UK brokers are heading into this year's BIBA conference in Manchester with one message above all others for insurers: it is time to get closer.
Aviva's latest Broker Barometer has put insurer relationships at the top of the agenda, with more than half of brokers naming it a "Time:To" priority as the industry gathers under softening rates and a sharper focus on retention.
The survey found 52% of brokers identified improving insurer relationships as a focus area, signalling intent to deepen collaboration for the benefit of clients. Another 90% rated current collaboration with insurers as good or excellent.
BIBA chief executive Graeme Trudgill has framed Time:To as a deliberate pivot from the reflective themes of recent years, telling members the association wanted to shift the spotlight to the here and now.
The framework rests on four sub-pillars — Connect, Support, Engage and Advise — covering collaboration, customer fair value, regulatory engagement and the regional broker's community role, BIBA said when it launched the theme late last year.
More than 9,900 professionals and 220 exhibitors are expected at Manchester Central on May 13 and 14, with Aviva and Intact returning as Principal Sponsors.
Broker optimism remains close to record levels, with 95% expecting business growth over the next 12 months and regional brokers leading at 98%.
A separate Aviva poll of 251 brokers in March flagged a strategic pivot, with 64% naming client retention as their main growth route, ahead of new business at 59% — a reversal from the 70% who chased new customers at the peak of the hard market in 2025.
The cycle is turning. Research from Ascend Insurance Holdings shows every UK broker surveyed expects the soft market to plateau by the fourth quarter of 2026.
PKF Littlejohn's 2026 UK broking outlook has warned of margin erosion in commercial property and motor, while EY has projected motor insurers will pay out £1.01 for every £1 of premium earned in 2025, rising to £1.11 in 2026. MarshBerry has called 2025 the year broking lost its pricing tailwind.
Innovation ranked second in the Broker Barometer, with 46% of brokers pointing to digital and AI investment, and 90% comfortable with self-service tools.
Aviva said its AI quote ingestion tool has cut quote turnaround time by 30%. Some 30% of brokers cited regional expertise as a priority, while 46% want faster claims settlement and 31% want more flexible cover.
Dave Martin, managing director, UK Commercial, and chief distribution officer at Aviva, said brokers "want to use their time in Manchester to develop even stronger ties with insurers for the benefit of our shared customers," adding that the insurer is investing across digital trading, in-house claims and product appetite.
