UK managing general agent (MGA) Commercial Express has expanded its capacity panel through new long-term partnerships with AXA and Carbon Underwriting, enhancing its product offerings in both commercial and residential property sectors.
AXA will provide additional capacity for Commercial Express’ commercial property owners scheme, enabling the MGA to increase its capacity and diversify its commercial property products. Joel Markham, director of schemes and delegated authorities at AXA UK, explained that the insurer’s role would be to support the MGA’s long-term growth by combining its distribution capabilities with AXA’s underwriting expertise.
Meanwhile, Carbon Underwriting will join the residential property owners panel, bringing its data platform Graphene to enhance decision-making flexibility and operational efficiency. Claire Turner, property underwriter at Carbon, highlighted that the integration of Graphene with Commercial Express’s underwriting model would provide more tailored solutions for clients in the residential sector.
Duncan Pritchard, managing director at Commercial Express, stated that securing capacity from both AXA and Carbon was a clear endorsement of the MGA’s scheme management and underwriting approach. He added that these new partnerships would contribute significantly to the firm’s long-term success and market growth.
This move follows Commercial Express’s recent addition of Irwell Insurance Company Limited to its panel of insurers in January, focusing on expanding liability schemes and enhancing coverage options for brokers and clients. Irwell Insurance brings specialist expertise in commercial liability insurance, further strengthening Commercial Express’s liability product offering.
Commercial Express’s recent strategic partnerships align with wider industry trends where securing long-term, reliable capacity is becoming increasingly crucial for MGAs. The focus on property-focused schemes has intensified, with underwriting performance and risk management strategies under close scrutiny across the industry.
