Pinpoint UK’s growth strategy targets data, capacity and disciplined underwriting

The MGA market is crowded with start-ups promising speed and flexibility. Few, however, have been built from the ground up to leverage technology as a genuine differentiator. Pinpoint UK is one of the exceptions.

Key points:
Specialty lines chosen for distinct niches
Agility balanced with underwriting discipline
Growth focused on profitability, not scale

According to CUO Darren Powell, the company was designed with digital capability at its core rather than bolted on as an afterthought. “We’re a new company, able to build everything on modern architecture,” he told Monte Carlo Today. 

That tech-first approach helped Pinpoint leap from blueprint to active specialty player in just 12 months. “This time last year, we hadn’t even got the keys to our office. Now, we’ve already moved to another one,” Powell recalled.

The physical relocation mirrors a far bigger journey from concept to a live business writing accounts, attracting new talent and laying out a strategy focused on discipline and selective growth. 

“We’ve come a long way in a relatively short span of time.”

For Powell, technology underpins everything Pinpoint does. AI is used to clean and analyze delegated business data, providing clients with insights in near real-time.This dual benefit accelerates Pinpoint’s decision-making and provides brokers with sharper insights. “It gives clients a certain loyalty to us,” Powell noted. “They know they’re dealing with people that are tech-savvy.”

Unlike legacy systems where each tweak requires a developer request, Pinpoint can adapt instantly. “We can make any changes ourselves, which makes a big difference,” Powell highlighted, adding that this flexibility ensured the MGA stayed ahead of market trends while keeping operations efficient.

“Everything we do has a specialism in terms of either product or distribution.”

Specialty growth, carefully paced

Rather than rushing to scale, Pinpoint takes a measured approach, concentrating on niches where it can deliver meaningful value. Its recently launched Tailored Solutions unit writes bespoke, low-limit, data-driven programmes, with industry veteran Tom Griggs at the helm.

“We’re trying to not just play in the same mainstream market as everyone else,” Powell explained. “Everything we do has a specialism in terms of either product or distribution.” 

Two additional lines are planned for announcement in the coming months.

Pinpoint is structured as an MGA that shares risk, plays selective niches and is already scaling. In a challenging global capacity environment, it benefits from the backing of ASIC (AM Specialty Insurance Company), its A-rated Dallas-based parent.

“One of the big differences is we have our own capacity,” Powell said. “We take a share of everything we write, and we’ll do that on all programmes.” 

This alignment reassures external carriers: “By being deliberate in our underwriting approach, we’re resonating with our clients The appetite for long-term, profitable, sustainable business is still very compelling.”

Pinpoint deliberately avoids catastrophe and large-limit exposures, focusing instead on attritional business with proven profitability. “We’re not overly dependent on reinsurance,” Powell noted. “But equally, we like to partner with people who strategically understand what we’re trying to do.”

Discipline with agility

Balancing underwriting discipline with client responsiveness is central to Pinpoint’s philosophy. “Underwriting has to be nimble, agile and provide a product that’s valuable to all involved,” Powell insisted. “But it has to be sustainable, otherwise, it’ll be a flash in the pan.”

Private ownership also gives Pinpoint the freedom to prioritise sustainable growth: “We don’t have particular top-line pressures to grow. What we’re looking to do is grow profitably.”

Powell remains mindful of the broader threats, from climate change to geopolitical uncertainty. Each product is stress-tested against systemic risk, sometimes leading to clarified or restricted cover. “You have to stay on the crest of that wave,” Powell cautioned. “You have to be innovative while being diligent.”

This year, Powell wants brokers and carriers to recognise that Pinpoint is now a scaled-up, operational player: the London team has grown to nine, with plans to reach up to 15 by year-end. A larger Lime Street headquarters signals long-term ambition. 

“We’re resourcing the company properly and providing quite unique solutions,” Powell stated. “Both at a group level and a Pinpoint level, we’ve moved a long way, and we’re excited to share what we’re doing with partners.”

With a foundation built on technology, disciplined underwriting and selective growth, Pinpoint UK is positioning itself not just to compete but to redefine what a modern, agile MGA can achieve.

Darren Powell is CUO of Pinpoint UK and can be contacted at: darren.powell@pinpoint-ins.com

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