MGA appoints ex-Covéa eTrade head to lead new schemes division

MGA Commercial Express has launched a new delegated authority schemes division and appointed Nicki Crabb to lead the arm.

The new division will form a key part of Commercial Express’ growth strategy and will provide brokers with access to underwriting expertise, insurer capacity and facilities designed to help bring new schemes to market.

Crabb will lead the arm as delegated authority schemes director. She brings extensive experience across SME insurance, delegated authority schemes, underwriting and sales, having spent a significant part of her career working with brokers and scheme providers.

The appointee joins from Covéa, where she most recently served as head of eTrade and schemes trading.

Crabb said: ”There is a real opportunity to give brokers greater access to delegated underwriting, particularly where a specialist proposition needs the right combination of underwriting expertise, capacity and speed to market.

“Commercial Express has the relationships, infrastructure and appetite to develop schemes in a way that is responsive to brokers and their clients. I’m looking forward to building out the division and working with brokers on opportunities where we can create something genuinely valuable.”

Greater flexibility

Commercial Express said the new business unit has been created to address growing demand from brokers seeking greater flexibility and specialist support when launching or expanding scheme arrangements.

The new schemes division will be supported by capacity from Fortegra and Ascot.

Founder and managing director at Commercial Express, Duncan Pritchard, said: “The launch of our schemes division marks a significant development in Commercial Express’ evolution from an MGA towards a full-service MGU. We have been approached by brokers with opportunities for delegated authority schemes that we have not previously had the capability, experience or capacity to support, and we can now offer a dedicated proposition built around those opportunities.

“Importantly, we remain broker-focused and relationship-led. Our aim is to provide a business that brokers can work with quickly and flexibly, backed by excellent capacity and the underwriting expertise needed to develop sustainable schemes.”