Brownhill Insurance Group

What Brownhill Insurance Group does

Brownhill Insurance Group is an independent, family-run insurance broker headquartered in Bromley, Kent, founded by John Brownhill in April 1980 and now in its third generation of family ownership under Managing Director Gillian Henderson. The company operates as an intermediary placing business with a panel of A-rated insurer partners, serving 3,450+ clients with £500m+ in assets insured, split roughly 50/50 between personal and commercial lines. Its product portfolio is organized into four divisions: Private Client (high-value home, high-value motor, family fleet, holiday homes, renovations, jewellery and watches, unoccupied property), Commercial (corporate, IT and technology, cyber, contractors, motor fleet, office, shop, SME, pub and restaurant, marine cargo, hotel), Real Estate (property owners, unoccupied and non-standard property), and the specialist Love Art sub-brand for galleries, dealers, and collectors. Love Art policies offer distinctive features such as 30% uplift on consignment values and worldwide transit coverage.

The business is built on a sales-led, advisory-driven go-to-market model rather than a digital self-serve platform. Dedicated commercial and private client advisor teams are reachable via direct phone lines and email, and the company invests in content marketing through its Insurance Matters blog and SEO-optimized service pages. The company is a member of WTW Networks and BIBA accredited, FCA authorized (reference 306131), and holds Cyber Essentials certification.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) commission on premiums paid by insurers for placing and renewing business (earned upfront and generally non-refundable on cancellation), (2) brokerage fees for mid-term adjustments, cancellations, and documentation (a £10 admin charge applies), and (3) remunerated premium finance arrangements via third-party credit brokers for monthly instalment plans. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with 30-day quotation validity. As of 2020 the firm employed 29 staff, some with over 25 years of service, with no external institutional investment or private equity backing. The company is privately held, with Brownhill Holdings Ltd and BH Holdings Ltd owning 100% of share capital.

Name

Brownhill Insurance Group

Legal name

Brownhill Insurance Group Limited

Website

http://brownhillgroup.co.uk/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brownhill Insurance Group is an independent UK insurance broker headquartered in Bromley, Kent, founded in 1980 and employing 29 staff to serve 3,450+ clients with £500m+ in assets insured across private client, commercial, real estate, and specialist art insurance segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage Services

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA), Specialty/Unique Item Coverage (Fine Art, Antiques, Pianos, Safes) (HSAKANAE)

Keywords

• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Private client insurance
• Art insurance specialist
• High net worth insurance
• Cyber liability insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Kent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Commission: Brownhill receives commission as a percentage of the premium from insurers when placing or renewing insurance business. Commission is fully earned from the date the policy commences and may not be refundable in the event of cancellation.
2. Brokerage Fees: Fees charged for services including mid-term adjustments, cancellations, replacement certificates and documentation. An additional charge of £10 is made for mid-term adjustments and cancellations.
3. Premium Finance Arrangement: As credit brokers, Brownhill arranges monthly premium instalments through established premium finance providers and receives remuneration for this service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Brownhill Insurance Group is an independent insurance broker acting as intermediary between UK clients and A-rated insurer partners, arranging tailored insurance cover across Personal, Commercial, Real Estate, and Art segments. The firm assesses each client's risk profile, contacts multiple insurers to obtain quotes, and places bespoke policies, with separate dedicated Commercial and Private Client advisor teams. Specialist offerings include high-value home, high-value motor, family fleet, jewellery and watches, cyber, and the Love Art sub-brand for galleries, dealers, and collectors.

Product overview

Brownhill Insurance Group is an independent, family-run insurance broker offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products and risk management services organized across three main divisions: Private Client, Commercial, and Art Insurance. The company operates as a tailored insurance advisory service rather than a standardized digital product. The Private Client division provides high-value home, motor, and specialty coverage (jewellery, renovations, holiday homes). The Commercial division offers business insurance across sectors including IT/technology, cyber, contractors, motor fleet, hospitality, and real estate. The Art Insurance division operates under the 'Love Art' sub-brand, providing specialist gallery, dealer, and collector coverage with bespoke terms including 30% uplift on settlements and worldwide transit protection. The company serves both personal and commercial clients with 50/50 business split, delivering advisory-led service supported by claims assistance and risk management analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High Value Home Insurance Specialist home insurance coverage for high-value residential properties, designed for high-net-worth clients whose homes require higher sums insured and bespoke policy terms than standard household cover provides.
• High Value Motor Insurance Insurance for high-value vehicles and prestige automobiles providing comprehensive coverage for luxury cars owned by private clients.
• Family Fleet Insurance Multi-vehicle insurance for families operating several cars, providing consolidated fleet-style protection under a single policy arrangement.
• Holiday and Second Home Insurance Insurance coverage for holiday homes and second properties protecting against property damage, liability, and unoccupancy risks associated with secondary residences.
• Renovations Insurance Specialist coverage for properties undergoing renovation or construction work, addressing the heightened property damage and liability risks during building projects.
• Jewellery and Watches Insurance Specified-item coverage for jewellery and watches with agreed valuations, providing protection on and away from premises for high-value personal items.
• Corporate Business Insurance Comprehensive business insurance solutions for corporate clients covering property, liability, and operational risks tailored to the entity's industry profile.
• IT and Technology Insurance Insurance coverage tailored for technology businesses, including professional indemnity and media liability to address the specific risks of IT and tech-sector firms.
• Cyber Insurance Coverage for cyber risks including data breaches, ransomware attacks, and cyber extortion, with access to incident response support services for affected businesses.
• Contractors Insurance Insurance solutions for contractors and tradespeople covering public liability, tool coverage, and contract works exposures associated with building and trade work.
• Motor Fleet Insurance Multi-vehicle insurance for businesses operating fleets of vehicles, providing consolidated coverage and fleet risk management.
• Office Insurance Coverage for office-based businesses including building, contents, and business interruption protection for property and operational exposures.
• Shop Insurance Retail business insurance covering shops and traders against property damage, liability, and stock losses specific to retail premises.
• SME Insurance Tailored insurance solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises covering the range of risks typically faced by UK SMEs.
• Pub and Restaurant Insurance Specialized coverage for pubs and restaurants addressing industry-specific risks including liquor liability, property damage, and hospitality operational exposures.
• Marine Cargo Insurance Coverage for goods in transit by sea or air, protecting against loss or damage during shipping across global trade routes.
• Hotel Insurance Comprehensive insurance solutions for hotels and hospitality businesses covering property, liability, and operational risks specific to the hotel sector.
• Business Risk Assessment Analysis Professional analysis service to identify and evaluate business risks and recommend appropriate insurance solutions for commercial clients.
• Business Risk Management Ongoing risk management advisory services to help businesses identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks beyond the initial policy placement.
• Cyber: Proactive Protection Proactive cyber insurance coverage combining preventative measures and responsive services to help businesses guard against cyber threats.
• Property Owners Insurance Insurance coverage for property owners and landlords protecting against property damage, liability, and rental income loss across let residential portfolios.
• Unoccupied and Non-standard Property Insurance Specialist insurance for unoccupied properties and non-standard residential risks that standard household policies typically exclude or limit.
• Love Art Insurance Specialist art insurance sub-brand providing bespoke coverage for galleries, art dealers, artists, exhibition curators, and private collectors, featuring 30% uplift on settlement values, worldwide transit coverage, and third-party venue protection unavailable under standard shop or office policies.
• Claims Handling Service Assistance with insurance claims processing, including working with loss adjusters, claims professionals, and facilitating interim payments on behalf of clients across all policy lines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by 3,450+ clients with £500m assets insured
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hiscox InsurancecoreTechnology or Integration · 28 May 2019Hiscox is the primary insurer for art gallery clients. They provided £10,000 immediate interim payment for claims and handled restoration of damaged artworks. Their investigation determined whether damaged items could be restored.
• WTW NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrownhill Insurance Group is a proud member of WTW Networks, providing access to additional market capacity and resources for placing complex insurance risks.
• BIBA (British Insurance Brokers' Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIBA accredited insurance broker. BIBA membership provides access to industry resources, training, and represents the interests of insurance brokers in the UK.
• Rebuild Cost Assessment (RICS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering rebuild cost assessment surveys for £150 + VAT through RICS members. Helps clients ensure correct property sums insured to avoid underinsurance issues.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• James Hallam: Independent UK insurance broker specialising in commercial and HNW private client lines. Closely comparable boutique-style broker with bespoke advisory service and similar specialty positioning.
• Bluefin Insurance: UK insurance broker offering commercial and personal lines through regional offices. Comparable advisory-led brokerage model with similar segmentation into commercial and private clients.
• Towergate Insurance: UK insurance broker offering commercial, personal, and specialty lines through regional offices. Comparable product breadth and UK mid-market broker positioning, with a similar multi-division structure.
• Stackhouse Poland: Independent UK insurance broker providing HNW personal lines and commercial insurance. Comparable specialist brokerage serving similar private-client and SME segments in the London/south-east market.
• Howden Group Holdings: Large UK-headquartered independent insurance broker with comparable HNW private client, commercial, and specialty practices. Closely aligned business model (commission-based advisory brokerage) and similar client segments, though materially larger scale.
• Aston Lark: UK independent insurance broker serving commercial and private clients across multiple specialty lines. Directly comparable mid-market UK broker with similar advisory-led model and SME/HNW client mix.
• Nexus Insurance Brokers: UK independent broker offering commercial and personal lines including specialist covers. Comparable mid-sized independent broker with multi-line advisory offering and similar client profile.

Others

• Hiscox: UK specialty insurer and provider of art/courier/specialty policies that is a key carrier partner for Brownhill's Love Art product. Adjacent rather than competing, but materially relevant as a counterparty and benchmark for specialist art insurance.

Broad incumbents

• Marsh: Global insurance broker and risk advisor with substantial UK commercial and specialty practice. Overlaps in commercial and art/valuable articles placement, but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
• Aon: Global insurance and reinsurance broker with significant UK commercial and HNW practice. Comparable specialty broker capabilities but as part of a much broader portfolio of risk, health, and wealth services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brownhillgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrownhillGroup

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Brownhill Insurance Group