How does an independent broker work? From mandate to renewal
Two very different professions hide behind the word "insurance person": the agent represents an insurer, the broker acts on the client's instructions. This isn't wordplay – the direction of the mandate decides who works for whom. Here's what the process looks like with me, from the first conversation to the renewal.
- The broker acts under the client's mandate: getting several insurers to compete with their offers, and reading the terms and conditions through the client's eyes.
- The core of the process is the needs assessment: first the situation and the goal, only then the product.
- The work doesn't end when the policy is signed: it comes with a review if warranted or you ask and, if you let me know about a change, adjusting the cover – and help at claim time if a case gets stuck.
The first conversation: assessment, not a sales pitch
Every case starts with a 20–30 minute conversation – by phone, video call, or in person. We don't talk about products here, but about the situation: what's already in place (existing policies, loans, family, business), what the goal is, and what budget is comfortably workable. This is how the needs list comes together – the benchmark we'll measure the offers against.
Reviewing the existing policies is part of this too: what's good and should stay, what's duplicated, overpriced, or has gaps in cover. Often this half hour delivers the most value – before we've signed anything at all.
Getting insurers to compete: one table, a clear formula
Based on the needs list, I request offers from the relevant insurers and hand them over in a single comparison table: premium, cover, limits, deductibles, strengths and weaknesses – in plain language, not policy-wording. I explain the reasoning behind my recommendation, but the decision is yours at every point; you won't get pressure or deadline-pushing from me.
What I can promise: an accurate comparison and honest information. What I never will: "always the best price" and its cousins – the market changes, terms and conditions matter, and I won't over-promise.
After the policy is signed: the quiet part of the work
Once you've chosen, the paperwork is my job: concluding the policy, properly winding up the old contract, and keeping the cover continuous. Then comes the less visible but most valuable part of the service: if it is warranted or you ask, we look at the market again, when something changes (moving house, a new car, a shift in family or business circumstances) we adjust the cover, and at claim time I'm there to help where a case gets stuck or disputed – that's the subject of a separate article.
One point of contact, every policy in one hand – that's the essence of the model. My calendar is open: the first conversation is free and without obligation.
Still have a question? Let's talk it through in 20 minutes.
I'll assess your needs and walk you through the options – the decision is yours. I charge no fee for the consultation.
This page is general information; it does not constitute professional insurance advice and is not an offer. The specific cover, exclusions and premiums are always determined by the given insurer's terms and conditions in force – it is worth reviewing these point by point when you request a quote. Updated: July 2026.