What’s Job 1 for new MGA association exec?

It’s going to start with trips across Canada to “see what the pipes look like behind the walls,” says Brett Boadway, new executive director of the Canadian Association of Managing General Agents (CAMGA), when asked about the initial goals of her tenure.

“I’m looking to get a better understanding of how MGAs are operating. What are their intake procedures? What are their binding policies? How do they communicate with brokers? I want to see real-life examples,” she tells Canadian Underwriter in an interview.

Prior to taking the executive director role at CAMGA, Boadway has worked in both the carrier and broker areas, as well as at the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO).

“I consider myself equal parts trade association leader and insurance leader. It’s a unique intersection of two skill sets,” she tells CU.

“It really helps to know your way around an industry and know the people. Rather than waiting for the invite to join groups to be involved in discussions, I have been able to send requests for involvement straight away…having pre-existing relationships means it’s going to be a faster start for CAMGA to kick things into fifth gear.”

Boadway notes her time at IBAO was driven by a need to highlight nuances and workflow differences between brokers and other retail insurance distributors. “The broker versus direct writer versus agent distinction really needed to be made clear when making public policy and regulatory decisions. This is the value of a trade association,” she says.

“I think the same thing applies to the MGAs. Yes, MGAs are intermediaries, but their operations, their relationships, and their market dynamics are much different than brokers…that means MGAs need an advocacy body dedicated specifically to them.”

Her Number 1 priority for CAMGA going forward will be working on regulatory advocacy and professional standards.

“One thing I’ve noticed over the first month[s] of my time here at CAMGA is that there’s a lot of alignment throughout the entire industry about what people want from this association. I’ve seen first-hand that the industry shares a common goal: developing a consistent, identifiable standard for MGAs. CAMGA is working closely with industry stakeholders to help build that clear, reliable framework. The question isn’t whether it should be done, the question is how it should be done,” Boadway tells CU.

“CAMGA will strike a regulatory oversight committee. We’re going to make sure we’re building strong relationships with every regulatory body across the country. We’re ready to collaborate, provide data, develop education and provide a communication forum for all interested parties.”