Looking for an appointed representative network?  As we head into 2025, many account executives with a dream of running their own insurance brokerage may be contemplating how to become an appointed representative and examining which appointed representative or AR networks are out there.  With the appointed representative route the only feasible way of starting an insurance brokerage these days, this is the best way to become a self-employed insurance broker.

Becoming an appointed representative means choosing an AR principal, who will handle the compliance duties for you that you would have to tackle, if you were directly authorised by the FCA.  An AR principal will typically run an AR network, comprising a number of appointed representatives.  They will also provide a variety of support services but these can vary and you need to do your due diligence, in order to make the right choice.

So what should you be looking for in an Appointed Representative network?

1. Stability at the top of the appointed representative network

Through 2024, we have seen AR networks enduring a variety of ownership changes – overseas ownership, buy outs, changes within their operations team and the like.  The one network that has shown stability, while still operating completely independently, is the Gauntlet AR network.  This is one reason why we have seen appointed representatives moving from other networks, to join us.  To grow a business, you need stable backing and certainty.  You cannot be aiming for your AR goals, whilst having sleepless nights with regard to what may happen to your network.

2. Longevity

Some appointed representative networks spring up because a broker thinks running a network is easy.  These networks tend to never grow to a size where they can resource their ARs in optimal fashion, or cease to operate after a relatively short period.  That is not what you, as an independent insurance broker, need.  Contrast that situation with that at the Gauntlet AR network, which has just celebrated its 15^th anniversary, in a year also celebrating the 30^th anniversary of Gauntlet Group.

3. Broking ambition

As an AR, you should be able to really go for your broking goals and place any size of business you wish.  However, many appointed representative networks will limit the size of risk you can handle.  That is not the case with Gauntlet.

4. Insurer contact

You probably have excellent insurer contacts and relish the idea of making more.  Imagine your disappointment, therefore, when you join an appointed representative network that does not allow you to have direct contact with insurers.  At Gauntlet AR network, there is no such restriction.

5. Strong compliance

As an AR, you put your trust in your AR principal to handle your compliance, so you need to be 100% sure that they will do that competently and with no loopholes.  Gauntlet AR Network has never had any issues and has been built over a long period of time.  Other appointed representative networks, if they mushroom very quickly, may not have their eye on the ball with regard to operational systems and quality checks.

6. Access to market

As an appointed representative and independent insurance broker, you can thrive in today’s insurance market, if you have access to market and can open the door to almost any type of insurance policy a client could require.   That is the case with Gauntlet, where our AR Network can offer you access to around 300 insurers and facilities.  As a member of Brokerbility, we can also provide you with access to their schemes, which we find align perfectly with the requirements of most of our brokers and the risks they are placing.

7. Brilliant IT

Having cutting-edge IT, which can allow you to operate your business from absolutely anywhere and also assist your sales, is the goal for which you should strive as an independent self-employed broker.  As a Gauntlet appointed representative, you will get that.  We offer you award-winning Acturis but not just the standard modules.  We have also tailored the system and created add-ons that make the system a brilliant sales machine if you use its capacities and take advantage of all the groundwork we have done for our ARs.  Your sales can fly, if you embrace this.

8. Sales leads

Getting started as an independent broker means generating sales as fast as possible.  Rather than leaving you to your own devices with this, as most appointed representative networks would, Gauntlet’s AR Network has a distinct advantage.  As we are a commercial broker as well as AR principal, we have a direct sales team that can be your mentor.  The team help you grow your business, by providing insight and tips, sales leads and sales tools.  They test out campaigns to assess market responses and then allow you to benefit from what they have learned.  All of this means you have a sounding board and lead-boosting support team, from day one.

9. Honesty and transparency

Working with an AR principal requires mutual trust and that is built through honesty and transparency.  This starts with the commission split between you, as the AR broker, and your AR principal.  The principal’s commission is to cover the services they offer you.  In our case, that is compliance, IT, accounting, back-office administration, money handling, broking (if you want that), sales and marketing support, PI insurance and AR conferences.

In return for this suite of comprehensive support services, we split commission with you.  This is the commission that the insurer provides to us, with no deductions.  That is typically a very healthy level of commission, due to the broking volume we generate as a group, bolstered by our in-house direct sales team.  Other networks may appear to be giving you a good deal, but in fact be skimming commission at the insurer end, before presenting you with your commission.  Do we wish to move to this non-transparent model?  The answer is no.  In our case, what you see is what we get from the insurer, split openly with you.

10. A champion

The insurance market has changed beyond recognition, due to consolidation and M&A activity.  However, with this comes opportunity – to turn the tide on consolidation and give clients the type of insurance service they have lost, delivered in the personalised, face-to-face way they crave once more.  To turn the tide on consolidation, someone needs to champion the local or specialist broker – the appointed representative who is doing things the right way in the market.  Gauntlet has become that champion, driving what we call the ‘local broker renaissance’ and providing clients with traditional style broking but with the compelling twist of cutting edge IT, national reach and extensive buying power.  This makes our ARs super-competitive in the market.

Driving the local broker renaissance

We are not only championing brokers but devising as many ways as possible to open up the appointed representative opportunity.  We have the traditional route, straight from a role as an account executive.  But then we recognise that not all account executives can give up the security of a salary and take that leap into the unknown.  For them, we have Gauntlet Brokerage Builder, which allows them to work for us, whilst they build their future brokerage.  After 22 months, they can transition into life as an AR.

For struggling directly authorised brokers, who might not be able to continue trading in the market due to lack of insurer agencies and many other pressures,  we have another solution.  We devised Gauntlet De-authorisation Fast-track, to move these brokers from directly authorised status to that of AR, working with the FCA to create a process that historically worked the other way around.

Then we have Gauntlet Phoenix, which brings talented brokers back into the market, if they sold a brokerage a few years ago and now want to get back into broking by starting up again.

Creating this vibrant broking community of dedicated and super-charged appointed representatives is our way of putting quality back into the insurance broking sector, on behalf of clients.  If you want to be part of a network that is doing that and fighting your corner. Gauntlet AR Network is the only one to consider.

To find out more, please just get in touch. Contact NigelLaw@GauntletGroup.com or fill in our enquiry form here.