CBC UK Ltd

What CBC UK Ltd does

CBC UK Limited is an independent Lloyd's of London insurance broker founded in 1985 and headquartered at Houndsditch, London, operating across nine specialist divisions: Corporate Risks, Fine Art, Private Clients, International, Healthcare, Global Risks, Prime (wholesale), Processing and Binders, and Claims. The company places complex and non-conventional commercial and personal insurance risks with Lloyd's underwriters and London market insurers on behalf of corporate clients, high-net-worth individuals, intermediaries, and international organisations across the UK, North America, the Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the EU/EEA. Its technology stack is conventional insurance brokerage infrastructure (supported by third-party IT and compliance providers) with no proprietary technology moat; differentiation rests on broker expertise, Lloyd's market access, and personal service rather than automation. Revenue is generated through brokerage commissions on placed business under a quote-based pricing model with no publicly disclosed fee structure.

In February 2017, the company underwent a management buyout led by Andrew Wallas and Rob Cottingham with B P Marsh & Partners PLC backing, after which all employees became shareholders. CBC subsequently expanded through team acquisitions that seeded new divisions (International 2019, Healthcare and Specialty 2020, Global Risks 2021, Prime 2022) and formed dedicated subsidiaries CBC Healthcare Limited and CBC Specialty Limited for North American markets, alongside a Malta-based CBC Europe Cell for EU/EEA servicing post-Brexit. In December 2023, CBC was acquired by Specialist Risk Group via Paladin Holdings Limited, with operational independence preserved. Leadership transitioned in November 2024 with Earl Adams appointed Managing Director and founder Rob Cottingham moving to Deputy Chairman. The firm is FCA-authorised (FRN 145164), Cyber Essentials Plus certified, and trades under multiple brands including CBC Partnership, CBC Partners, and the Bell trading names.

Name

CBC UK Ltd

Legal name

CBC UK Limited

Website

https://cbcinsurance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CBC UK Limited is an independent Lloyd's of London insurance broker placing complex commercial and personal risks across nine specialist divisions, serving corporate clients, high-net-worth individuals, and intermediaries in the UK, North America, and internationally. Now part of Specialist Risk Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Insurance Brokerage (Marine, Aviation, Cyber, Professional Lines) (FSAEADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

P&C Reinsurance Brokerage (FSAOAHAG), Standalone Umbrella Liability (FSAJANAE)

Keywords

• Insurance brokerage services
• Lloyd's broker services
• Commercial insurance placement
• Specialist insurance advisory
• High net worth insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Helier

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Insurance brokerage commissions: CBC earns commissions from placing insurance policies with Lloyd's underwriters and London market insurers on behalf of clients. Revenue is generated through brokerage fees on placed business.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CBC UK Limited is an independent Lloyd's insurance broker offering specialist insurance placement, advisory, and claims services across nine divisions covering Corporate Risks, Fine Art, Private Clients, International, Healthcare, Global Risks, Prime (wholesale), Processing and Binders, and Claims. The firm places complex commercial and personal insurance risks with Lloyd's underwriters and London market insurers, providing tailored coverage solutions to corporate clients, intermediaries, international organisations, and high net worth individuals.

Product overview

CBC UK Limited is an independent Lloyd's insurance broker offering a unified platform of specialized insurance services across nine divisions: Corporate Risks, Fine Art, Private Clients, International, Healthcare, Global Risks, Prime, Processing and Binders, and Claims. The company operates as both a direct insurance broker and wholesale broker, placing complex risks with Lloyd's underwriters and London market insurers. CBC also operates two subsidiary companies (CBC Healthcare Limited and CBC Specialty Limited) for North American markets, and maintains a European presence through CBC Europe Cell in Malta. The company is employee-owned and has been part of Specialist Risk Group since December 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Risks Division

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and support.

• Specialist Risk Group (SRG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2023CBC announced a transaction with Specialist Risk Group in December 2023, combining two of the fastest growing specialist insurance brokers in the UK. This represents a significant strategic partnership that positions CBC for continued growth as part of the SRG platform.
• Jatco Insurance Brokers PCC LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBC Europe Cell operates as a protected cell of Jatco Insurance Brokers PCC Ltd in Malta. This structure enables CBC to provide services to clients in EU/EEA states while meeting regulatory requirements post-Brexit.
• Richard House Children's HospiceminorOthersCBC is a community partner of Richard House, London's first children's hospice. The company organizes regular fundraising events including quiz nights, sky dives, and abseiling challenges to support the hospice.
• Alchemy Underwriting LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlchemy Underwriting Limited is an Appointed Representative (FRN: 814867) of CBC UK Limited (FRN: 145164), authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
• London Systems UK LimitedsupportTechnology or IntegrationIT services provider supporting CBC's technology infrastructure and systems.
• Callidus Solutions LimitedsupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCompliance services provider for regulatory and compliance functions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ed Broking: Specialist Lloyd's broker with comparable activity in technical processing, binders and complex commercial risks. Bryan Taylor moved from Ed Broking to lead CBC's Processing and Binders division.
• Stackhouse Poland: London broker with Personal Lines, Commercial and Specialty capabilities including Fine Art and Private Clients, overlapping with CBC's Private Clients and Fine Art divisions. Now part of the Howden group.
• Integro Insurance Brokers: Specialty Lloyd's broker with strength in Financial Lines, Professional Indemnity and Private Clients. Tom Allen moved from Integro to lead CBC's Prime division. Now part of Acrisure.
• Price Forbes: Specialist Lloyd's broker with strength in Financial Lines, Emerging Markets and Accident & Health — overlapping closely with CBC's International, Global Risks and Prime divisions. Paul Kelly moved from Price Forbes to lead CBC's International division.
• Besso Insurance Group: Mid-sized London market broker with comparable specialty focus including D&O, Professional Indemnity and Marine. Besso serves a similar mid-market and emerging-market client base as CBC's International and Global Risks divisions.
• Consilium: Specialist London broker with technical processing and binder capabilities comparable to CBC's Processing and Binders division. Bryan Taylor was previously a Partner at Consilium before joining CBC.
• Miller Insurance Services: Independent Lloyd's broker focused on specialty and reinsurance, with similar division structures covering Energy, Marine, Professional Risks and Specialties. Miller competes directly with CBC in complex risk placement and was the prior employer of CBC Specialty CEO Malcolm Cullum.
• Howden Insurance Brokers: London-based specialist insurance broker operating at Lloyd's with multiple specialty divisions including Fine Art, D&O, Marine and Private Clients. Howden has been one of the most active consolidators of specialist Lloyd's brokers (including Stackhouse Poland) and competes head-to-head with CBC for specialty placement mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Aon: Global insurance and reinsurance broker with a substantial London market presence. Mark Winston (CBC's Global Risks CEO) began his 38-year Lloyd's career at Aon, illustrating how CBC recruits senior talent from the major incumbents.
• Marsh: Global insurance broker and risk advisor with a large Lloyd's platform. Marsh competes with CBC for the largest corporate accounts across all specialty lines and acquired JLT — CBC Healthcare CEO Justin Palmer moved from Lloyd & Partners (part of JLT) to CBC citing the desire for an independent platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CBC UK Ltd