FCA insurance head says it's ‘time to evolve’ as commitment made to industry

The FCA has stressed that it is committed to working with the insurance industry and that 2026 is a time for the regulator to “evolve”.

Speaking at Biba’s 2026 manifesto launch at the Houses of Parliament yesterday (14 January 2026), Lisa Sturley, insurance head of department at the FCA, said the focus was on being a “smarter regulator, clear expectations, fewer unnecessary requests and proportionate engagement”.

Biba made a series of requests to the FCA in its annual document this year, including that it continues the momentum on simplifying the insurance rules and that there is further simplification of the rulebook and reporting requirements.

Sturley said: “Looking ahead, this year’s Biba Conference theme is Time To and we agree with Biba. It is time to connect, time to engage, time to support and I am going to add one in – it is time to evolve.

“For us, this means continuing to modernise our supervisory model, making it predictable, purposeful and proportionate.

“We’re moving to clearer priorities through annual market reports, fewer ad hoc letters and more dedicated contacts for firms.”

Commitment

Ahead of developing the 2026 manifesto, Biba garnered member views across the country and a consistent theme was on helping brokers become more efficient.

Biba said it hopes the manifesto demonstrates how it intends to help brokers to deliver resilience for themselves, for people, for businesses and for the economy.

Sturley said: “Our message is simple – we are committed to continuing working with you to build a market that is even more competitive, resilient and trusted. A market that underpins growth and protects consumers.

“We’ve already started to deliver meaningful change, but this is only the start. In 2026, we’ll go further – targeted clarification of our rules, streamlined data returns and practical guidance for smaller firms, all designed to free up time for innovation and better outcomes.”