The annual BIBA Conference has always been a useful barometer of current broker sentiment, and, this year, one theme cut through more clearly than any other: value.
Not in the abstract sense we often talk about in our industry, but in very real, practical, measurable and - crucially - challengeable terms. Brokers are asking tougher questions. They are scrutinising performance more closely. And they are making clearer distinctions between partners who genuinely add value and those who simply occupy a place in the chain.
One of the clearest indicators of the MGA sector’s growing influence at BIBA this year was the increasing number of MGAs exhibiting at the conference itself. More MGAs than ever before took stands at BIBA, underlining just how integral the sector has become to the broking community and wider insurance ecosystem. The level of engagement across the exhibition floor reflected a market that increasingly sees specialist MGAs as core strategic partners rather than peripheral players.
That momentum was also reflected in the MGAA’s own presence throughout the event. The MGAA drinks reception on Wednesday attracted the largest crowd we have ever hosted, while the MGAA stand generated significant interest and engagement for our partner exhibiting members from brokers and insurer delegates alike. Those conversations reinforced how important visibility, accessibility and collaboration have become in today’s market environment.
Unsurprisingly, the FCA’s newly announced review of claims management practices was front and centre in many of the conversations I had across the conference floor. It has clearly struck a chord. Not because it introduces something entirely new, but because it reinforces a direction of travel that brokers are already leaning into: greater accountability, greater transparency and better outcomes for clients.
Claims, once again, are where it all comes to a head. Claims performance is a primary differentiator for brokers, and by proxy, their MGA partners. It influences placement decisions, panel selection and long-term relationships. And importantly, it is one of the clearest ways brokers can evidence value to their own clients in a Consumer Duty world.
What also came through strongly at BIBA is a growing frustration with fragmented claims journeys. Too often, brokers find themselves navigating a web of TPAs, loss adjusters, legal providers and capacity partners, with limited visibility and inconsistent communication. When something goes wrong, it is the broker who feels the pressure first, regardless of where the breakdown has occurred.
But partnership now means something more demanding than it perhaps did in the past. It is not enough to have aligned interests on paper. Brokers are looking for partners who are operationally aligned, culturally aligned and - absolutely centrally to my mind - accountable.
They want clarity on who owns the claim. They want access to real-time data and insight. They want responsiveness when issues arise. And they want confidence that the partners they place business with will protect, not erode, their client relationships.
The importance of regular communication between all market stakeholders was another consistent theme throughout BIBA. In a more interconnected and scrutinised distribution environment, brokers, MGAs, insurers and service providers all need to work collaboratively, share information quickly and address challenges collectively if they are to deliver consistently good customer outcomes.
Despite softer market conditions and ongoing economic pressures facing end customers, there was also a noticeable sense of resilience and optimism across the conference. Conversations with brokers, insurers and MGA leaders alike reflected a belief that the market will begin to correct itself by year-end. While conditions remain challenging in some classes, there is confidence that firms focused on specialist expertise, service quality and disciplined underwriting would continue to perform strongly.
The exhibition floor at BIBA is loud at the best of times, but it was hard to walk around the venue without overhearing multiple conversations about AI - and more specifically, how it is beginning to reshape the broker model itself.
We are moving beyond experimentation into something more structural. Brokers are starting to explore how AI can augment decision-making, streamline placement and enhance client servicing, not just through automation, but through decision-making agentic capabilities. Systems that can proactively source options, interrogate coverage, flag claims trends and even support negotiations in real time, can support policyholders more efficiently than ever before.
But the message from brokers at BIBA was clear: AI on its own is not valuable to anyone.
If anything, it raises the bar. Because as technology accelerates speed and access to information, the differentiator becomes judgement, expertise and trust. Brokers are asking how MGAs and carriers are using AI to improve outcomes, not just reduce cost. How it enhances claims visibility. How it strengthens underwriting discipline. How it delivers better, more consistent experiences for clients. In other words, AI is becoming part of the value equation. This is where the MGA model has a significant opportunity, but also a responsibility.
The best MGAs at BIBA were not talking about capacity or distribution first. They were talking about outcomes. They were demonstrating how their specialist expertise translates into better underwriting discipline, faster and more informed claims decisions, and ultimately stronger client experiences.
At the same time, we should not underestimate the challenge. As delegated authority continues to evolve, expectations from brokers and regulators alike are rising. Oversight of outsourced arrangements, data transparency and service consistency are all under greater scrutiny, and rightly so.
The FCA claims management review will only accelerate that. But this is not a moment for the sector to become defensive. It is a moment to lean in. To demonstrate that delegated underwriting, when done well, delivers not just efficiency but genuine expertise, accountability and value.
If there was one clear takeaway from BIBA 2026, it is this: brokers are not necessarily looking for more partners. They are looking for better partners. Value must be demonstrated, consistently and transparently, across the entire insurance lifecycle.
And in that environment, MGAs have a real opportunity to lead, not just in underwriting innovation, but in setting a new standard for what good looks like in claims, partnerships and ultimately, customer outcomes.
