Biba 2026: QBE focused on construction and multinational growth – Nat Ferrigan

QBE is doubling down on its strategy to serve brokers in the regions and is accelerating the build out of its construction and multinational business.

That is according to QBE Europe’s head of distribution, Nat Ferrigan, who spoke to Insurance Times for the Biba conference in Manchester this week (13-14 May 2026). 

QBE has made a series of hires in its distribution, underwriting and client teams as part of a deliberate push to increase visibility with broker partners at a time when some competitors are pulling back, she explained.

“While others are perhaps looking to rationalise some of their teams in distribution, underwriting and clients, we have had and will continue to have some really good investment and hires,” Ferrigan said, adding that new staff are joining as additional staff rather than as replacements.

Construction and multinational have been identified as two key growth pillars under the insurer’s UK 2030 strategy. QBE hired Tim Bluck and Richard Sheridan in November last year to lead proposition development across both areas, spanning trade and SME risks through to contractors combined in the mid-market and larger construction clients.

The company is also exploring schemes and facilities with broker partners as part of a broader move into “alternative distribution” that does not conflict with its existing panel relationships

“We’ve always had a really good offering in construction. It’s just taking it to the next level now based on what customers want, because the world moves on, risks change and people’s needs change,” Ferrigan added.

Broker service 

Service is also focused on regional development and Ferrigan noted that QBE appointed heads of trading in each of its regional hubs at the end of 2024.

That regional focus is set to be supplemented in the second half of 2026 with the planned launch of an algorithmic underwriting solution for network partners, covering commercial combined and fleet.

Ferrigan said the product was designed to plug the gap for risks that fall outside QBE’s digital trade offering while not large enough for its regional underwriting footprint.

“If it doesn’t fit down the trade pipe and it doesn’t fit in the regional space, there is another solution,” she said, clarifying that the product is currently in its planning phase.

On service for brokers, Ferrigan pointed to a series of operational improvements in claims as evidence of QBE’s commitment to consistency in what she described as a “dynamic” and softening market.

She said the insurer had achieved 100% of claims registered and acknowledged within 24 hours and reduced average telephone waiting times from 47 seconds to 13 seconds, with a 0% phone abandonment rate.

Ferrigan said broker sentiment surveys were vital for QBE and that feedback directly informs strategic decisions, with brokers’ desire for direct access to underwriting decision-makers as one of the clearest themes.

“One of the things they call us out for is creating that platform for empowered conversations,” she said. “Brokers want to talk to decision makers who are underwriters.”

She also flagged consolidation and panel rationalisation among brokers as a notable trend, noting that QBE was seeing broker partners take a more robust approach to their placement partner strategies, including removing insurers from panels.

“People are now being removed from panels, so they are really robust with their partner placement strategy,” she said, adding that QBE’s focus on depth of relationship, rather than breadth of distribution, makes it well-placed to retain panel positions.

“The message has been consistent for the last two or three years,” she finished.

“It’s about building on that regional trade and taking our client conversations to the next level.”