contentstack.com%2Fv3%2Fassets%2Fblt87461b8270f4f92b%2Fblt0de28453a5317c87%2F6a1d7d93084e9b613cb56ab4%2F2026_Global_Connected_Consumer_Trends_Report.pdf&esheet=54550191&newsitemid=20260609767476&lan=en-US&anchor=here&index=1&md5=67d4980be4d6312177d5eb84ab8f1d5e)\n.\n\nAbout Assurant\n\nAssurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) redefines the boundaries of protection –\nsafeguarding and servicing connected devices, homes, automobiles, and\ncommercial equipment in partnership with the world’s most successful brands.\nAs a Fortune 500 company operating in 21 countries, Assurant leads the way in\nleveraging insights and technology to transform customer connections that\nbuild loyalty and drive value.\n\nLearn more at assurant.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.assurant.com&esheet=54550191&newsitemid=20260609767476&lan=en-US&anchor=assurant.com&index=2&md5=a0737dfb8b5e1231eb32cd461baae415)\n.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609767476/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609767476/en/)\n\nMedia Contacts:\n\nLouis Masses\n\nDirector, Communications – Global Connected Living\n\nlouis.masses@assurant.com (mailto:louis.masses@assurant.com)\n\nNeeti Dhawan\n\nDirector, International Communications\n\nneeti.dhawan@assurant.com (mailto:neeti.dhawan@assurant.com)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nBw9QMnd5a","title":"Assurant’s 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report Finds That as Connected Tech Becomes More Critical, Reliability, Support, and Transparency Matter More Than Ever","author":"Business Wire","ticker":"AIZ","created":"2026-06-09T12:30:00.551Z","tickers":["AIZ"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"Assurant’s 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report Finds That as\nConnected Tech Becomes More Critical, Reliability, Support, and Transparency\nMatter More Than Ever\n\nGlobal study of 11,000+ consumers highlight rising expectations for\nreliability, protection, and predictability as AI drives device complexity\n\nAssurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ), a global company that redefines the boundaries of\nprotection – safeguarding and servicing connected devices, homes,\nautomobiles, and commercial equipment in partnership with the world’s most\nsuccessful brands, released its 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report\n(GCCTR), highlighting how consumers view connected technology as no longer\nbeing just a convenience; it is now critical infrastructure in everyday life.\n\nThe study shows 80% of consumers globally say connected technology makes life\nbetter, an increase of 19 percentage points since 2021. At the same time, the\nrapid integration of artificial intelligence into everyday devices is raising\nexpectations. Respondents believe in the technology, while increasingly\ndemanding reliability, simplicity, predictable costs, and trusted support.\n\n“As technology becomes more powerful, it is also becoming more essential –\nand less forgiving when it fails,” said Biju Nair, EVP and President, Global\nConnected Living at Assurant. “Our research shows that consumers now expect\nthe same consistency and dependability from their devices that they expect\nfrom other forms of essential infrastructure. Protection is no longer\noptional; it’s foundational.”\n\nKey Global Findings\n\nThe 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report highlights several decisive\ntrends shaping consumer behavior worldwide:\n\n\n * Technology as critical infrastructure: Smartphones and connected devices are\nnow primary gateways to work, payments, identity, mobility, and access to\nservices.\n\n * AI drives both excitement and complexity: While enthusiasm for AI-enabled\nfeatures is strong in many markets, consumers are increasingly aware of rising\ncosts, learning curves, and repair challenges.\n\n * Protection expectations are evolving: Protection has shifted from “peace of\nmind” to continuity and cost control, with 85% of consumers saying\ncustomizable protection plans make them more likely to purchase a device.\n\n * Reliability, support and transparency matter more than ever: Across regions,\nconsumers want technology that works consistently, is supported end to end,\nand does not result in unexpected financial burdens or service disruptions.\n\nRegional Insights\n\nWhile sentiment varies by market, the study reveals consistent, underlying\nglobal expectations:\n\n\n * The United States: A market of optimistic digital adopters, with three\nquarters of consumers saying connected technology improves their lives,\nalongside more skepticism around AI, citing privacy and transparency concerns.\n\n * APAC: High optimism and rapid adoption, paired with rising demand for\nsimplicity and support as complexity increases.\n\n * Europe: More cautious, trust-driven approach, prioritizing transparency,\nprivacy, and predictable costs.\n\n * Latin America: Ranks among the most optimistic regions globally, with\nprotection playing a critical role in enabling confident, mobile-first\nadoption.\n\n * Canada: Measured optimism, with strong emphasis on clarity, reliability, and\ndependable service.\n\n“Across all markets, the message is clear: innovation succeeds when\nconfidence is built in,” added Nair. “Protection, service,\npersonalization, and support are now central to how consumers evaluate and use\ntechnology.”\n\nThe Global Connected Consumer Trends Report reinforces Assurant’s role in\nhelping consumers, businesses, and ecosystems adapt to an increasingly\nconnected and AI-enabled world. By delivering protection solutions that\nemphasize reliability, service continuity, and predictable outcomes, Assurant\nsupports confident adoption across the entire connected life journey.\n\nThe full 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report is available here\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fazure-na-assets.contentstack.com%2Fv3%2Fassets%2Fblt87461b8270f4f92b%2Fblt0de28453a5317c87%2F6a1d7d93084e9b613cb56ab4%2F2026_Global_Connected_Consumer_Trends_Report.pdf&esheet=54550191&newsitemid=20260609767476&lan=en-US&anchor=here&index=1&md5=67d4980be4d6312177d5eb84ab8f1d5e)\n.\n\nAbout Assurant\n\nAssurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) redefines the boundaries of protection –\nsafeguarding and servicing connected devices, homes, automobiles, and\ncommercial equipment in partnership with the world’s most successful brands.\nAs a Fortune 500 company operating in 21 countries, Assurant leads the way in\nleveraging insights and technology to transform customer connections that\nbuild loyalty and drive value.\n\nLearn more at assurant.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.assurant.com&esheet=54550191&newsitemid=20260609767476&lan=en-US&anchor=assurant.com&index=2&md5=a0737dfb8b5e1231eb32cd461baae415)\n.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609767476/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609767476/en/)\n\nMedia Contacts:\n\nLouis Masses\n\nDirector, Communications – Global Connected Living\n\nlouis.masses@assurant.com (mailto:louis.masses@assurant.com)\n\nNeeti Dhawan\n\nDirector, International Communications\n\nneeti.dhawan@assurant.com (mailto:neeti.dhawan@assurant.com)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-06-09T12:30:00.615043877Z","server_sent_at_ms":1781008200615},"received_at":"2026-06-09T12:30:00.732Z","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609767476/en/"},"analysis":{"id":"48175","press_release_id":"58748","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Insurance","sector":"Financials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Assurant released its 2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report, based on a study of over 11,000 consumers worldwide.\n\nThe report finds that 80% of global consumers believe connected technology improves their lives, a 19 percentage point increase since 2021.\n\nKey findings indicate that as AI increases device complexity, consumers increasingly demand reliability, predictable costs, and customizable protection plans, with 85% saying such plans make them more likely to purchase a device.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Assurant publishes consumer trends report highlighting growing demand for device protection and reliability."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"survey_sample_size":"11,000+","consumers_say_tech_makes_life_better_pct":"80%","consumers_value_customizable_protection_pct":"85%","increase_in_positive_sentiment_since_2021_pp":"19"}},"quotedText":"Protection is no longer optional; it’s foundational.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Biju Nair","role":"EVP and President, Global Connected Living"},{"name":"Louis Masses","role":"Director, Communications – Global Connected Living"},{"name":"Neeti Dhawan","role":"Director, International Communications"}],"products":["2026 Global Connected Consumer Trends Report"],"companies":[{"name":"Assurant, Inc.","ticker":"AIZ"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"This is a marketing-focused consumer trends report release. It contains no financial results, guidance changes, or material operational milestones. 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