Insure Africa Gist

Most brokers think they have strong underwriter relationships.

You don’t build relationships by blasting submissions and asking for quotes.

You build them by making underwriters’ lives easier, and bringing them good business.

Here’s what actually works:

1. Give context, not just data.
Anyone can send loss runs and COPE.
Very few explain the story behind the risk.
What’s changed? What’s improving? Why does this account make sense?

2. Pre-underwrite before you send.
Don’t outsource your thinking.
Know where the risk fits before it hits their desk.
Answer their questions before they ask them.

3. Be selective.
Not every market needs every submission.
When you send something, it should mean something.
That’s how you earn attention.

4. Involve underwriters in the process.
When are you presenting?
How did it go?
Where do you stand?
Underwriters hate being left in the dark.

5. Close the loop, always.
Win or lose, tell them.
That’s how trust gets built over time.

At the end of the day:
Treat underwriters like partners, not providers.

The brokers who do this get better terms, faster responses, and stronger support when it counts.

By: Michael Malfa