Commercial Express has secured new capacity from global specialty insurer Fortegra, which will support its UK schemes business as carriers continue to take a selective approach to delegated authority partnerships.
Under the agreement, Fortegra will provide capacity across multiple product lines in the UK as Commercial Express looks to expand its offering to brokers and pursue growth plans through to 2026. The move comes against a backdrop of tighter capital deployment, with insurers placing increased emphasis on data quality, governance and underwriting performance in their MGA relationships.
Fortegra is a global specialty insurer with longstanding involvement in the MGA, binder and programme market. It holds a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) from AM Best and has been focusing on complex and evolving risks, many of which are written on a delegated authority basis. For MGAs, that combination of rating and sector focus has made Fortegra one of several carriers actively competing for specialist books, typically in return for closer performance monitoring and more granular reporting.
For Commercial Express, the deal lands as the UK commercial market continues to adjust after several years of hardening, capacity withdrawals and increased scrutiny of delegated authority arrangements. Although some lines have shown signs of stabilisation, appetite and terms remain controlled in many areas, and capacity providers are prioritising partners that can demonstrate robust controls, reliable data and sustainable results.
As part of the partnership, both sides are expected to place greater weight on data transparency and portfolio analytics, in line with regulatory expectations on delegated authority oversight and fair value. Capacity will be monitored via performance data across the schemes portfolio, allowing Fortegra to refine appetite and line sizes in response to loss experience, pricing and exposure trends.
The additional Fortegra support is expected to give Commercial Express more resilience and flexibility around its schemes and specialist offerings, as well as a broader spread of capacity. For brokers, the arrangement is intended to underpin continuity of cover and risk appetite, and could provide scope for adjustments or development in selected niches. At the same time, market participants noted that a continued focus on profitability may translate into tighter underwriting guidelines or refined product scope in some areas.
Commercial Express managing director Duncan Pritchard said the agreement reflected a strategic alignment with Fortegra on the future of the specialty market.
“Securing capacity from Fortegra is a significant endorsement of the strength of our business. We chose Fortegra because our visions for the future of specialty insurance are closely aligned. We are delighted to have found a like-minded, forward-looking ally, and look forward to unlocking new opportunities together,” he said.
Fortegra’s strategy has been to work with specialist MGAs to access defined books of business and established broker relationships. Deploying capacity through MGAs allows the carrier to monitor performance via data and analytics, and to adjust its portfolio over the cycle.
Mark Figes, CEO of Fortegra Insurance UK Limited, said the relationship was intended to be long term and focused on intermediary distribution.
“We are delighted to be working with Duncan and the team at Commercial Express, one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking MGAs in the UK. We look forward to working with them to build a long-term proposition that will serve the needs of brokers and their clients for years to come,” he said.
From a wider market perspective, the deal indicates that capacity remains available for MGAs that can meet heightened expectations on governance, data and underwriting discipline. It also underlines the continued role of specialist intermediaries in how carriers channel capacity and manage delegated authority business in a more closely scrutinised market.
