Insight
UK a key focus for US consolidator Doxa over next three to five years
The UK will be a focus area for US distribution consolidator Doxa for the next three to five years following the Eaton Gate deal, with sights set on growing the products range, team builds and strategic tuck-in acquisitions.
Biba 2026 Countdown: Axa’s Matt Field
Matt Field, partnerships director at Axa Insurance UK – retail, invites people to visit its van on the cobbled area next to the conference centre and warns against burn out by over-filling your diary with appointments.
Clear pushes on with MGA rebrands
Clear has rebranded Accelerate Underwriting as Shape Digital and Thomond Underwriting as Shape Underwriting Ireland in further changes to its managing general agents division.
Broker Direct teams up with Chinese insurer for property product suite launch
Broker Direct has partnered with China Taiping to provide property insurance products designed with brokers in mind.
CII adds two executive directors to leadership team
The Chartered Insurance Institute Group has appointed Ben Turner as executive director of member engagement and Will Holt as executive director of learning.
MoneySuperMarket grows ChatGPT app with home and pet insurance
Price comparison service MoneySuperMarket has added home and pet insurance products directly in its ChatGPT app.
Aviva makes third acquisition in three years buying long standing partner
Aviva has acquired DisasterCare Group in a move that it believes will strengthen its disaster recovery and restoration capability, as well as support a quicker end-to-end property claims process for customers, brokers and partners.
People Moves: 27 April – 1 May 2026
Stay in the loop with the latest insurance personnel moves.
Biba 2026 Countdown: QuestGates’ Dave Clare
Dave Clare, operations director - building consultancy division of QuestGates, highlights the importance of getting the fundamentals right and raises the possibility of doing a turn singing My Way dressed as a calculator.
Gauntlet targets ‘ghosted’ DA brokers following Clear deal
Brokerbility and Gauntlet are eyeing up expansion with brokers in all lifecycle stages after joining forces at the start of this year, with directly authorised firms moving to the AR model a key area of opportunity.
Open GI looks to Barnard from Aviva to succeed Badley as CEO
Open GI has appointed James Barnard from Aviva to succeed Simon Badley as group CEO, with the change scheduled “over the course” of the second half of the year.
Motor premiums remained stable in Q1 – ABI
The average motor premium held steady in the first quarter of 2026 at £560, just 0.2% up on Q4 2025, the Association of British Insurers has calculated.
Optio builds real estate capacity to £100m
Specialty managing general agent Optio Group has struck a capacity deal for its real estate product, increasing its total sum insured binding authority from £60m to £100m.
Broker growth optimism rises to new heights
Brokers are increasingly optimistic about growth, with regional players leading the way according to a survey by Aviva.
Biba 2026 Countdown: CyberCube’s Nate Brink
Nate Brink, head of broker sales and account management at CyberCube, is flying in from Michigan to attend his first ever Biba Conference and is looking forward to savouring a local curry and gaining valuable insights in the coffee queues.
Covéa bolsters personal lines leadership with McCann and Midgley in new roles
Covéa Insurance has created two new roles, adding Jamie McCann as head of personal lines and promoting Jade Midgley to head of trading for personal lines.
Allianz revamps commercial management as Nick Hobbs exits after 25 years
Nick Hobbs is to leave Allianz UK after 25 years with the insurer, stepping down from his roles as chief distribution officer and chairman of Allianz Engineering Inspection Services.
Analysis: Are employee benefits the new diversification frontier for GI brokers?
This year, Top 100 UK brokers Jensten, Lloyd & Whyte and Clear have all joined amii, a trade body representing intermediaries advising on health insurance, protection and wellbeing services, while others have acquired in this space. Sam Barrett looks at…
Insurance complaints up 10% but stay below recent highs
Complaints about insurance and protection rose 10.1% in the second half of last year, the only product group to post an increase.
Brown & Brown partners with Progeny Underwriting on agriculture products
Brown & Brown has entered a three-year partnership with Progeny Underwriting to provide its brokers access to the agricultural specialist managing general agent’s proposition.
Biba 2026 Countdown: Gambit and Mode Insurance’s Ajay Mistry
Gambit Insurance Solutions and Mode Insurance founder and director, Ajay Mistry, recommends being selective and not trying to be everywhere on Wednesday night and sending a quick message/thank you by way of a follow up after the event.
Marsh partners with F1
Global broking giant Marsh has teamed up with Formula 1 as the series’ first official insurance broker partner and official risk partner.
JMG eyes £1bn GWP as it hits £500m
JMG Group has achieved £500m gross written premium during the financial year, setting it sights on hitting £1bn GWP within five years.
European businesses fall behind in cyber incident recovery confidence – Beazley
Europe fell behind the rest of the world when it came to cyber incident recovery confidence with its rate of 75% a touch lower than the 78% global average, Beazley has reported.