Use Biba to tell us how you’re bringing the high street brokers into your future plans

No one should under underestimate the Biba conference and exhibition as an information and communication hub.

At 1 Answer Network, we pride ourselves on our close working relationships with our members as well as our insurance and product-providing partners, so attending Biba is a perfect fit for us to do, among other things, some serious networking.

It is a prime event to listen to the movers and shakers in the industry, to talk to insurers and product providers outside of the normal round of broker relation meetings, and generally to see who and what is out there that may be of value in helping us to continue to deliver an industry-leading range of services to our members.

In a nutshell, it helps us to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry and spot opportunities for us as a business.

After many years during which it may have seemed that the attention of insurers has been dominated by the means to aggregate and mass market distribution, it has been very noticeable that in the past year or so a growing number of product providers have been re-courting the broker market.

There is no doubt that brokers deliver a valuable service to the insurers, not least because they often have long-term consumer relationships – with the potential for ongoing renewals – and because they provide a filter system that can help identify higher-risk policyholders at the start of the process rather than at claim stage.

This Biba, I would love to see insurers speaking more about the way they want to include the high street/traditional brokers in their plans for 2011/12 and beyond.

There are those that have already made great strides in this direction – and I am going to flag the likes of Aviva and LV= here. My request of insurers this Biba is: tell us how your business is becoming a part of this growing trend.

There is always a good mix of fun and informative moments at the conference and it is a very efficient way of having many meetings in a day.

For me this year is even more exciting than usual as I have been in discussion with Biba to look at some great offers to put in front of my 1 Answer Network membership. So all in all, there are many great reasons to look forward to the 2011 event.

Paul Muir is managing director of 1 Answer Network.