I really enjoy talking to people who are full of energy because some of that energy rubs off.
Bob Kimmel CEO of K2 Insurance Services’ return to the podcast with K2 CAT’s Head Underwriter David Carson is a case in point.
Here we find Bob buzzing with the possibilities that significant new investment from Warburg Pincus can afford the firm as it looks to accelerate growth and double in size to a $3bn GWP platform over the next 4 to 5 years.
David’s also full of energy after the decisive rupture in the reinsurance market at 1.1 has produced what he describes as the best market in property cat since 1993.
This is an incredibly candid and fluid discussion.
Bob is very open about the potential squeeze that may be coming for MGA and other intermediaries’ margins as reinsurers and carriers push back hard on commissions and trim underperforming agencies from their portfolios.
But he’s also really happy about having fresh dry powder to make the most of cooling valuations and special situations as interest rates rise and debt-heavy buyers are priced out of out of a hitherto frothy M&A market.
Bob also explains why being a hybrid carrier with a balance sheet was great when K2 was smaller and needed to incubate underwriting talent, but became a distraction to the core business as the group scaled to the $1.5bn of gross premiums it now underwrites on behalf of the market.
This is fascinating under-the-hood stuff and no aspect of the market and K2’s plans is left uncovered.
It’s also delivered at an almost breathless pace and with great rapport between the Bob, David and this interviewer.
If you want to get well ahead of emerging trends in the fast-developing MGA world, this is absolutely essential listening.
NOTES:
Bob speaks first.
The abbreviation LOC snuck in. It means a Letter of Credit.
LINKS
We thank our naming sponsor AdvantageGo:
https://www.advantagego.com/
Special Episode: The Power of Purpose with Steve Hearn CEO of Corant Global and Delta V Partners
Ep 82 David Bearman CEO Aventum: Don’t walk into a crowded room
Ep 81 Ash Bathia CEO Probitas 1492: Driving your own destiny
Ep 80 Matthew Shaw CUO of TMK: The most submissions for a decade
Ep 79 Neil Eckert and Trevor Carvey of Conduit Re: Big enough to be impactful but small enough to be nimble
Ep 78 Steve McGill: Building Excitement and Scale
Ep 77 Stephen Catlin & Paul Brand Convex: Being ready ahead of the market
EP 76 Keith Wolfe President Swiss Re P&C US: A complete view of the world's biggest market
Ep 75 Greg Collins CEO of Miller: A speedboat among supertankers
Special Episode: Introducing McKenzie Intelligence Services with founder Forbes McKenzie
Ep 74 Matthew Wilson Group CEO Brit: Pretending Brit didn't exist
Ep 73 Mitch Blaser CEO Mosaic: If you're a hammer everything looks like a nail
Ep 72 Colin Thompson Group CEO Nexus: Eat your own cooking
Ep 71 Ross Howard Global Executive Chairman of Lockton Re: Why knowledge is key and king
Special Episode: Bonkers or Brilliant? A fresh perspective on innovation from Insurtech Gateway’s Robert Lumley and Stephen Brittain
Ep 70 Greg Hendrick CEO Vantage Group: Being what the market will let us be
Special Episode: Introducing Supercede with founders Jerad Leigh and Ben Rose
Ep 69 Pina Albo CEO Hamilton Group: The wait is over
Ep 68 Steve Hearn CEO Corant Global: One broker, many brands
Ep 67 Charles Mathias Group CRO Fidelis: A market not lacking capital, but profit
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