Date: [LAUNCH DATE — expected June 2026]
BRISTOL, UK — [LAUNCH DATE, expected June 2026]. Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd, a Bristol-based specialist broker for Professional Indemnity insurance, has today published the first edition of its annual State of UK PI report, drawing together public-source market data and brokerage observations into a single research publication for UK professional services firms.
The State of UK PI 2026 report is intended for directors, finance leads, risk managers and compliance officers responsible for buying Professional Indemnity cover at firms across the regulated professions. It sets out the principal trends shaping the UK PI market in 2026 — capacity, rate movement, claims themes and regulator activity — across solicitors, accountants, architects, surveyors, IFAs, IT professionals, engineers, designers and estate agents. A standalone executive summary is published alongside the full report and may be downloaded without registration.
Among the report’s headline findings: UK PI capacity has materially widened in 2026, with single-digit primary-rate reductions reported across most disciplines by major broker and Lloyd’s-aligned market commentary, while solicitors with conveyancing exposure, audit firms with listed-company audit work, and construction-adjacent professions carrying cladding or higher-risk-building exposure continue to see steadier terms. The report also identifies AI use in advice, design and code as a live notification topic for the first time, and tracks the second cycle of FCA Consumer Duty supervision through its emerging PI implications.
Matt Bartlett, Director of Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd, said:
“2026 is the first year since 2018 where the broad picture across the UK PI market is one of returning capacity rather than retreating capacity. That said, the returning capacity is not evenly distributed. Construction-adjacent firms and solicitors carrying conveyancing weight are still operating in a firmer market than the headlines suggest, and budgeting for renewal accordingly remains sensible.”
“The regulator picture is busy. Consumer Duty is in its second supervisory cycle, the FRC has continued to publish enforcement against audit firms, and the FOS award limit continues its annual CPI-linked uplift. Each of these is reasonable in its own terms; together they form a meaningful backdrop to how PI is being priced and underwritten.”
“For firms buying PI in 2026, the single most useful piece of preparation is starting the renewal conversation 90 days out, with a complete proposal form and a written record of how the firm governs AI use. That preparation costs nothing and consistently produces better terms than a late, partial submission, regardless of where the broader market sits.”
Methodology. The report draws on publicly available data published by the FCA, FOS, FSCS, ABI, Lloyd’s, ICO, RICS, ARB, SRA, ICAEW, ACCA, FRC and UK Government, combined with brokerage market observations expressed as ranges and themes. No firm-specific or confidential information is included. The publication is research and market commentary; it is not advice and not a financial promotion.
The full State of UK PI 2026 report and a standalone executive summary are available at apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk/state-of-uk-pi-2026/.
Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd is a Bristol-based UK insurance broker, independent, with a specialism in Professional Indemnity insurance for UK professional services firms. The firm advises clients across solicitors, accountants, architects, surveyors, IFAs, IT professionals, engineers, designers and estate agents. Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority — FCA Firm Reference Number 724952 — and is registered in England and Wales under Companies House registered number 07014570. The firm publishes the State of UK PI report annually as a public research contribution to the UK professional services and insurance markets. Website: apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk.
Matt Bartlett, Director, Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd Email: matthew.bartlett@apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk
Embargoed copies of the full report and executive summary are available on request to trade press and broadcast journalists prior to the launch date. Please request via the email address above, stating publication and intended publication date.
This press release relates to a research publication issued by Apex Insurance Brokers Ltd. The publication is not advice, not a recommendation, and not a financial promotion. It does not promote any specific insurance product, contract or arrangement. All figures referenced in the publication are drawn from publicly available sources at the time of publication; readers should refer to the cited regulators and bodies for the most current data.
Apex Insurance Brokers serves UK professional services firms and commercial businesses. Call 0117 325 0027, email hello@apexinsurancebrokers.co.uk, or request a quotation.
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