Every market has its shifting of momentum - when the pace of change begins to increase, and the need to act is realised. For the London Market, that moment is now.
At our recent InsurX smart follow roundtable, senior brokers and insurers in the London market came together to discuss what this acceleration means: the opportunities it creates, the shift in dynamic, and how smart follow can help the market evolve without losing what makes it unique.
The discussion was lively, candid, and packed with insight. There was energy in the room, the productive kind, that comes when people know the market’s next leap is already underway. Here are our key takeaways from the debate:
- Competition as a catalyst
Participants agreed that the rise of digital “utilities” like smart follow is fuelling competition, not flattening it. As one attendee put it, these technologies are “pushing everyone to raise their game.” By forcing brokers and insurers to sharpen their speed, accuracy, and service, they’re turning progress into a shared expectation.
- Alignment over fragmentation
There was a clear consensus that success in a smart follow world depends on alignment. Insurers are prioritising strategic partnerships, while brokers recognise the need to move in sync with capacity providers. As one senior broker observed, “I hadn’t fully appreciated the insurer’s perspective before, but that’s where the opportunity lies.”
- Value, cost, and the frictional ‘tax’
The debate turned lively around the question of cost. If automation removes non–value-add friction, what happens to the savings? One participant asked bluntly, “when do brokers start charging less?” It was a provocative challenge, but one that underscored a deeper truth: efficiency gains mean little unless they’re shared transparently and reinvested in better outcomes for clients and markets alike.
- Data and discipline
Despite leaps in automation, some felt the industry still isn’t asking the right data questions. Is the risk being assessed on the right basis? Are we collecting what actually matters? The consensus: not yet. Smart follow is helping to clean and structure data, but the next decade will demand a deeper overhaul, one built around insight, not just information.
- People, pressure, and progress
The human reality was never far from the surface. Brokers are under pressure with submissions soaring and facilities full. For some insurers, the pain is maintaining discipline in a soft market. Smart follow doesn’t replace people, it relieves them. By cutting the manual load, it lets teams focus on judgment, relationships, and growth.
- Thinking beyond one renewal cycle
What was most energising was the forward-looking mindset. Too much of today’s market conversation revolves around the next renewal season, when the real horizon is ten years out. One attendee put it best: “If we’re only thinking about next year, we’re missing the transformation already happening around us.”
From Talk to Action
This wasn’t just another talking shop. It was proof that the market has moved from conversation to execution. The consensus was clear: smart follow isn’t theory, it’s practice. The change is happening now - in live facilities, active partnerships, and real results.
And the debate has already shifted from if to how fast, and that acceleration is gathering pace.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined and brought such sharp thinking, challenge, and ambition to the table. The energy from this roundtable will carry forward as InsurX continues to host regular market debates - not simply to talk about change, but to keep driving it.
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