Independence Charter · Apex Insurance Brokers · 6 September 2026

The Apex Independence Charter

Most of the professional indemnity specialists we used to compete with have been bought. This is what we promise instead, in writing, dated and signed.

Part of: Professional indemnity insurance at Apex

Why publish a charter

Between 2013 and 2025 a run of the UK’s best-known professional indemnity brokers were acquired by global brokers, consolidators and private-equity-backed groups. Nothing wrong with that as a business decision. But a client who chose a specialist for its independence is entitled to know when that independence has gone, and what replaced it: placement targets, panel arrangements, a rotating account team, a call centre for claims.

We are still owned by the people who work here. Rather than say “independent” and leave you to guess what it means, we have written down what it commits us to. The list of who has been bought, and who has not, is here.

The eight commitments

1. Owned entirely by its directors. Apex Insurance Brokers Limited has no consolidator, private-equity or other external shareholder. Every share is held by the people who run the firm. The persons-with-significant-control register at Companies House shows who owns us; it is public.
2. Not for sale. We have declined approaches to buy the firm, and we intend to remain independently owned. If that ever changes, this page will say so before anything else does.
3. Not tied. No single-insurer scheme, no in-house policy or underwriting, and no placement quotas or targets with any insurer. The recommendation you get is the one that fits your firm.
4. A named broker, all year. The person who places your cover is the person who handles your renewal, your mid-term changes, your certificates and your claims. Not a queue, not a team inbox.
5. Quotes you can actually compare. Usually three or four, from a market of over 30 insurers including Lloyd’s syndicates, set out side by side with the trade-offs in plain English and our recommendation.
6. The stay-put letter. If your existing cover is right, we say so in writing, free and without obligation. We would rather lose a placement than move a firm that should not move. How it works.
7. A straight answer on non-standard risks. A CCJ, a claim, a decline, adverse credit or a disciplinary finding gets a yes, a no, or the terms — with reasons — within five working days of our having what we need. The Non-Standard PI Desk.
8. Director-level attention on claims. Every claim notification is handled at director level, from the day you notify to the day it closes.

What this means when you ask us for a quote

• You will be told which insurers we approached and which declined, not just the one we recommend.
• You will see the limit, excess, retroactive date, exclusions and premium of each quote side by side.
• If the right answer is to stay where you are, you will get that in writing, and we will not chase you.
• If your risk is non-standard, you will get a straight answer within five working days of our having what we need, and never a silent decline.
• The person you speak to first is the person you speak to at renewal.

How we substantiate “one of the longest-established independently owned PI specialists”

We checked, rather than asserted. Using Companies House persons-with-significant-control filings and the acquirers’ own announcements, we reviewed the UK professional indemnity specialist brokers we know of that were founded before Apex (2009). Seven of them have been acquired since 2013 — by Willis, Ardonagh (twice), Aston Lark and then Howden, Markel, PSC Insurance and Aon. We found two that remain independently owned and are older than us: MFL Insurance Group in Manchester (trading since 1997) and PII Brokers in London (incorporated 2005). Hence “one of”, not “the”. The sourced list is published here and we will correct it if any firm tells us we have its ownership wrong.

Announcement: Apex publishes Independence Charter (Apex News, 6 September 2026).

Signed

Matt Bartlett, Director, Apex Insurance Brokers Limited — 6 September 2026.

This charter is reviewed at least annually. Earlier dated versions are kept and available on request.

Frequently asked

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This charter describes how Apex Insurance Brokers Limited chooses to operate. It is not a contract term and does not alter your terms of business.