Commercial motor brokers overwhelmingly prefer MGAs with in-house claims teams, with 94% believing they deliver a more responsive service than outsourced claims models, according to new research commissioned by Direct Commercial Limited (DCL).
The findings, based on polling of brokers across the wider commercial motor insurance market, highlight how claims handling standards and communication quality are becoming increasingly important differentiators as claims complexity, repair delays and customer service expectations continue to rise across the fleet sector.
The research revealed near-universal broker preference for in-house claims operations over outsourced or third-party administrator-led arrangements, with 94% of brokers surveyed saying in-house claims teams are more responsive.
That marks a significant increase from previous Direct Commercial Broker Barometer research conducted in late 2024, when 82% of brokers said they viewed in-house claims teams as more responsive than outsourced alternatives.
More than three-quarters of brokers surveyed (76%) also described in-house claims handling as either important or very important when selecting a commercial motor insurer or MGA.
DCL said the findings reflect increasing pressure on insurers to deliver faster, more transparent claims handling at a time when fleet operators are facing rising repair costs, vehicle downtime and growing operational disruption following incidents.
The research also highlighted continuing frustrations around outsourced claims handling models.
More than half of brokers surveyed (51%) said they often or very often struggle to obtain detailed and timely updates for clients when claims are handled through third-party providers.
The findings suggest brokers increasingly believe responsive claims handling and closer communication are becoming central to insurer selection, customer retention and long-term broker relationships.
The research also showed brokers