Time to focus on what really matters - Reflections on the BIBA 2026 Manifesto

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My colleague Sue Coffey and I met with the BIBA senior team recently.  Post that meeting I took the opportunity to reflect on the BIBA 2026 Manifesto, particularly as Graeme Trudgill thrust a very colourful copy of the Manifesto document into my hand!  

The intent behind the manifesto really stood out for me. It’s a demonstration of the vital importance of the role brokers play in the UK economy, backed up by ten clear commitments from BIBA focused on what it will do to support brokers. 

There is also a consistent theme running through the document: time. 

Time for brokers to spend more time advising, and less time navigating friction.

Why the BIBA Manifesto matters

As risk becomes more complex and client expectations continue to rise, the quality of conversations becomes critical. Good outcomes for clients are shaped early through knowledge, understanding, explanation and informed decision-making. Good outcomes are much harder to achieve when time and attention are pulled away by unnecessary complexity.

That matters. It’s also the theme of the BIBA Conference this May — “Time to…”

Where insurers fit into this

This is something we see very clearly at Covéa. Our SME Experts proposition is deliberately built to give brokers the space to do their job properly. Being intermediated-only means our focus is undiluted. We exist to support brokers, not compete with them. That shapes everything - how we design products, how we trade, how we support with brokers, how our claims service operates.

What makes the difference in practice

Strong outcomes tend to follow when brokers have trusted relationships, access to real expertise, and confidence in the insurer standing behind them, particularly at claim stage. That’s where our claims service is a differentiator.

It’s not an afterthought; it’s part of the promise. When brokers know claims will be handled with care, consistency and technical understanding, it changes the quality of the conversation they can have upfront.

The role Covéa chooses to play

What the BIBA Manifesto does well is link resilience to the day-to-day reality of broking. Not resilience as an abstract objective, but resilience built through clarity, capability and trust. One client conversation at a time. That aligns closely with how we think about our role as an insurer: enabling better advice by removing friction, not adding to it.

Brokers don’t operate in isolation. The environment around them matters. When it works well, where relationships are strong, expertise is accessible and claims are dependable, brokers can focus on what they do best: advising, supporting, and helping clients navigate uncertainty with confidence.

So what does that mean in practice?

It means: 

• Relationships matter more than transactions. 

• Expertise beats generalisation.

• Clarity beats complexity.

• Doing what really matters, time and again

Success could be judged less by volume of activity, and more by whether clients genuinely understand their risks and cover, and the choices they have been advised to make.

In the market we’re operating in now, that feels like it really is time for that conversation.

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