Three associations have joined forces on this claims conference;
The London & International Insurance Brokers’ Association (LIIBA), the International Underwriting Association (IUA) and the Lloyd’s Market Association (LMA) have launched ‘Focus on the Future: Building Skills’, the first joint claims conference of its kind in the London market. The conference, which opened for registrations today, is aimed at people in the early years of their career and is designed to nurture and develop young claims professionals, in the face of a market-wide talent shortage.
Highlighting this challenge, LMA research published in July found that the share of employees at managing agents with more than 15 years’ claims experience fell from 37% in 2023 to 31% in 2025, while The London Market Group’s 2026 London Matters report expects the proportion of the workforce under 30 to fall from 24% to 7% over the next decade.
Open to claims handlers, junior lawyers, brokers and loss adjusters with one to five years’ experience, the conference takes place on Monday 26 October 2026 at the Cavendish Conference Centre, One America Square, EC3, and is free to attend.
The day covers thought leadership discussions with senior figures from across the market, practical workshops on the skills early-career professionals can use day-to-day, structured networking and an introduction to the associations’ work and how to get involved in it.
Jacqueline Girow, Executive Director at LIIBA, said: “Claims is where our clients find out whether insurance works, and the market is losing the people who know how to do it well. Those numbers should worry every firm in EC3. This conference is for people in the first few years of their career. They’ll learn from professionals who have decades of experience and will pick up invaluable skills and practical advice they can apply the very next day.”
Joe Shaw, Director of Claims at the IUA, said: “Claims is a fundamental part of the insurance ecosystem. It is where the promise made when a policy is written is ultimately delivered, and maintaining the expertise, judgement and technical capability to do that well is critical to the continued strength of the London market.
“As an industry, we have a responsibility to nurture the next generation of claims professionals and give them the skills, confidence and networks they need to develop successful careers. Ensuring that knowledge and expertise is passed on is an investment in the future of the market, and opportunities such as this should be embraced by anyone looking to build a long-term career in claims.”
Janine Powell, Claims Director at the LMA, said: “Our own research shows how quickly deep experience is draining away, and you can’t replace 15 years of judgement overnight. That makes what we do with people at the start of their careers far more important than it used to be. Bringing them together across the sector this early gives them a network they’ll draw on for decades. We’d encourage line managers to put forward the people on their teams who’d get the most from it.”
Everyone who attends will receive CPD credit, along with free access for a limited period to revision materials for the CII claims examinations, provided by Empower Development.
Attendance to the conference is available on a first come first serve basis and with limited places it is advisable to register as soon as possible. Registration closes at 5.00pm on Friday 25 September 2026.
Firms interested in sponsoring should contact Deborah Finch at the IUA on deborah.finch@iua.co.uk or their own association contact.
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