Your own life insurance brokerage
Set up a small FCA-authorised protection firm with your own brand, local client base and referral partners.
- £6k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
8,071 UK companies in this field, 19% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 66220 “Activities of insurance agents and brokers”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small brokerage you own and run, advising clients on life and protection insurance under your own FCA authorisation. You choose your brand, panel of insurers and how you work, and you carry the regulatory responsibility yourself.
Your first three steps
- Get the relevant protection or financial planning qualifications and some experience advising clients
- Talk to a regulatory consultant about FCA authorisation, costs and timescales, and draft a simple business plan
- Get quotes for professional indemnity insurance, compliance support and a protection comparison and CRM system
Who pays
Insurers pay commission on policies you arrange. Some firms also charge adviser fees to clients. Clients are local families, homeowners and the self-employed, often referred by mortgage advisers or accountants.
How it makes money
Upfront and ongoing commission, any fees you charge, and referral relationships. Keeping the full commission is possible, but you pay for compliance, insurance, software and premises yourself.
Skills that help
- Regulated advice and compliance awareness
- Sales and relationship building
- Running a small business
- Marketing locally and online
Watch out for
- FCA authorisation takes time and has fees, so check current requirements on the FCA website before committing
- Your firm is responsible for compliance, complaints handling and the Consumer Duty
- Professional indemnity insurance and ongoing regulatory fees are real running costs
- Commission clawback if clients cancel early
- Check what your landlord, lender or council say if you plan to see clients at home
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: your own life insurance brokerage
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a life insurance brokerage?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around £6,000 to £30,000, depending on how you set up your firm. Professional indemnity insurance and ongoing regulatory fees are real running costs, so check them before committing.
How much can a small life insurance brokerage earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on the policies you arrange and any adviser fees. Commission can be clawed back if clients cancel early, so factor that into your planning.
How long does FCA authorisation take?
It takes time and has fees, so check current requirements on the FCA website before committing. Also check that your firm is responsible for compliance, complaints handling and the Consumer Duty, and what insurance and regulatory fees you will pay.
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