What Cornmarket Insurance Services does

Cornmarket Insurance Services Ltd is an FCA-authorised (firm reference 308099) insurance broker headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland, founded in 1990 and operating with approximately 35 employees. The company distributes personal and commercial insurance products — including car, home, motorbike, van, travel, health, GAP, classic car, motorhome, commercial property, commercial fleet, temporary, skills day, and drink-drive rehabilitation cover — by comparing panel insurers (18 for car, up to 41 for travel) and routing customers through UK-based telephone advisors, a 24/7 online quote platform, and affinity-group partnerships with IAM RoadSmart, GEM Motoring Assist, teachers' unions (EIS, INTO, Ulster Teachers' Union, SSTA), NHS staff, and LGV/truck/bus driver associations.

The underlying technology is a multi-insurer quote and comparison platform integrated with partner systems, including the Smart Luggage tracking service for parametric travel claims and a Just Travel Cover portal that handles pre-existing medical conditions and unlimited-age policies. Cornmarket operates a hybrid sales model combining direct-to-consumer online quotes with affinity-channel distribution and an inbound call centre (operating Monday–Thursday 9am–7pm, Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday 9am–12:30pm).

Revenue is generated primarily through brokerage commissions on placed policies, supplemented by referral/affiliate income from partners such as Howden Life & Health and Just Travel Cover. Pricing is largely annual subscription-based, with usage-based pricing for skills day cover and monthly direct-debit options for health insurance. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd, itself part of the Irish Life Group and Great-West Lifeco, providing balance-sheet stability within a major international financial services conglomerate.

Name

Cornmarket Insurance Services

Legal name

Cornmarket Insurance Services Ltd

Website

https://cornmarketinsurance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cornmarket Insurance Services is an FCA-authorised insurance broker based in Belfast that distributes personal and commercial insurance via an online quote platform, UK call centre, and affinity partnerships with IAM RoadSmart, teachers' unions, NHS staff, and motoring organisations.

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

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mid-Market Commercial Package (Package Policies) (FSAJAFAB), Commercial Auto & Fleet Insurance (FSAJAMAB)

Keywords

• Insurance brokerage
• Motor insurance
• Affinity group insurance
• Commercial fleet insurance
• Specialty vehicle insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast, Northern Ireland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commissions: Cornmarket acts as an insurance broker earning commission from multiple panel insurers for placing coverage. The company searches its panel of leading UK insurers to find tailored coverage for customers, earning commission on each policy sold.
2. Health Insurance Partnership: Through partnership with Howden Life & Health, Cornmarket provides access to all UK health insurance plans, earning referral/commission income while offering £80 cashback to customers.
3. Travel Insurance Distribution: Distribution of travel insurance through Just Travel Cover partnership, offering bronze, silver, and gold tier policies with commissions earned on policy sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cornmarket Insurance Services is an FCA-authorized insurance broker that places personal and commercial insurance policies on behalf of customers by searching its panel of leading UK insurers. It distributes car, home, motorbike, van, travel, health, GAP, classic car, motorhome, temporary, commercial property, commercial fleet, and specialty cover through a UK call centre, a 24/7 online quote platform comparing 18+ panel insurers, and affinity group partnerships with organizations such as IAM RoadSmart, teachers' unions, GEM Motoring Assist, and NHS staff. Revenue is earned via commissions from insurers for each policy sold.

Product overview

Cornmarket Insurance Services is an FCA-authorized insurance broker offering a comprehensive portfolio of personal and commercial insurance products. The core offering spans motor insurance (car, motorbike, van), property insurance (home, commercial property), health insurance, and travel insurance with specialized luggage protection. The company operates affinity group insurance schemes for IAM RoadSmart members, NHS staff, teachers (EIS, INTO, Ulster Teachers' Union, SSTA), GEM Motoring Assist, and Start Rescue members. Specialty products include classic car insurance, motorhome cover, GAP insurance, and temporary insurance. Through partnerships with specialist insurers and affinity groups, Cornmarket provides niche offerings including skills day insurance for track events and drink-drive rehabilitation insurance for drivers with convictions. The broker model enables comparison across multiple insurance providers to match customer needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Car Insurance Comprehensive car insurance for personal vehicles, distributed through the UK call centre and online quote platform that compares 18 panel insurers. Includes £50 average saving for online purchases and affinity group variants for IAM RoadSmart members with courtesy car benefits and skills day cover.
• Home Insurance Buildings and contents home insurance with optional accidental damage, trace and access, and 24-hour home emergency assistance add-on from £32 per year. Online buyers save over £75 on average versus offline purchases.
• Motorbike Insurance Motorcycle insurance underwritten by Adelaide, offering preferential rates for IAM RoadSmart members with up to 90 days European cover, free observing cover, multi-bike and multi-rider options, and automatic blood biking coverage.
• Health Insurance Private medical insurance offered in partnership with Howden Life & Health, providing access to over 300 private and public hospitals across the UK. Includes £80 cashback offer for IAM RoadSmart members on monthly direct debit policies.
• Van Insurance Insurance coverage for vans and light commercial vehicles, providing cover for tradespeople and small business owners using light commercial vehicles.
• Travel Insurance Travel insurance available in bronze, silver, and gold tiers, offering comparison of up to 41 prices from multiple insurers with optional Smart Luggage tracking cover, no age limit, and coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Distributed through partnership with Just Travel Cover.
• GAP Insurance Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance covering the financial gap between vehicle purchase price and market value at claim time. Available for cars, motorbikes, and light commercial vehicles valued at £7,500 or more, with policies ranging from two to five years and benefits including up to 28 days hire vehicle cover and up to £250 excess reimbursement.
• Motorhome Insurance Specialized insurance for motorhomes and campervans with agreed-value cover, owners' club member discounts, and European cover options for touring.
• Classic Car Insurance Specialized insurance for classic and vintage vehicles with agreed-value cover, 90 days European cover, owners' club member discounts, and option to add three additional named drivers.
• Temporary Insurance Short-term insurance policies for temporary vehicle coverage needs such as borrowing or test-driving vehicles.
• Commercial Property Insurance Insurance coverage for commercial properties including retail units and warehouses, covering buildings, contents, business equipment, public liability, and employers' liability.
• Commercial Fleet Insurance Fleet insurance for businesses operating multiple commercial vehicles, offering a choice of cover options, goods in transit cover, and a free Nextbase Dash Cam for each insured vehicle.
• Skills Day Insurance Track day and skills day insurance for cars (up to £300,000 vehicle value) and motorbikes (up to £25,000 online) distributed through partnerships with Moris Trackday Insurance and Trackday Addicts, offering European track coverage and a £20 IAM RoadSmart member discount.
• Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Insurance Specialized car and motorbike insurance for drivers who have completed IAM RoadSmart's DVSA-approved Drink-Drive Rehabilitation course, placed through a panel of specialist insurers for drivers with convictions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save £50 when buying car insurance online versus offline (Q1 & Q2 2025 average)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Howden Life & HealthcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to provide access to all UK health insurance plans. Cornmarket offers £80 cashback for IAM RoadSmart members purchasing health insurance. Howden handles policy administration while Cornmarket provides customer acquisition through its broker services.
• IAM RoadSmartcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2005Official insurance partner since 2005, managing IAM RoadSmart's official insurance scheme for over 20 years. Cornmarket reinvests funding to support road safety advancement in the UK. Provides exclusive insurance products, member discounts (up to 20% for advanced riders), and preferential pricing recognizing advanced driving skills.
• Just Travel CovercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialist travel insurance provider partnership offering comparison of up to 41 prices from multiple insurers. Provides coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, no age limit policies, and Smart Luggage integration. Cornmarket earns commission on travel insurance sales.
• Adelaide Motorbike InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for specialized motorbike insurance products. Adelaide Motorbike offers affordable motorcycle coverage in the UK through Cornmarket's platform.
• Moris Trackday InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCar skills day insurance provider. IAM RoadSmart members receive £20 discount with code IAM20. Covers damage to cars up to £300,000 while on track. Cornmarket acts as introducer to Moris.
• Trackday AddictsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMotorbike skills day insurance provider. Covers motorbikes up to £25,000 online. Cornmarket acts as introducer to Trackday Addicts for IAM RoadSmart member coverage.
• GEM Motoring AssistminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffinity group partnership offering exclusive insurance products and competitions to GEM Motoring Assist members. Members receive access to dash cam giveaways and other member-only offers.
• Start RescueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBreakdown cover partnership offering rescue services to Cornmarket customers. Joint competitions with prizes including dash cams and BBQs.
• Teachers' Unions (EIS, INTO, Ulster Teachers' Union, SSTA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffinity partnerships with teachers' unions providing exclusive insurance schemes to education sector members. Includes free class 1 business use on policies for teachers.
• NHS Staff Insurance PartnershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialized insurance scheme for NHS staff with preferential rates and dedicated support services for healthcare workers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GoCompare: UK price-comparison platform for car, home, travel and other personal lines. Comparable broad-incumbent competitor shaping online consumer acquisition economics for brokers like Cornmarket.
• Ardonagh Group: Large UK-headquartered insurance intermediary group owning retail and specialty brokers (e.g., Autonet, Swinton). Broad incumbent representing the consolidator pathway Cornmarket's parent (Great-West Lifeco) could pursue, and a comparable scaled broker platform.
• Admiral Group: Leading UK personal-lines insurance group (Admiral, Bell, Diamond, Elephant) known for direct and price-comparison-led car and home cover. Broad incumbent setting competitive pricing on the panels Cornmarket accesses.
• Direct Line Group: Major UK personal-lines insurer (Direct Line, Churchill, Privilege, Darwin) with strong direct-to-consumer brand. Broad incumbent competing for the same UK car and home insurance customers Cornmarket serves.
• Aviva UK: One of the UK's largest general insurance and life providers, selling car, home, travel and health cover via direct and broker channels. Relevant broad incumbent both as a competing carrier on Cornmarket's panel and as a competing retail brand.
• Compare the Market: Major UK price-comparison website for personal insurance (car, home, travel, etc.). Operates as a broad incumbent intermediary in the same consumer-facing insurance distribution space as Cornmarket's online quote platform.

Others

• Howden Group Holdings: Global insurance intermediary group; Howden Life & Health is an existing Cornmarket partner for health distribution. Selected as OTHERS because it is both a comparator (UK/EU retail and affinity broker) and an active partner — relevant on broker economics and partnership structure rather than direct competition.

Direct peers

• Adrian Flux: UK specialist insurance broker focused on non-standard and high-risk drivers (including convictions, modified cars, classic and imported vehicles). Closest direct comparable to Cornmarket's specialty/convicted-driver book, affinity distribution model, and broad personal-lines portfolio.
• Swinton Insurance: Long-established UK retail insurance broker offering car, home, van, and commercial cover via high-street branches and call-centre/online channels. Closely comparable to Cornmarket in size, multi-channel retail brokerage model, and personal-lines product range.
• A-Plan Insurance: UK high-street and affinity insurance broker distributing car, home, motorbike and van cover through branch network and partner relationships. Comparable to Cornmarket in its affinity/channel-led retail brokerage model and personal-lines product mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cornmarketuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cornmarket-insurance-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Cornmarket Insurance Services