Published on
05 May 2026
As the UK economy continues to rebalance away from an overly London‑centric model, the insurance industry has a critical role to play in supporting growth across the UK and Ireland. For insurers, investing outside the capital is not simply about cost efficiency. It is about proximity, relevance and the ability to deliver better outcomes for businesses whose needs are often misunderstood or underserved. A more geographically balanced insurance sector is more representative of the people and businesses it serves. That can greatly improve trust, decision-making, and product design.
At Liberty, regional investment is a strategic decision rooted in sustainability and client value, based around growing our regional mid-market portfolio where we can leverage our best-in-class Risk Management expertise. So rather than a stretched, thinly distributed regional footprint, the business has focused on three carefully chosen regional hubs – Manchester, Bristol and Dublin. These hubs provide meaningful, long-term access to core clients outside London, while ensuring local markets are properly supported by experienced, empowered and readily available teams.
This model reflects a broader truth about regional insurance demand: mid-sized corporates across the UK regions often face complex risks but do not always have the in-house resources or specialist expertise to navigate them. Insurance needs vary by region because of differences in industry mix, property risk, climate exposure, transport networks, and local economies. Having a regional presence helps insurers better understand and serve customers. By investing in strong regional hubs, insurers can deliver guidance, sector insight and underwriting confidence where it is needed most.
Moving Beyond Transactional Insurance
A common challenge among mid-corporates outside London is that insurance purchasing may not be led by a dedicated risk management function. Frequently insurance buying is incorporated into Finance, Legal or Procurement, who may require specialist risk advice to identify exposures or structure optimal coverage.
Our regional insurance teams bridge this gap. By working closely with clients on the ground, insurers are better placed to act as strategic business advisers rather than transactional capacity providers. This shift is particularly important in fast‑evolving risk environments, where emerging threats require informed conversations well before renewal. Regional markets often include fintech, insurtech, universities, and digital businesses. Investment outside London can foster partnerships and new ideas, especially in AI, automation, climate risk, and customer service.
Liberty’s integrated business unit approach is designed precisely for this purpose. Instead of treating underwriting, claims and risk engineering as separate silos, specialists are brought together to assess risk holistically. This collaborative model allows insurers to not only tailor risk-transfer solutions to client-specific exposures based on multidisciplinary insight but advise clients on risk prevention and mitigation strategies.
Product Differentiation Through Regional Insight
Investing in the regions also unlocks genuine product differentiation. Local knowledge, sector familiarity and long‑standing relationships can highlight risks that are overlooked at a national or global level.
A compelling example is the development of bespoke policy wording to underwrite perceived contact “exposure” as part of our Sports and Leisure sector at a time when very few insurers were prepared to provide cover. This was not a standard product innovation but a targeted solution built on a deep understanding of the sport, the regulatory environment, litigation trends and the associated medical and liability risks.
Such examples demonstrate how regional investment enables insurers to step forward as new risks emerge or existing threats become better understood. By combining underwriting expertise with claims insight and risk engineering support, insurers can create cover that reflects the realities of specific sectors rather than relying on generic exclusions.
Supporting Regional Economies Through Sector Expertise
Regional hubs also provide a platform for sector-led engagement. Running seminars for specific industries, sharing best practice and exploring collective responses to common risks are all powerful tools for strengthening client resilience and regional economies.
The Retail sector is a case in point. With shoplifting and retail crime rising in many parts of the UK, regional insurers are well placed to convene discussions that bring together risk mitigation strategies, insurance solutions and loss prevention advice. This kind of support goes well beyond policy placement and reinforces the insurer’s role as a long-term partner.
Clients have access to our Risk Reduce risk management portal, which provides e-learning, health and safety training, risk engineering and claims dashboards along with risk guidance such as flood advice and other loss learnings.
For businesses operating outside London, access to this expertise can be transformative. It levels the playing field by ensuring that geography does not dictate the quality of advice or the availability of tailored insurance solutions.
A Sustainable Model for the Future
Ultimately, investing in the UK and Ireland is about building a sustainable insurance model that works for both clients and insurers. Well-resourced regional hubs allow insurers to remain close to their customers, understand evolving risks and respond with agility and confidence.
As economic growth and innovation continue to spread across the UK, insurers that commit to regional investment will be best positioned to support that journey. By combining local presence with integrated expertise and genuine product differentiation, the industry can play a pivotal role in enabling resilient, well-protected businesses – wherever they are based.
