The London specialty insurance market is full of smart people who know delegated authority processes could (and should) run smoother.
Yet, at a market level, we’re still dealing with late bordereaux, manual reconciliations, and fragmented controls. The transformation conversation is happening — but big, market-wide change takes time.
So here’s the question:
what can you do today inside your own processes, without waiting for the market to move?
1. Automate Your Bordereaux Handling
Even if you still receive spreadsheets in different formats, you can:
- Set up ingestion templates that map each format to your internal schema.
- Run automated validations to catch errors before they reach your DA team.
- Focus human effort only on exceptions.
💡 Result: Less time on admin, more time on analysis.
2. Build Your Own Digital Binder Reference
You might not get machine-readable binders from the market yet — so create one internally.
- Store binder terms, limits, territories, clauses, and tax rules in a structured format.
- Link these rules to your ingestion and validation process.
💡 Result: A home-grown rules engine that enforces compliance automatically.
3. Bring Compliance Checks Forward
Instead of handling sanctions and licensing checks late in the process:
- Run them the moment new risk or claim data arrives.
- Use APIs to integrate with screening tools.
💡 Result: Problems are spotted weeks earlier, avoiding regulatory headaches.
4. Create a Single Source of Truth
Even if the market sends messy data, you can:
- Consolidate it in one database or warehouse.
- Apply consistent field names, formats, and codes.
- Feed all MI from this clean, internal dataset.
💡 Result: Everyone internally sees the same numbers, reducing disputes and confusion.
5. Make MI More Frequent
You might not have real-time data — but you can get closer.
- Refresh dashboards weekly (or even daily) for key binders.
- Track hit rates, incurred ratios, premium velocity, and exceptions.
💡 Result: You act faster, even in a monthly market cycle.
6. Streamline Internal Handoffs
Map your DA process and remove friction:
- Pre-populate finance journals from ingestion data.
- Auto-generate settlement statements.
- Route exceptions straight to the right person.
💡 Result: Faster internal cycle times, even if external ones remain slow.
7. Pilot the Future with One Partner
Find one coverholder who’s up for innovation:
- Test API submission, shared dashboards, or real-time validations.
- Use that success as a proof-point for others.
💡 Result: You show what’s possible — and build momentum.
The Mindset Shift
Market change will come — eventually. But the organisations that start automating now will:
- Have cleaner data
- Run faster internally
- Be easier to connect to when the market catches up.
You don’t need the whole market to agree before you start. Control the controllables — and you’ll be ready when the bigger wave of automation arrives.