The Clear Group
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Clear Group does
The Clear Group is an independent Chartered Insurance broker founded in 2001 and headquartered in London, operating across the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe through a diversified platform of acquired insurance brands. The Group handles £1bn+ in gross written premiums (GWP) across approximately 1,000 employees and 35+ locations, with revenue generated primarily through brokerage commissions, MGA underwriting premiums, broker network membership, wholesale placement, and SaaS technology licensing. Core subsidiaries include Clear Insurance Management (retail broking with Lloyd's broker registration), Shape Underwriting (MGA capability consolidated from Profile Underwriting and One Commercial Specialty, plus Shape Digital and Shape Underwriting Ireland), Brokerbility (membership community of independent brokers placing £1bn+ GWP), Brokertech (cloud-based SaaS insurance platform with API-architected infrastructure writing £100m+ premium annually across three continents), Lilley Plummer Risks (wholesale broker with Lloyd's and London market access), and Clear Management Europe (continental European expansion entity established 2023).
The Group has executed an aggressive, programmatic acquisition strategy — over 50 acquisitions since 2001 — to build specialist capabilities across commercial, professional, and niche insurance sectors including construction, cyber, legal indemnity, professional indemnity, marine, HNW private client, and MGA underwriting. Backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management since June 2022 (following ECI Partners' 2018-2022 tenure), the Group is led by Group CEO Mike Edgeley (joined January 2021, ex-A-Plan/Capita/BGL Group, 17 years military) and a senior team drawn from Hastings Group, Simply Business, RSA, Miller, JLT, and Marsh. The acquisition model preserves acquired brand identities, local expertise, and operational autonomy while delivering centralized capital, market access, and back-office scale. The Group is FCA-regulated, holds Chartered Insurance Broker status from the CII, is a Lloyd's registered broker and Lloyd's approved coverholder, and was the first UK insurance broker to set a Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net Zero commitment.
The Clear Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Clear Group
- Legal name
- Clear Group (Holdings) Limited
- Website
- https://thecleargroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Clear Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insurance Brokerage Services
- NAICS
- Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mid-Market Commercial Package (Package Policies) (FSAJAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wholesale Insurance Brokerage (Excess & Surplus Lines) (FSAEADAD)
Keywords
Where The Clear Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
The Clear Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Insurance Brokerage Commissions: Clear Insurance Management operates as an independent insurance broker earning commissions from insurers for placing business. The company handles over £1bn in gross written premiums across its broker operations.
- MGA Underwriting Premiums: Shape Underwriting manages general agent operations underwriting non-standard, specialist and niche commercial insurance products. The MGA contributes approximately £19m in gross written premiums and insures over 160,000 businesses and individuals.
- Broker Network Membership: Brokerbility operates as a membership community of independent brokers placing over £1bn of GWP, with the network providing collective strength and market access.
- Wholesale Brokerage: Lilley Plummer Risks provides UK and international brokers access to Lloyd's and London market, operating as a wholesale broker with rapid growth since 2019.
- Technology Solutions Licensing: Brokertech provides SaaS Insurance solutions writing over £100m of premium annually across three continents for MGAs, brokers, underwriters and syndicates.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Clear Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Clear Group is an independent Chartered Insurance broker that distributes commercial, professional, and specialty insurance through a diversified platform. Core operations include retail insurance brokerage (Clear Insurance Management), Managing General Agent underwriting (Shape Underwriting), wholesale Lloyd's and London market access (Lilley Plummer Risks), a broker membership network (Brokerbility), and a SaaS insurance technology platform (Brokertech). The Group places over £1bn in gross written premiums across the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe for corporate, SME, and specialist niche clients.
Product overview
The Clear Group operates as a diversified insurance intermediary platform comprising multiple interconnected brands: its core retail insurance broking business (Clear Insurance Management), geographic expansions (Clear Insurance Ireland, Clear Management Europe), wholesale operations (Lilley Plummer Risks), MGA capabilities (Shape Underwriting with Shape Underwriting Ireland and Shape Digital), a broker network (Brokerbility), and technology solutions (Brokertech SaaS platform). The group has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy since 2001, now numbering over 50 acquisitions, to build specialist capabilities across commercial, professional, niche, and specialty insurance lines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clear Insurance Management Independent chartered insurance broker covering UK and Ireland, focused on the UK corporate and SME market, offering award-winning insurance cover for businesses, people and individuals. Registered Lloyd's broker providing direct access to global underwriting capacity.
- Clear Insurance Ireland Irish commercial insurance brokerage (formerly MBC Insurance) specialising in delivering specialist insurance guidance and tailored coverage to professionals including plant and tool hirers, forklift hirers, sales operators, SME businesses, and technology/IT businesses.
- Clear Management Europe (CME) European expansion entity building presence across continental European markets through acquisition of insurance brokers, underwriters, agencies and teams focusing on commercial and industrial insurance.
- Lilley Plummer Risks Wholesale insurance broker providing UK and international brokers access to Lloyd's and London market. Multi-class international wholesaler evolved from a leading Marine specialist since its inception in 2019.
- Shape Underwriting Managing General Agent operating across the UK and Ireland as a specialist underwriting business. Full member of the MGAA and Lloyd's approved coverholder, providing non-standard, specialist and niche commercial insurance products.
- Shape Underwriting Ireland Commercial MGA and Lloyd's Coverholder operating in Ireland and Northern Ireland since 2007, dealing exclusively through brokers and offering commercial insurance solutions including Liability, Material Damage and BI, Property Owners, Contractors All Risks, Personal Accident & Illness, and Professional Indemnity.
- Shape Digital Specialist digital MGA (formerly Accelerate Underwriting) founded in 2015, offering bespoke products backed by A-rated insurers. Uses data and customer insights to build e-traded solutions, simplifying placement of schemes, affinity partnerships and non-standard insurance with focus on Property & Casualty business.
- Brokerbility Membership community of independent, professional brokers united by shared values with commitment to growth and service excellence. Members place in excess of £1bn of GWP, providing collective strength, market access and superior insurer deals.
- Brokertech SaaS Insurance platform providing scheme solutions to MGAs, brokers, underwriters and syndicates. Modern cloud-based technology with wholesale, B2C and back-office applications. API-architected infrastructure enables product launch in under six weeks, writing over £100m of premium annually across three continents.
- Techinsure
Companies that use The Clear Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
The Clear Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Clear Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and strategic.
- Zurich InsurancemajorZurich Insurance collaborated with Clear on Major Loss Award win at British Insurance Awards. Zurich sponsors FAB network events. Clear employees have been accepted into Zurich Leadership Academy for professional development.
- MindsupportingClear partnered with Mind as their charity of the year in 2024, continuing into 2025. Mind is the leading mental health charity across England and Wales. Clear employees fundraise through events and challenges supporting mental health awareness.
- VLC & PartnersstrategicFormalized partnership with VLC & Partners, one of the leading independent insurance brokers in the Netherlands with over 300 brokers, advisers, risk specialists and claims experts. Partnership provides EU insurance requirements coverage for Clear clients post-Brexit. VLC offers Property & Casualty, Professional and Financial Lines, Private Lines, Employee Benefits, and Claims services across manufacturing, construction, retail, care, professional services and logistics sectors.
- AvivamajorAviva is a major insurance partner mentioned in customer testimonial. Michelle Taylor, Director at Aviva, provides quote about strong partnership based on collaborative approach and shared customer values. Aviva sponsors FAB (Female Alliance in Business) network events.
- ClimateCaresupportingClear uses carbon credits purchased through ClimateCare to achieve carbon neutrality. ClimateCare helps finance clean energy projects in emerging countries as part of Clear's sustainability commitment.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Clear Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Clear Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Clear Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
The Clear Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Clear Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
The Clear Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
The Clear Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Clear Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A20 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Clear Group
What does The Clear Group do?
The Clear Group is an independent Chartered Insurance broker that distributes commercial, professional, and specialty insurance through a diversified platform. Core operations include retail insurance brokerage (Clear Insurance Management), Managing General Agent underwriting (Shape Underwriting), wholesale Lloyd's and London market access (Lilley Plummer Risks), a broker membership network (Brokerbility), and a SaaS insurance technology platform (Brokertech). The Group places over £1bn in gross written premiums across the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe for corporate, SME, and specialist niche clients.
Is The Clear Group a public or private company?
The Clear Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was The Clear Group founded?
The Clear Group was founded in 2001. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is The Clear Group based?
The Clear Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Clear Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Insurance Brokerage Commissions are the primary driver. The others are MGA Underwriting Premiums, broker Network Membership, wholesale Brokerage and technology Solutions Licensing.
Does The Clear Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Clear Group.
What industry is The Clear Group in?
The Clear Group's product category is Insurance Brokerage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAFAB, Mid-Market Commercial Package (Package Policies), with a secondary code of FSAEADAD, Wholesale Insurance Brokerage (Excess & Surplus Lines). Its NAICS code is 5242 and its SIC code is 6411.