Insurance is, ultimately, a promise. When a broker recommends a policy to their client, they’re also putting their own reputation behind that promise.
So how can they judge the strength of that promise?
At Renovation Underwriting, we believe it comes down to experience, specialist knowledge and the discipline to understand exactly what is being insured. Price and speed are important considerations, but so is knowing the thinking that sits behind the policy.
These principles have always shaped our approach, and our recent recognition as a 5-Star MGA for the fourth consecutive year, alongside being named one of only two All-Star MGAs in Insurance Business UK’s 2026 Brokers on MGAs report, provides a welcome endorsement from the brokers we work with.
Read more about our 2026 recognition.
Why experience matters
As humans, what we really dislike is uncertainty. For brokers, having access to someone who genuinely understands the risks they’re dealing with can make an enormous difference to the confidence they can give their clients.
When it comes to renovation projects, what initially sounds like a straightforward piece of building work can become considerably more complicated when you examine the existing structure, the contractor, the proposed works and the liabilities surrounding them.
Knowing which questions to ask, and recognising when something needs closer examination, comes from years of experience in specialist underwriting.
Details matter. And so does having the confidence to challenge something when it doesn’t look right.
Looking beyond the price
Price will always be a consideration when brokers are comparing insurance quotations. Balancing price against quality and the protection being offered is a skill in itself.
Renovation insurance can be particularly difficult to underwrite because claims can be significant but relatively infrequent. That makes the risks harder to predict and the application of experience and specialist judgement especially important.
While a cheaper premium may look attractive, brokers need to understand what they’re recommending and why quotations might differ.
Dealing with the lowest bidder every time carries the risk that the promise you’ve bought may not work as expected. That can ultimately multiply risk rather than reduce it.
The price is what you pay. Value is what you actually get. Knowing which is which is a matter of experience.
Putting our commitment to brokers into practice
A good underwriting partner should also make it easier for brokers to do their jobs, giving them the right support at the right time.
Over the past year, we’ve continued to improve the way we work with brokers, recognising that different risks require different levels of support.
We’ve introduced our Commission Charter, setting out our commitment to fairness and transparency, alongside Broker Self-Serve, which enables brokers to make mid-term adjustments without underwriter intervention.
Since 1 September 2026, eligible, straightforward private client risks can also be automatically priced and approved, recognising that simpler enquiries should be able to move quickly.
Alongside these developments, we’ve introduced Lorega Claims Concierge across most of our contract works policies, providing eligible clients with specialist claims support. We’ve also created our Super Broker training curriculum and supported collaborative CPD with Project Professionals, helping brokers develop their knowledge and engage more confidently with clients.
These developments reflect our belief that brokers should have access to efficient processes, specialist expertise and meaningful support throughout their relationship with us.
The importance of getting it right
Brokers are the linchpin of what we do. They understand their clients and act as the interpreter between those clients and the underwriter.
Our responsibility is to help brokers put the risks into context, explain the thinking behind our decisions and give them the confidence to make informed recommendations.
Sometimes that means asking difficult questions or pointing out something that doesn’t look right. We would rather have those conversations at the outset than allow an avoidable misunderstanding to become a problem later.
Having the discipline to get things right is the hallmark of a business that understands the weight of its commitments.
We’re proud to have been recognised by brokers in this year’s survey, and grateful for the confidence they’ve placed in us. That recognition brings with it a responsibility to continue delivering the expertise, judgement and support they expect from us.
It’s a responsibility we must continue to fulfil through every risk we assess, every question we ask and every decision we make.
After all, a promise is only as good as the thinking behind it.
See our latest video on ‘Our promise to you’ and the new ways brokers can work with us
