Blog: When does optimism topple over into delusion?

The Biba Conference last month was a triumph, and the lyric that united every insurance conversation in the city was growth. But the unbridled optimism about growth almost always came with the bassline ‘have you heard about the crazy rating in the market?’ Emmanuel Kenning interprets the notes asking if maybe for once it really is time to shrink to greatness.

The word was out there. The word was loud. And that word was growth.

Each and every insurer, MGA and broker at the Biba-hosted get-together in Manchester was ready and willing to sing they are going to get bigger in the rest of this year.

More accounts, more money, more profit.

Now, for the record, I liked the optimism. A downbeat tune can feed a cycle, spiral, doom loop – name it whatever you will – ending up in tomorrow being worse than today.

There will be no rising tide lifting all boats in the