'Time:To' power broker partnerships at BIBA 2026
Paul Kay
Director - Broker Division
Blog
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"As we head towards BIBA 2026, this year's theme, 'T'ime:To', feels particularly fitting. It’s simple, but it captures something important: 'Time:To' convene, 'Time:To' learn, and 'Time:To' really focus on what matters for brokers and their customers.
I've been with HSB for 32 years, working across a number of different roles in sales, regional leadership and business development. Now, as Director of our Broker Division, my focus is very much on our distribution model and the broker relationships that sit at the heart of everything we do.
'Time:To' convene, learn, and understand
Whether it's through our insurance solutions or engineering inspection services, my priority when attending BIBA is having meaningful conversations with the people and broker partners we work with every day to understand how HSB can continue to strengthen its value proposition.
For me, 'Time:To' is about action: time to get in front of brokers, time to understand how evolving risks are impacting them, and how we can continue supporting our partners in what is a fast-changing market. That's exactly why BIBA matters so much.
This year, we're anticipating having more conversations around engineering inspection, equipment breakdown and cyber risk – all areas that are changing rapidly as technological advances continue to influence every sector.
'Time:To' align insurance and inspection with today’s connected risks
The main topic of conversations at BIBA are understandably insurance-led, however at HSB, we are also seeing greater interest in engineering inspection services. Inspection goes beyond regulatory compliance. More brokers want to understand how inspection services, alongside insurance, can help them strengthen the value they deliver to their customers by enabling businesses to operate safely and with confidence, whilst keeping any disruption to their day-to-day operations to a minimum.
In many commercial environments, mechanical and electrical equipment failure doesn't come with warning. Our engineering colleagues will be present on our stand this year to talk directly with brokers about how inspection can help with managing complex risks. It's a genuinely-differentiated capability and one we’re proud to put centre stage.
Closely linked to inspection is equipment breakdown, which continues to evolve as businesses become more dependent on complex, technology enabled systems. Technology brings opportunity, but it also introduces vulnerability. As machinery becomes more sophisticated, the potential consequences of failure grow and the impact is often immediate; from production downtime and lost revenue to reputational damage.
'Time:To' listen as well as talk
I've been attending BIBA for over 20 years now, and one thing that hasn't changed is the value of the conversations. Whilst it’s an important opportunity to share HSB's current and future plans alongside our position in the market, it’s even more important that we listen.
Brokers’ insights help challenge our thinking, shape our priorities and influence how we develop products and services that genuinely add value. Gaining this valuable feedback helps us to better understand what’s working for them, where they see the market heading, and how HSB can best support their evolving challenges and opportunities.
For me, a successful BIBA conference is pretty straightforward. It's about good conversations, strong engagement, and having clear actions to follow up on afterwards. The event doesn't end when the doors close; it's really just the start of the next stage of the conversation.
Ultimately, 'Time:To' is exactly that for us at HSB. Time to connect properly, listen, and move things forward together with our broker partners."