New research from leading independent insurance consultancy Broadstone and InsTech reveals that actuarial expertise within MGAs is being used not only as a regulatory safeguard but also as a core driver of underwriting performance, pricing discipline and portfolio management.
Findings from MGAs and Actuaries in 2026: The State of the Market* show that MGAs are deploying actuaries across a wide range of commercial and analytical activities, often in ways that differ markedly from traditional insurer models. Rather than centring on compliance or reserving oversight, actuarial input is most frequently applied in areas closest to business performance.
More than 70% of respondents use actuarial analysis for underwriting performance reviews (72%) and pricing adequacy (71%), while claims development and trend analysis is used by over two thirds of MGAs (67%). These activities sit at the core of day-to-day underwriting decision-making and portfolio steering, indicating that actuarial capability is becoming deeply embedded within MGA operating models.
The survey found that the average MGA uses actuarial expertise across five different functional areas, suggesting a breadth of application that goes well beyond narrow technical reviews. Respondents highlighted particular value in the ability to rapidly translate claims experience and reserving insight into pricing adjustments, underwriting strategy and portfolio actions.
This emphasis on fast feedback loops stands out as a defining feature. Several MGAs pointed to the importance of shortening the time between emerging claims signals and underwriting or pricing responses – a priority that reflects the pace at which MGA portfolios evolve and the expectation from carriers for early visibility of performance shifts.
Cormac Bradley, Senior Actuarial Director at Broadstone, commented: “What’s striking is how firmly actuarial work in MGAs has moved into the commercial engine room. In insurers, actuarial activity is often heavily shaped by regulation and governance cycles but, with MGAs, we’re seeing actuaries embedded much closer to underwriting decisions, with a clear focus on speed, relevance and performance impact.”
The findings also suggest that MGAs increasingly value actuarial insight that is iterative, forward looking and operational, rather than retrospective or episodic. Uptake is highest where actuarial teams work alongside underwriters and claims specialists, enabling rapid interpretation of loss trends, validation of pricing assumptions and proactive portfolio management.
Cormac Bradley added: “MGAs that are scaling successfully tend to prioritise how quickly insight flows from claims and reserving into pricing and underwriting actions. That speed of feedback is becoming a differentiator – not just for performance management, but for credibility with carriers and reinsurers.”
This aligns closely with Broadstone’s experience supporting MGAs and delegated authority underwriters, where growth often drives demand for more embedded, responsive actuarial capability that enhances decision-making without slowing the business.
The findings point to a sector that is professionalising rapidly, with actuarial expertise evolving from a peripheral technical input into a core commercial capability – shaped by the needs of MGAs rather than inherited wholesale from insurer operating models.
* The full report can be downloaded here
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