The US managing general agent (MGA) market is expanding rapidly, but greater scale is bringing a new challenge for operators: maintaining control over underwriting, data and delegated authority as portfolios become more complex.
Insurance technology provider Novidea is targeting this issue with a platform designed to connect the systems used across MGA operations. Its proposition comes as rising premiums, growing submission volumes and increasing reporting demands put pressure on firms to demonstrate stronger operational oversight.
According to figures from Conning’s 2026 MGA Study cited by Novidea, US MGA premiums increased from $102bn in 2023 to $114bn in 2024 and $128bn in 2025. Growth across specialty and excess and surplus (E&S) insurance has contributed to the expansion, alongside demand for specialist underwriting and flexible capacity.
For MGAs, however, expansion can make oversight more difficult. Under delegated authority arrangements, insurers rely on MGAs to operate within agreed underwriting parameters and provide accurate information about the business being written.
As MGAs add products, acquire businesses or operate across multiple entities, fragmented technology can make it harder to maintain a consistent view of underwriting activity and portfolio performance. It can also create additional work when capacity providers require detailed reporting or evidence that delegated authority controls are being followed.
Novidea identifies four areas where the pressure is particularly visible: speed, data, transparency and AI.
Higher submission volumes can increase the amount of manual work required from underwriting teams. At the same time, disconnected systems can make it harder to establish a reliable source of portfolio data. Capacity providers are seeking more timely information, while MGAs adopting AI need to ensure the technology is working with accurate and governed data.
Novidea’s platform brings distribution and broker management, underwriting and placement, policy administration, capacity management, claims and finance together within one environment.
The system also incorporates functions including binder and delegated authority management, bordereaux, claims, financial information and portfolio reporting. By bringing these processes together, Novidea aims to reduce the movement of information between separate systems and improve visibility across the MGA operation.
Its underwriting workflow covers submission intake, clearance, appetite and eligibility, enrichment and assessment. The company says the technology can convert submission documents into structured underwriting information and reduce repetitive administrative work.
Novidea estimates that its platform saves underwriters around three hours per day, based on interviews with users and subject matter experts. The figure is a company-reported estimate and has not been independently verified.
The platform uses an API-first architecture, enabling MGAs to connect external underwriting applications, data providers and other insurance technology. Configuration tools are also designed to accommodate differences in regulations, taxes, currencies and languages across markets.
Novidea currently serves more than 350 customers in 23 countries.
Bishop Street Underwriters is among the businesses using the technology. The multi-entity MGA/MGU operates across more than 60 users and three legal entities, with the platform supporting standardised workflows and consolidated data across its existing and acquired businesses.
The company also uses real-time dashboards to give management a broader view of its portfolio.
Bishop Street Underwriters COO Chris Klimek said, “We now have a scalable technology platform that gives us confidence in our data, helps us operate more efficiently, and positions us for long-term growth.”
For the MGA market, technology is increasingly becoming part of the governance infrastructure rather than simply an operational tool. As portfolios grow and delegated authority relationships become more complex, having reliable data and clear visibility across underwriting and financial activity can become increasingly important to demonstrating control.
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