LBH Insurance

What LBH Insurance does

LBH Insurance (legal entity Leslie B Holmes (Securities) Ltd, company number 00473495) is an independent insurance broker established in 1949 and headquartered in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, approximately 30 miles from London. The firm operates from a single modern office relocated in June 2023 from London Road to Baxter Avenue, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 310578), with memberships in the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) and Bravo Network, and BIBA Accredited Cyber Insurance Broker status. It runs a sales-led go-to-market with 12 employees, handling inquiries via phone, email, on-site commercial visits, and in-person consultations, supported by a content-marketing website, blog, and regional community sponsorships.

The company distributes a broad portfolio across three core categories — Personal Lines (household, motor, travel), Commercial (commercial combined, liability, fleet, office, property owners, construction, retail, restaurant and takeaway, scaffolders, business travel), and Professional Risk (professional indemnity, D&O, cyber, commercial crime) — plus a long tail of industry-specific lines covering accountants, architects, contractors, engineers (including oil and gas, railway, military, and space), fintech, solicitors, surveyors, technology providers, media companies, jewellers, aesthetics practitioners, and funeral directors. Product economics combine insurer commissions with explicit broker fees (£50 per consumer transaction, £500 per commercial transaction, plus arrangement fees up to 25% of premium on low/non-commission lines), which are disclosed publicly. Customer mix spans SMB commercial, professional services, and individual consumers across England, with multi-decade tenure relationships (e.g., Chapel and Chapel Ltd, 25+ years) anchoring revenue.

The business is founder/owner-managed with Kevin Fell as Managing Director and Tony Brazao (appointed April 2024) as Non-Executive Director advising on growth strategy. There are no subsidiaries, no parent company, no external institutional funding, and no disclosed M&A activity. Recent strategic emphasis has been on modernization (office relocation), cyber insurance capability build-out (Couno UK & EMEA partnership in October 2023, BIBA cyber accreditation in May 2026), and targeted vertical specialization in engineering, fintech, and specialty retail/service lines.

Name

LBH Insurance

Legal name

Leslie B Holmes (Securities) Ltd

Website

https://lbhinsurance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LBH Insurance is an independent UK insurance broker, founded 1949 in Southend-on-Sea, providing commercial, professional risk, personal, and industry-specific insurance to SMBs, professionals, and individuals across England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Southend on Sea

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Insurance Commission: LBH Insurance earns commission from insurers when placing or renewing insurance policies. Commission is received once payment is received as cleared funds and prior to payment of premium to the insurer. They may occasionally receive additional remuneration from certain insurers.
2. Broker Fees: Fees charged to cover broking services. For new business, renewal, mid-term adjustments, lost papers/duplicate documents, and temporary changes: Consumer customers pay £50.00, Commercial customers pay £500.00. For low or non-commission paying products, an arrangement fee not exceeding 25% of the premium is charged.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

LBH Insurance is an independent insurance broker that intermediates and places personal, commercial, and professional risk insurance policies on behalf of clients with leading UK insurers. The firm provides personalised advice, market comparison, policy administration, and claims support across personal lines (household, motor, travel), commercial lines (combined, liability, fleet, office, property owners, construction, retail, hospitality), and professional risk lines (professional indemnity, cyber, D&O, commercial crime), plus industry-specific coverage for professional firms and sectors such as engineering, fintech, and retail.

Product overview

LBH Insurance is an independent insurance broker established in 1949, offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products and services for both personal and commercial customers. The company operates across three main insurance categories: Personal Lines Insurance (household, motor, and travel), Commercial Insurance (business travel, commercial combined, liability, construction, fleet, office, property owners, restaurants, scaffolders, and retail), and Professional Risk Insurance (commercial crime, cyber, D&O, and professional indemnity). Additionally, LBH provides industry-specific insurance solutions for sectors including accountants, architects, contractors, engineers, fintech, military engineers, oil and gas, railway engineers, solicitors, space engineers, surveyors, and technology providers. The broker also offers specialty coverage for jewellers, aesthetics professionals, and funeral directors. The product architecture follows a portfolio approach, offering both standardized commercial and personal lines alongside highly specialized coverage tailored to specific industry verticals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Household Insurance Insurance coverage for residential properties, protecting against risks such as damage, theft, and related losses, for individual consumers.
• Motor Insurance Insurance coverage for vehicles, providing protection against accidents, theft, and related liabilities, for individual consumers.
• Travel Insurance Insurance coverage for individuals traveling, protecting against trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and travel-related risks.
• Business Travel Insurance Insurance coverage for business travellers, protecting against trip interruptions and travel-related losses, for corporate clients.
• Commercial Combined Insurance Comprehensive insurance solution combining multiple coverage types (property, liability, business interruption) for commercial operations.
• Commercial Liability Insurance Insurance protecting businesses against third-party claims for bodily injury, property damage, and related liabilities.
• Construction Industry Insurance Specialised insurance coverage for construction businesses, including contractors, subcontractors, and related professionals.
• Fleet Insurance Insurance coverage for multiple vehicles owned by a business, providing consolidated protection and administrative convenience.
• Office Insurance Insurance coverage for office premises, contents, and related business interruption risks.
• Property Owners Insurance Insurance coverage for property owners protecting against damage, liability, and loss of rental income.
• Restaurant and Takeaway Insurance Specialised insurance for food service businesses, covering premises, equipment, liability, and specific industry risks.
• Scaffolders Insurance Insurance coverage for scaffolding contractors, including public liability and equipment protection.
• Retail Insurance Insurance coverage for retail businesses, protecting against property damage, liability, and business interruptions.
• Employers Liability Insurance Mandatory insurance covering compensation costs and legal fees for employee workplace injuries, for UK employers.
• Public Liability Insurance Insurance covering claims from third parties for bodily injury or property damage caused by business activities.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance Insurance protecting professionals from claims of negligence, errors, or omissions in their services.
• Cyber Insurance Insurance coverage protecting businesses against cyber threats, data breaches, and related liability, offered with BIBA-accredited cyber expertise.
• Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance Liability insurance covering directors and executives for legal defence costs and damages from alleged wrongful acts.
• Commercial Crime Insurance Insurance protection against losses from criminal acts such as theft, fraud, and embezzlement.
• Accountants Insurance Specialised insurance coverage for accounting professionals and firms, including professional indemnity and related protections.
• Solicitors Insurance Professional indemnity and related insurance for legal professionals and solicitors firms.
• Architects Insurance Insurance coverage tailored for architects, including professional indemnity and related protections.
• Engineers Insurance Insurance coverage for engineering professionals across multiple sub-sectors, including professional indemnity and liability protections.
• Contractors Insurance Insurance solutions for contractors across various trades and specializations.
• Surveyors Insurance Insurance coverage for surveying professionals including professional indemnity.
• Management Consultants Insurance Insurance coverage for management consulting professionals and firms, including professional indemnity.
• Technology Providers Insurance Insurance solutions for technology companies and IT service providers, including cyber and professional indemnity coverage.
• Fintech Cyber Insurance Specialised cyber insurance for financial technology companies, covering data breach and digital asset risks.
• Oil and Gas Engineering Contractors Insurance Insurance coverage for offshore and onshore oil and gas engineering contractors, including liability and technical risk protection.
• Railway Engineers Insurance Insurance coverage for railway engineering professionals and contractors, including professional indemnity and liability protections.
• Military Engineers Insurance Specialised insurance coverage for military engineering contractors, including liability and professional indemnity protections.
• Space Engineers Insurance Specialised insurance coverage for space engineering and aerospace professionals, including professional indemnity and liability protections.
• Fire Safety for Architects Insurance Insurance coverage addressing fire safety risks specific to architectural practice.
• Media Company Insurance Insurance solutions for media and publishing businesses, covering liability and professional risks.
• Consequential Loss Cover Insurance coverage for financial losses resulting from business interruptions.
• Jewellers Block Insurance Specialised insurance for jewellers covering valuable inventory, theft risks, and related liabilities.
• Aesthetics Insurance Insurance coverage for aesthetic and cosmetic treatment providers, including malpractice protection.
• Funeral Directors Insurance Comprehensive insurance solutions for funeral directors covering liability, property, fleet, and professional risks.
• Waste Management Insurance Insurance coverage for waste management companies including liability, environmental protection, vehicle, and property coverage.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of businesses fail within 18 months of a major incident without proper insurance protection
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• London Southend AirportminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 April 2024LBH Insurance joined London Southend Airport as headline sponsor of World Cup on Sea 2024, a charity football event in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. This co-marketing partnership supports community engagement and brand visibility.
• Couno UK & EMEAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2023LBH Insurance collaborates with Couno UK & EMEA to ensure businesses are backed with robust cyber insurance policies. Business Development Executive Sharon Widdrington met with Kevin Lockhart from Couno to discuss cyber insurance offerings. This partnership enhances LBH's cyber insurance capabilities for clients.
• The Broker Network LimitedcoreOthersClient money is held by The Broker Network Limited in a Non-Statutory Client Trust Bank Account with RBS, HSBC or Santander. The Broker Network pays insurers on behalf of LBH Insurance and operates a Non-Statutory Trust to cross-fund client's premiums and claims.
• British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA)coreOthersLBH Insurance is a member of the British Insurance Brokers' Association, providing credibility, industry representation, and access to BIBA resources and accreditation programs including the BIBA Accredited Cyber Insurance Broker status.
• Bravo NetworkminorOthersLBH Insurance is a member of Bravo Network, an industry network providing additional market access and professional resources for insurance brokers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PIB Group: UK-focused insurance broker consolidator that acquires regional and specialty brokers across commercial, personal and professional lines. Highly comparable to LBH's product mix, but pursues roll-up M&A while LBH remains single-office and owner-managed.
• Brown & Brown Insurance (UK): US-headquartered insurance brokerage expanding in the UK, offering commercial and personal lines through acquired regional brokers. Directly comparable product mix but with substantially greater scale and capital backing.
• Howden Insurance Brokers: Large UK commercial insurance broker with a strong regional footprint and specialty lines including cyber, PI and engineering. Comparable to LBH on product breadth across commercial and personal lines, but operates at materially larger scale with national presence and acquisition-driven growth.
• Arthur J. Gallagher (UK): Global insurance broker and risk management firm with significant UK operations across commercial, personal and specialty lines. Overlaps with LBH on commercial combined, liability, cyber and PI offerings, but serves enterprise and mid-market at much greater scale.
• Towergate Insurance: UK general insurance broker providing commercial and personal lines to SMBs across multiple regional offices. Comparable customer profile (UK SMB) and product breadth, though much larger and part of a national network.
• Jensten Insurance Brokers: UK regional commercial insurance broker with personal lines and specialty offerings including cyber and PI. Comparable mid-market broker profile and product architecture to LBH, but operates across multiple regional offices rather than a single headquarters.
• Aon UK: Global insurance and reinsurance broker with a substantial UK commercial, personal and specialty practice. Overlaps with LBH on commercial combined, cyber, PI, D&O and engineering lines, but at vastly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Konsileo: UK commercial insurance broker focused on SMB and mid-market clients with a digital-enabled advisory model. Comparable commercial lines focus to LBH, but differentiated by a tech-led distribution approach versus LBH's traditional phone/on-site model.

Direct peers

• One Broker Insurance: UK regional commercial insurance broker serving SMEs across a wide range of trades including construction, hospitality, retail and professional services. Very similar product catalogue and SMB customer profile to LBH.
• Lloyd & Whyte (now part of Benefact Group): UK regional insurance broker specialising in professional and commercial lines for SMEs, professional firms and affinity groups. Closely comparable to LBH on customer profile, product mix and regional-broker model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LBHInsuranceUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/LBHInsuranceUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lbh-insurance

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 LBH Insurance