Independent PI brokers · UK · Checked 6 September 2026

UK professional indemnity brokers: who has been bought, and who is still independent

If you chose a specialist for its independence, this is the page that tells you whether it still has any. Sourced from Companies House and the acquirers’ own announcements.

Part of: Professional indemnity insurance at Apex

In short

Since 2013 at least seven of the UK’s best-known professional indemnity specialist brokers have been acquired: Prime Professions by Willis (2013), Paragon by PSC Insurance (2019), Caunce O’Hara by Markel (2019), Brunel Professions by Aston Lark and then Howden (2020–21), Hera Indemnity by Ardonagh (2021), The Professional Indemnity Company by Ardonagh (2022) and Griffiths & Armour, founded in 1934, by Aon (2025). Of the specialists founded before 2009 that we know of, we found two still independently owned — MFL Insurance Group in Manchester (trading since 1997) and PII Brokers in London (2005) — which is why Apex Insurance Brokers (2009, Bristol, owned entirely by its directors) describes itself as one of the longest-established independently owned PI specialists in the UK rather than the longest. Every entry below links to its source, and we will correct any firm’s ownership on request.

Why ownership matters when you buy professional indemnity

Professional indemnity is placed on judgement: which insurer, which wording, which exclusions, how the risk is presented. A broker owned by a consolidator or a global group answers to placement targets, panel deals and a return on the price it paid. That is not sinister — it is how acquired brokers pay for themselves — but it changes whose interest the judgement serves. A broker owned by its directors answers to the client and the regulator.

Consolidation also changes the people. The account handler who knew your firm becomes part of a regional team; claims move to a central unit; the “specialist” brand survives as a trading name. If your broker appears in the first table below, it is worth asking what has actually changed since the deal.

PI specialist brokers acquired since 2013

Firm	Founded	Base and specialism	What happened	When	Source
Prime Professions	2006	UK (solicitors’ PI specialist)	Acquired by Willis Group	April 2013	Willis announcement, 2 April 2013
Paragon International Insurance Brokers	1996	London (Lloyd’s broker, professional and financial lines)	Acquired by PSC Insurance Group (Australia) for £42m	July 2019	Report of the PSC deal, 26 July 2019
Caunce O’Hara	—	Manchester (freelancer and contractor insurance)	Acquired by Markel UK	November 2019	Insurance Business, 4 November 2019
Brunel Professions	2005	Bristol (PI specialist, Lloyd’s broker)	Acquired by Aston Lark; Aston Lark was in turn acquired by Howden (agreed October 2021) and now trades as Howden	September 2020	Insurance Post, 11 September 2020
Hera Indemnity	2004	London (solicitors’ PI, Lloyd’s broker)	Acquired by Ardonagh Advisory	February 2021	Ardonagh announcement, 2 February 2021
The Professional Indemnity Company	2005	Chester (PI for all professions)	Acquired by Ardonagh Advisory	December 2022	Ardonagh announcement, 2 December 2022
Griffiths & Armour	1934	Liverpool (PI specialist and general broker)	Acquired by Aon; now a trading name of Aon UK Limited	January 2025	Aon announcement, 2 January 2025 (completed 1 January 2025)

Founding years and deal dates are taken from the linked announcements and reports. Where a founding year is not given in the source, it is shown as a dash.

PI specialists still independently owned

Firm	Established	Base	Ownership	Source
MFL Insurance Group (McParland Finn)	Trading since 1997; company incorporated 13 May 1993	Manchester	Privately owned. Companies House shows the ultimate person with significant control is an individual (MFL Group Holdings Ltd, PSC notified 19 April 2024).	Companies House PSC register, company 02817700
PII Brokers (PiiBrokers.co.uk Ltd)	Incorporated 26 February 2005	London EC3	Individually owned. Companies House shows one individual as the person with significant control.	Companies House PSC register, company 05377189
Apex Insurance Brokers	Incorporated 10 September 2009	Bristol	Owned entirely by its directors. Not for sale.	Companies House, company 07014570

This table lists the independently owned UK professional indemnity specialists we have been able to verify. Large privately owned generalist brokers with PI teams are not listed, because they are not specialists. Younger independent specialists founded after 2009 exist and are welcome on this list: send us your Companies House number.

How this list was compiled, and how to correct it

Ownership was checked on the Companies House persons-with-significant-control register on 6 September 2026. A firm is treated as independently owned where the ultimate person with significant control is an individual or the firm’s own directors, and as acquired where it is a corporate group, a fund or a consolidator.
Acquisitions are taken from the acquirer’s own announcement or a trade-press report of it, linked in the table.
We have not listed every broker in the UK that places professional indemnity; the list is limited to firms that held themselves out as PI specialists and that we know of. If we have missed a firm or misdescribed its ownership, email us and we will correct it and date the correction.
This page is reviewed at least annually and the “checked” date above is updated when it is.

What to do if your broker has been bought

Ask who now owns the firm, whether there are placement targets or a preferred panel, and whether your account handler and claims contact have changed.
Ask for the list of insurers approached at your last renewal. If it is one, your risk has not been marketed.
Get a written second opinion. The stay-put letter is free, and if your cover is right we say so.
Read the Apex Independence Charter for what an independently owned broker commits to instead.

Frequently asked

Which UK professional indemnity brokers have been acquired?

Among the specialists: Prime Professions (Willis, 2013), Paragon (PSC Insurance, 2019), Caunce O’Hara (Markel, 2019), Brunel Professions (Aston Lark, 2020, itself acquired by Howden), Hera Indemnity (Ardonagh, 2021), The Professional Indemnity Company (Ardonagh, 2022) and Griffiths & Armour (Aon, 2025). Each is sourced in the table above.

Which UK PI specialist brokers are still independently owned?

Of those founded before 2009 that we know of: MFL Insurance Group (Manchester, trading since 1997) and PII Brokers (London, 2005). Apex Insurance Brokers (Bristol, 2009) is owned entirely by its directors. Younger independents exist and can ask to be added.

Is Apex the longest-established independent PI broker in the UK?

No, and we do not claim to be. MFL and PII Brokers are older and remain independently owned. Apex is one of the longest-established independently owned PI specialists, and has published a charter saying it is not for sale.

Does an acquisition mean my cover is worse?

Not automatically. It means the incentives around the advice have changed, and the people may have. Ask which insurers were approached at your last renewal and whether your handler is the same; the answers tell you what has changed.

How do I check who owns my broker?

Search the broker’s legal name on the Companies House register and open ‘People’ then ‘Persons with significant control’. If the controller is a company rather than a person, search that company in turn until you reach an individual, a fund or a group.

Chose your broker for its independence?

If it has been bought, get a free written second opinion from one that has not. A named Apex broker will tell you plainly whether anything needs to change. Or call 0117 325 0027.

Get a second opinion → Request a callback

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. Ownership and acquisition information is taken from public sources linked on the page and was checked on 6 September 2026; it may have changed since. Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This page is general information, not advice.