Alta Signa is continuing to expand its European specialty platform, with France a key growth market. Through our close-to-source underwriting model, we combine deep local knowledge with access to international capacity, helping brokers place complex specialty risks quickly and confidently.
In this edition of our Spotlight series, we speak with Cédric Denysiak, Branch Manager France, who joined Alta Signa in October 2025 and brings more than 20 years of experience across financial lines and specialty insurance.
Cédric shares his outlook on the French specialty market as we enter 2026, and explains how Alta Signa is building a strong, locally embedded platform for brokers and clients.
You joined Alta Signa in autumn 2025, how would you characterise the French specialty market as we enter 2026?
“The French specialty insurance market is mature, but it is facing a period of uncertainty. Brokers and clients are increasingly looking towards the London market for access to global capacity, specialist underwriting expertise, and solutions for complex risks. As an MGA working closely with London market carriers, Alta Signa can offer brokers an efficient route to that expertise, often with real cost and service advantages.”
Across financial lines and other specialty risks, what pressure points are you seeing from French clients and brokers?
“Financial lines remain under pressure, with premium volatility and tightening underwriting conditions across cyber, D&O and professional indemnity. There is also growing demand for cover around niche or emerging risks that sit outside traditional underwriting frameworks, where without the right expertise or data you can produce unexpected exposures. These are not small losses, they can be very large, complex claims, which is why having a dedicated in-house claims team is so important.”
Regulatory scrutiny continues to intensify in areas such as D&O and cyber. How is this shaping the market in France?
“In D&O, the landscape is tightening, with policy wording, exclusions, and litigation exposure all under greater scrutiny, and policies needing to be fully compliant with French law. Underwriting remains the same challenge everywhere, you need strong technical fundamentals, but also the tools and agility to respond quickly. In cyber, the real opportunity and need is in the SME segment, where penetration is still relatively low but demand is rising fast.”
MGAs are gaining traction in France. What advantages does the MGA model bring?
“Traditionally, MGAs have not been the default route in France, but that is changing, especially for complex specialty risks. MGAs can move quickly, challenge technical issues, and operate with less bureaucracy, and that flexibility is a major advantage in today’s market. Our value is being close to the source, understanding local market conditions while bringing specialist capacity and decision-making speed.”
Looking ahead, what are your priorities for Alta Signa in France over the next 12–18 months?
“First, we want to consolidate our position in excess and specialty lines with strong underwriting capacity, and second, to build a sustainable, permanent market presence in France. Having our own claims handling function is extremely important because it builds confidence with brokers and clients. Developing partnerships with leading brokers will be essential as we expand in the SME segment, build a balanced portfolio, and grow Alta Signa’s specialty platform locally.”
Thanks for taking the time to chat, Cédric!