The four issues the market is being forced to address in 2026
As we head towards the Delegated Authority Strategy Day on 23rd April, one thing is already clear from the early conversations, LinkedIn engagement and speaker commentary: this is not a market still diagnosing the problem, it is a market being pushed into action.
The tone feels different this year. Less about identifying inefficiencies, more about whether existing operating models can actually hold together under pressure. Before we publish the full pre-event survey results, a few clear themes are already starting to emerge.
1. From operational inefficiency to structural redesign
There is a growing recognition that many of the challenges in Delegated Authority are no longer just operational. Comments around M&A activity, supply pressure and external disruption point to something deeper. These forces are exposing structural weaknesses in onboarding, oversight and data flows.
The key question now is whether organisations continue to patch and optimise around these issues, or take the more difficult step of redesigning the operating model entirely. Incremental change is starting to look insufficient.
2. Data quality issues are a symptom of deeper operating model problems
Data quality, bordereaux consistency and reporting delays continue to come up, but the framing is shifting. Increasingly, organisations are recognising that these are not isolated issues to be fixed individually.
They are symptoms of how the Delegated Authority operating model is structured, particularly how data is captured, validated and shared across the lifecycle.
The focus is moving away from fixing datasets in isolation towards improving how data flows across underwriting, operations and claims.
3. Governance and scalability are becoming inseparable
Another clear theme is the shift towards more structured governance. Not as a compliance exercise, but as an enabler of scale.
As Delegated Authority grows, particularly within the MGA model, governance frameworks need to support faster decision making, better oversight and consistent execution across larger and more complex portfolios.
This is where many organisations are feeling the strain. Processes that worked at lower volumes are now creating friction. The focus is turning to how governance, data and workflow design come together to support growth rather than slow it down.
4. Technology is expected to deliver outcomes, not potential
There is strong interest in data, analytics and AI, but the emphasis is firmly on practical application. The market is moving beyond experimentation towards measurable impact.
This includes improving underwriting performance, enhancing the coverholder experience and driving operational efficiency. It also includes a more honest assessment of where technology alone is not enough without changes to process and culture.
The idea of “Delegated Authority 2.0” is starting to take shape, but it is grounded in execution rather than vision.
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What makes this year’s event particularly interesting is that these themes are converging. Operating model design, data strategy, governance and technology are no longer separate conversations. They are different parts of the same problem.
The next step is to understand how widespread these challenges really are across the market, and where organisations are making tangible progress.
We will be sharing the executive summary of the pre-event survey results shortly, providing a more detailed view of where the market is focusing its efforts, where it is getting stuck and what practical change looks like in reality.
More importantly, these results help shape the presentations and conversations that will drive change on the day of the event.
If the early signals are anything to go by, this year’s discussion is likely to be a very honest one.
If you would like to take part in further Delegated Authority discussions, you can join peers at the Delegated Authority Strategy Day taking place on April 23rd in London.
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