Top 100 2019 - Rules of engagement

1 Premium handled is the approximate amount of eligible business to the nearest £1m handled by the broker as at 30/06/19. It includes the annualised premium of any business recently acquired.

2 Eligible business is UK and Northern Ireland-based commercial and retail business excluding private medical insurance, wholesale and business obtained from other brokers.

3 Eligible brokers are firms dealing direct with clients with more than 50% being commercial; it excludes international and personal lines brokers. Lloyd’s brokers are not included unless it is incidental to UK direct dealing operations or there is a substantial UK retail/direct business – all business introduced by other brokers should be excluded.

4 Major specialisms are sectors which represent more than 20% income.

5 Commercial business includes commercial vehicle but would not include connected personal lines.

6 ‘What we are’ is a brief statement of the broker’s market position. For example:

• Corporate broker targeting mid-market business in the North East;
• Community broker targeting commercial and connected personal lines around Peterborough;
• Specialist brokers in IT sector.

7 Major trading subsidiaries are firms that trade direct under a totally different name.

8 Information on size has been mainly provided by the brokers themselves. Some who would be in the Top 100 but have specifically asked not to be included are omitted from the banding and listed separately. Where no response has been provided then income figures have been estimated using a combination of press information and the application of industry figures to published accounts or headcounts.