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Amid sky-high underwriter attrition and sweeping tech transitions, insurers and MGAs are relying more heavily on external underwriting support to stay operational – and competitive.
“The increased demand for underwriting support services is really down to a convergence of pressures across the market,” said Shayne Caple (pictured), head of underwriting services at Pro Global. “At the core is a talent challenge – experienced underwriters and support staff are in high demand, and attrition remains high.”
In the UK and abroad, these staffing shortfalls are being compounded by major system upgrades and process digitisation. “Change programmes often divert internal resources and, paradoxically, temporarily make resource management more complex,” Caple said. “That’s where external expertise becomes so valuable – not just to keep the wheels turning on business as usual but to help optimise how that new technology is used.”
Workforce gaps meet rising complexity
Many underwriting teams are feeling the squeeze. “Quite frankly, in many cases they’re struggling to cope,” Caple said. “Attrition and extended hiring cycles are putting real pressure on underwriting teams. Layer on top of that a new system rollout or a spike in volume, and the cracks start to show.”
Still, some are making progress by sharpening their use of data and automation. “The insights that emerge from better data can drive smarter decisions, but it still depends on having the right people interpreting that data,” he said.
Internally, Caple sees success with a “grow your own” approach to talent development. And at the industry level, initiatives like the MGAA’s Next Gen programme point to broader efforts to attract and retain underwriting talent in a sustainable way.
Smarter collaboration across the MGA ecosystem
Across the MGA landscape, Pro Global is seeing greater collaboration between MGAs, technology vendors, and operational service providers. “Many providers now rank among the largest users of core market systems, so we’re well placed to support clients through that change,” Caple noted.
He emphasises that scale alone isn’t enough. “There’s increasing demand for specialist knowledge – not just technical skills, but insight into best practice around new systems and data usage,” he said.
At the same time, MGAs are becoming more proactive in how they use management information. “It’s about shifting from a retrospective, month-end view to real-time insights that enable continuous improvement,” Caple said.
Preparing for pressure – and the unexpected
Operational resilience is also in sharper focus. “Given today’s uncertainties – geopolitical risk, high staff turnover, economic volatility – clients are asking for disaster recovery and business continuity options that are both scalable and flexible,” he said.
Looking ahead, Caple believes underwriting support will require a blend of scalability, insight, and trust. “AI and automation are developing fast, but this is a nuanced market,” he said. “You still need people with experience who can interpret that data and turn it into something actionable.”
For carriers and MGAs navigating tighter cycles and growing complexity, support models that offer resource certainty, data reliability, and resilient service delivery won’t just be helpful – they’ll be essential.
Meet our expert
Name: Shayne Caple
Job title: Head of Underwriting Services
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