What PolicyBee does

PolicyBee is a UK-based specialist insurance broker founded in 1998 as the country's first online quote-and-buy broker for small businesses. The company is FCA-authorised (FRN 945969), privately held, founder-owned, and headquartered between a registered office in Norwich and an operational office in Ipswich, with a headcount of 11–50 employees. It serves over 80,000 UK freelancers, sole traders, limited companies, and charities, and reports a 4.8/5 Feefo rating across 6,310 reviews.

The product portfolio centres on professional indemnity, public liability, and employers' liability cover, extended across 35+ occupation-specific lines and into adjacent classes including cyber, directors' and officers', medical malpractice, office, commercial property, business contents, portable equipment, and stock insurance. A dedicated charity vertical adds trustee indemnity and charity-specific packages. Distribution is primarily direct via the company's online quote-and-buy platform and an inside-sales phone team (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm), supplemented by an affiliate/refer-a-friend programme and paid acquisition on Google, Bing, Facebook, and The Trade Desk. The technology stack is a proprietary quote-and-buy system layered with standard martech, analytics (Google Analytics), CAPTCHA/security (Cloudflare Turnstile, CHEQ AI), and customer-feedback (Feefo) tooling.

Revenue is earned as commission from insurers on policies placed through the broker's panel, with annual policies offered alongside monthly or instalment payment options through Premium Credit Ltd finance and zero admin fees. The company is independent, UK-only, and free of external equity, subsidiaries, or M&A history.

Name

PolicyBee

Legal name

PolicyBee Ltd

Website

https://policybee.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PolicyBee is a UK specialist insurance broker, founded in 1998, that provides professional indemnity, liability, cyber, and occupation-specific business insurance to freelancers, sole traders, limited companies, and charities via an online quote-and-buy platform and phone sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

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

Small Business BOP (Main Street) (FSAJAFAA), Professional Firms BOP (Office/Professional) (FSAJAFAE)

Keywords

• Business insurance brokerage
• Professional indemnity insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Cyber insurance coverage
• Small business insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Ipswich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commission: PolicyBee earns commission as an insurance intermediary, paid by insurers based on premiums collected. Commission is calculated as a percentage of the premium and may include profit share arrangements. The company conducts fair market analysis across their panel of insurers to find suitable coverage for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PolicyBee is a specialist UK insurance broker that arranges and sells business insurance products to small businesses, freelancers, sole traders, limited companies, and charities. Customers can either buy coverage directly through PolicyBee's online quote-and-buy platform or speak with insurance professionals over the phone. The company acts as an intermediary across a panel of insurers, earning brokerage commission on premiums placed.

Product overview

PolicyBee is a UK-based online insurance broker and pioneer, established in 1998 as the UK's first quote-and-buy-online broker. The company offers a unified digital insurance platform providing business insurance products for freelancers, sole traders, limited companies, and charities. The core product portfolio centres on professional liability and property coverage: Professional Indemnity Insurance (protecting against claims of professional negligence), Public Liability Insurance (covering injuries/property damage to third parties), and Employers' Liability Insurance (legally required coverage for employee claims). Additional core products include Cyber Insurance, Directors' & Officers' Insurance, Medical Malpractice Insurance, and property-related coverage (Office Insurance, Commercial Property Insurance, Business Contents Insurance, Portable Equipment Insurance, Stock Insurance). The company also offers targeted insurance solutions by business type (Contractor, Consultant, Freelancer, Home Business, Limited Company, Self-Employed, Shop, Sole Trader, Tradesmen Insurance) and by occupation (covering over 35 professions including accountants, architects, beauty therapists, engineers, IT contractors, photographers, software developers, and teachers). For the not-for-profit sector, PolicyBee provides Charity Insurance and Trustee Indemnity Insurance. The platform supports customers from quote through claim with online and phone-based service options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Indemnity Insurance Covers businesses if they make a mistake or if an unhappy client claims they haven't done what was agreed, regardless of fault. Pays for legal defence, fixes issues, and covers compensation. Aimed at consultants, freelancers, and small professional firms.
• Public Liability Insurance Covers businesses if someone claims their business has injured a person or damaged their property. Pays to defend the business and compensates the person claiming. Sold to small businesses, sole traders, and contractors across the UK.
• Employers' Liability Insurance Covers allegations and claims made by staff that the business has made them ill or injured them. Legally required for any UK business with employees, including volunteers, temps, and work-experience participants.
• Cyber Insurance Covers the time and money needed to put a business back together following a cyber-attack, including repairing hardware, restoring data, compensating customers, and covering lost income. Available to UK small businesses and charities.
• Directors' & Officers' Insurance Protects company leaders and key decision-makers if they make a wrong call and are held personally responsible. Sold to small limited companies in the UK.
• Medical Malpractice Insurance Covers healthcare practitioners for claims related to treatment liability and professional negligence in medical settings. Aimed at UK healthcare professionals and clinics.
• Office Insurance Comprehensive insurance hub covering office-related business risks and property for UK-based small businesses operating from offices.
• Commercial Property Insurance Covers commercial buildings and property against damage, loss, and specified risks for UK small businesses.
• Business Contents Insurance Covers business equipment, furniture, and contents against loss, damage, or theft.
• Portable Equipment Insurance Covers equipment that is taken outside business premises against accidental loss, damage, theft, and malicious damage.
• Stock Insurance Covers business inventory and stock against specified risks for retailers and wholesalers.
• Trustee Indemnity Insurance Protects trustees of charities and not-for-profits against claims arising from their management decisions.
• Charity Insurance Comprehensive insurance covering charities, community groups, and not-for-profits including public liability, employers' liability, and cyber insurance.
• Online Retailers Insurance Specialised insurance for businesses selling products online, covering relevant business risks.
• Contractor Insurance Insurance coverage designed specifically for contractors working on various projects.
• Consultant Insurance Insurance coverage for consultants across various professional disciplines.
• Freelancer Insurance Insurance coverage tailored for freelancers and independent professionals.
• Home Business Insurance Insurance for businesses operated from home premises.
• Limited Company Insurance Insurance products designed for limited company structures.
• Self-Employed Insurance Insurance coverage for self-employed individuals.
• Shop Insurance Insurance for retail shops and physical retail premises.
• Sole Trader Insurance Insurance coverage specifically designed for sole traders.
• Tradesmen Insurance Insurance for tradespeople including plumbers, electricians, and construction professionals.
• Occupation-Specific Insurance Cover Specialised insurance for over 35 specific occupations including accountants, architects, beauty therapists, cleaners, copywriters, engineers, IT contractors, photographers, software developers, surveyors, teachers, and more, accessed via PolicyBee's find-your-cover hub.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80,000 businesses trust PolicyBee for protection annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FeefocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustomer feedback company used by PolicyBee to collect and display verified customer reviews. PolicyBee maintains a 4.8/5 rating based on 6,310 reviews and holds Feefo's Platinum Trusted Service Award. Feefo verification ensures reviews are from genuine customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Superscript: UK-based digital-first commercial insurance broker specializing in small business and freelancer coverage including professional indemnity, public liability, and cyber. Highly comparable target market, product portfolio, and online distribution approach.
• Simply Business: UK's largest online insurance broker for small businesses and self-employed professionals. Directly comparable to PolicyBee in target customer (SMBs, freelancers, sole traders), product set (professional indemnity, public liability), and online quote-and-buy distribution model.
• Coverwise: UK insurance broker focused on professional indemnity and liability cover for professionals and small businesses. Compares on product overlap (PI, public liability, malpractice) and SMB customer base, though with a narrower occupational focus.

Broad incumbents

• Lemonade: Digital-first insurance carrier using AI-driven underwriting and app-based distribution. Compares to PolicyBee as a digitally native insurance disruptor targeting small commercial and consumer segments with a technology-led GTM.
• Direct Line Group: Major UK general insurance group selling motor, home, and commercial insurance directly and via brokers. Overlaps with PolicyBee in commercial liability, contents, and property for UK SMBs, but at much larger scale and across personal lines as well.
• Markel UK: UK specialty insurer and broker offering professional indemnity, charity, and small commercial insurance lines. Overlaps with PolicyBee in PI, charity, and medical malpractice but operates at larger scale and with broader enterprise customers as well.
• Howden Insurance Brokers: Large UK and international insurance broker with commercial and specialty lines. Overlaps with PolicyBee in commercial liability, charity, and professional indemnity for UK businesses, though focused more on mid-market and enterprise segments.
• Hiscox UK: Established UK specialty insurer and broker for small business and professional risks. Overlaps strongly with PolicyBee in professional indemnity, public liability, and D&O for SMBs, but operates as a broader carrier/distributor with multiple channels.

Emerging players

• Thimble: US insurtech offering on-demand small business insurance (general liability, professional liability) by occupation. Compares to PolicyBee in SMB and freelancer focus plus online quote-and-buy motion, with a pay-as-you-go twist.
• Next Insurance: US digital SMB insurance carrier offering professional liability, general liability, and commercial coverage online. Comparable product set and self-serve SMB distribution model, though operating in the US rather than UK market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCigjAuIwvMequLWzjgXOKUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/PolicyBee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/policybee
• Instagraminstagram.com/policybeeuk
• Xx.com/policybee

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 PolicyBee