Buying insurance brokers
General insurance brokers across the UK, with renewal income, insurer agencies and client money tested in the diligence list.
Acquisition Engine4,347insurance brokers on the platform
Figures at 15 October 2026
Renewals, agencies and client money
A broker is valued on its renewal book, so the price depends on retention, on the insurer agencies that let it place the business, and on how client money is held. The diligence list puts those first, alongside the FCA change-in-control approval that has to come before completion.
Where these deals are won or lost
34 diligence requests in 9 sections, 17 of them rated high risk. Three of the high-risk requests, with the guidance shown on each one in the app:
Income by client, insurer and class of business for the last three years, split between commission, broker fees and other income
Renewal income is what the buyer is paying for. Commercial lines held through long client relationships are worth more than personal lines bought on price each year.
Product governance and fair value: how the firm assesses each product it distributes and any add-ons it sells
Add-ons such as GAP insurance and premium finance have been an FCA focus on fair value. Ask what the firm earns on each and whether clients get value from it.
Professional indemnity insurance: schedule, limit, excess, exclusions, claims history and renewal date
Read the exclusions as well as the limit: they decide which risks are actually insured. For an advice firm, check pension transfer and investment exclusions in particular.
The full diligence list
Open a section to see its requests. Add, edit or remove requests on any deal.
Regulation 7
| R1 | FCA Register entry: firm reference number, status, permissions, any requirements or restrictions, and whether the firm is directly authorised or an appointed representative | high |
| R2 | Change in control: who in the buyer's group will acquire control, and the timetable for FCA approval | high |
| R3 | Senior Managers and Certification Regime: who holds each senior management function, the certified staff, and their fitness and propriety records | high |
| R4 | Correspondence with the FCA for the last six years: supervisory visits, information requests, skilled person reviews, notifications and any enforcement | high |
| R5 | Regulatory returns for the last three years (RMAR and any others) and the firm's capital resources requirement | medium |
| R6 | Consumer Duty: fair value assessments, outcomes monitoring, the annual board report and the action taken on it | medium |
| R7 | Client money: whether the firm holds or controls any, under what permission, and the last client assets audit report | medium |
Recurring income 7
| F1 | Income by client, insurer and class of business for the last three years, split between commission, broker fees and other income | high |
| F2 | Renewal retention rate by class of business for the last three years, and policies lost at renewal with reasons | high |
| F3 | Terms of business agreements with every insurer, agencies held, and any binding authorities or delegated underwriting | high |
| F4 | Premium finance arrangements, the commission earned on them, and how they are disclosed to clients | medium |
| F5 | Insurer and scheme concentration: income from the top five insurers and any single scheme | medium |
| F6 | Client concentration: the top 20 clients by income and their share of the total | high |
| F7 | Clients lost in the last three years, and the reasons given | medium |
Placing and claims 3
| D1 | Product governance and fair value: how the firm assesses each product it distributes and any add-ons it sells | high |
| D2 | Placing and demands-and-needs records for a sample of clients, and how the firm shows it searched the market where it says it does | high |
| D3 | Claims handling: claims the firm handles for clients, service standards and any disputes over late notification | medium |
Complaints and PI 4
| K1 | Complaints log for the last six years, Financial Ombudsman Service cases and decisions, and redress paid | high |
| K2 | Professional indemnity insurance: schedule, limit, excess, exclusions, claims history and renewal date | high |
| K3 | Run-off cover for the seller and who pays for it | high |
| K4 | FSCS and FCA levies paid for the last three years, and any outstanding | medium |
Anti-money laundering 1
| A1 | AML risk assessment, client due diligence on a sample of clients, and financial crime training records | medium |
People 5
| P1 | Adviser and staff list: role, qualifications, Statement of Professional Standing, date of birth, salary, notice period and restrictive covenants | high |
| P2 | Which adviser holds which client relationships, and who has agreed to stay | high |
| P3 | Training and competence scheme, supervision records and annual certification of advisers | medium |
| P4 | Paraplanning and administration: who does it, in-house or outsourced, and on what contract | medium |
| P5 | Employment contracts, pension arrangements and any disputes or tribunal claims | medium |
Systems 2
| S1 | Back-office system, data quality, and what can be exported to the buyer's systems | medium |
| S2 | Cyber security, data protection, ICO registration and any data breaches | medium |
Financials 3
| B1 | Accounts for the last three years and management accounts for the current year | high |
| B2 | Adjusted profit: owners' remuneration replaced by the cost of the people who will do their work | high |
| B3 | Bank statements for the last twelve months, borrowing, and the tax position including any open enquiries | medium |
Legal and property 2
| L1 | Client agreements and terms of business, and whether they can be assigned to the buyer | medium |
| L2 | Premises, supplier contracts, statutory books and any shareholder agreement | medium |
The first hundred days
27 actions, each with a target day counted from completion. These are the first eight.
Questions
Is FCA approval needed before completion?
Yes. A change in control of an FCA-regulated broker needs FCA approval first, and the timetable is the first regulation request on the list.
Does the list cover insurer agencies?
Yes. Each agency, its terms and whether it survives a change of ownership are requested in the placing section.
How is client money covered?
The list asks whether the broker holds or controls client money, under what permission, and for the last client assets audit report.
Book a demonstration on your acquisition criteria
Tell us the region, fee range and type of practice you want to acquire. We prepare a target list against those criteria before the call, so the demonstration uses firms you could approach.