Major Insurance Services

What Major Insurance Services does

Major Insurance Services, now operating as Howden following its February 2025 acquisition by Howden Broking Group Limited, is an insurance brokerage headquartered in London (with Australian/Asia Pacific operations run through Howden Pacific Holdings Pty Ltd, ABN 14 652 850 514, headquartered in Sydney). Founded in 1994 by David Howden and two friends, the broader Howden group has grown over three decades into one of the UK's largest independent insurance brokers, operating across more than 30 countries spanning Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East & Africa.

The company operates as a multi-line insurance broker delivering coverage solutions and risk advisory services across corporate, personal, and specialty lines. Its product portfolio spans Financial & Professional Services, Corporate Risks, Affinity & Membership Organisations, People Risks (Workers' Compensation, Employee Benefits), Private Clients (high-net-worth), Alternative Risk Solutions (including Captive Insurance), Cyber Insurance, M&A Insurance (Warranty & Indemnity), and a set of deep vertical specialisations — Construction, Energy Transition, Marine & Logistics, Manufacturing, Childcare, Education, Equine & Bloodstock, Heritage & Fine Arts, Film & Media, Sport & Entertainment, Superyachts, and Tradies. Advisory services include Risk Consulting, Risk Engineering, Captive Insurance Solutions, Valuations, and Discretionary Trusts & Mutuals. There is no disclosed proprietary technology platform; service delivery is relationship-driven through a global office network and the Howden One Network of partner brokers.

The revenue model is transaction-fee based: as an independent broker, the company earns placement commissions from insurance carriers on policies placed, with supplementary advisory fees charged to clients. Pricing is quote-based, customised to client risk profile, sector, coverage requirements, and policy terms, with billing typically on an annual cadence. The go-to-market is sales-led, executed through direct advisory relationships with corporate and individual clients served via local offices, augmented by the Howden One Network partner broker channel for multinational and mid-market coverage. Following the acquisition, the existing team and client book continue to operate under the Howden brand with the same client-focused culture.

Name

Major Insurance Services

Legal name

Howden Pacific Holdings Pty Ltd (ABN 14 652 850 514)

Website

https://majorinsurance.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Major Insurance Services, now operating as Howden after its February 2025 acquisition, is an insurance brokerage serving corporate, private, and specialty clients across Australia and Asia Pacific through a global network spanning 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA), Embedded Insurance & Affinity Distribution Platforms (FSAGAGAL)

Keywords

• Insurance brokerage
• Commercial insurance
• Risk advisory
• Workers compensation
• Specialty insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Bunbury

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

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 Brokerage Commissions: Revenue generated from commissions and fees on insurance products placed with insurance carriers. As an independent insurance broker, the company earns placement commissions from insurers and may also charge advisory fees to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Major Insurance Services (now operating as Howden) is an independent insurance brokerage that places commercial and personal insurance coverage with carriers and provides risk advisory services. The firm operates across multiple lines including corporate risks, financial and professional lines, people risk (workers' compensation and employee benefits), private client coverage, and specialty sectors such as cyber, M&A, marine, construction, energy, and transport. Revenue is generated through placement commissions from insurers and advisory fees paid by clients.

Product overview

Major Insurance Services (now operating as Howden following the February 2025 acquisition) is an insurance brokerage offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance solutions and advisory services. The company operates as a multi-line insurance broker with distinct product categories: core insurance solutions (Financial & Professional Services, Corporate Risks, People Risks, Private Clients, Alternative Risk Solutions, Tradies Insurance), specialized sector coverage (Cyber, M&A, Marine, Energy, Construction, Education), and advisory services (Risk Advisory, Captive Insurance Solutions, Valuations, Risk Engineering). The products work together to provide end-to-end risk management from coverage selection through claims support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial & Professional Services Insurance Insurance solutions tailored for financial institutions and professional service firms, covering their specific liability and risk management needs.
• Corporate Risks Insurance Comprehensive corporate risk insurance covering business liabilities, property, and operational risks for organizations.
• Affinity & Associations Insurance Specialized insurance products for membership organizations, associations, and affinity groups.
• People Risk Insurance Coverage for employee-related risks including workers compensation, injury management, and workplace safety.
• Private Clients Insurance Personal insurance services for high-net-worth individuals covering homes, valuables, and personal liability.
• Alternative Risk Solutions Non-traditional risk transfer mechanisms including captive insurance solutions for complex risk management.
• Insurance for Tradies Specialized insurance coverage for tradespeople including contractors, builders, and skilled workers.
• Cyber Insurance Coverage protecting businesses against cyber threats, data breaches, and digital risk exposures.
• M&A Insurance Insurance solutions supporting mergers and acquisitions including warranty and indemnity coverage.
• Workers' Compensation Statutory and supplementary workers compensation insurance and injury management services.
• Employee Benefits Employee benefit programs including health insurance, superannuation, and workplace wellness solutions.
• Risk Advisory Services Consulting services including risk management, risk engineering, and risk consulting for enterprise clients.
• Captive Insurance Solutions Advisory services for establishing and managing captive insurance vehicles for self-insured risk retention.
• Valuations Professional valuation services for assets, property, and fine arts for insurance purposes.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Howden Broking GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Following the acquisition in February 2025, Major Insurance became part of Howden Broking Group. Howden was founded in London in 1994 by David Howden and has grown to become one of the UK's largest independent insurance brokers with global offices.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hub International: North American insurance brokerage providing commercial, personal, employee benefits, and specialty coverage. Comparable as a multi-line broker serving mid-market and enterprise clients with vertical specialization, similar in scale and operating model.
• Brown & Brown, Inc. US insurance brokerage operating through decentralized teams across commercial, personal, and specialty lines. Comparable as a multi-line insurance broker with vertical specialization and a strong acquisition-led growth model.
• Acrisure: US-headquartered insurance brokerage and fintech platform serving commercial, personal, and specialty clients. Comparable as a multi-line insurance broker pursuing aggressive acquisition-led growth across geographies and verticals.
• Lockton Companies: World's largest privately held independent insurance broker. Closely comparable as a multi-line commercial and specialty insurance broker with strong vertical expertise, similar independent culture and global reach.
• Alliant Insurance Services: US specialty insurance brokerage offering commercial, personal, and employee benefits solutions with vertical specialization. Comparable as a multi-line specialty broker focused on niche industries and complex risk placements.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. US-headquartered global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. Closely comparable as a multi-line commercial insurance broker serving corporate, specialty, and personal lines through direct advisory relationships, with similar acquisition-driven growth strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Aon plc: Global insurance and reinsurance broker with deep specialty lines, risk advisory, and human capital capabilities. Directly comparable as a multi-line insurance broker serving commercial and specialty clients across geographies, though significantly larger in scale and scope.
• Willis Towers Watson (WTW): Global advisory, broking, and solutions company with insurance brokerage, risk management, and human capital practices. Comparable as a multi-line insurance broker serving corporate and specialty clients, though larger and more diversified across advisory.
• Marsh McLennan: World's largest insurance broker operating through Marsh and Oliver Wyman. Comparable as a global risk and insurance advisory serving corporate clients with similar commercial and specialty lines, but with vastly greater scale and broader consulting services.

Regional players

• Steadfast Group: Australia's largest general insurance broker network, offering commercial, personal, and specialty lines through a national broker network. Comparable as an Australian-headquartered insurance broker serving similar markets and verticals, but primarily regional rather than global.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/howdeninsurance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Major Insurance Services