A new trophy adorns our Gauntlet Group offices in Leeds, since our appointed representative network won a much-coveted Insurance Times Award.  We seized a Bronze Award in the category of Business Partner of the Year, in recognition of having put local insurance brokers back on the map – something that could not make us prouder.

Since 2009, we have given aspiring insurance sales professionals and brokers the opportunity to start their own insurance brokerage, as appointed representatives, with our help and backing.  In that year, we founded our enterprise network alongside our own broking business.  The network enables brokers to trade in a completely compliant manner, without having to be directly authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, as ARs.

Their status, as Appointed Representatives of Gauntlet Group, enables them to get their broking businesses up and running, leaving Gauntlet to handle all compliance reporting, administration, accounting and even the placing of insurance risks, if they wish.  They can focus entirely on their client relationships and building up their client base.

How did our appointed representative network win the Insurance Times Award?

In 2022, Gauntlet saw too many UK businesses receiving poor advice from the large insurance conglomerates, who are increasingly buying up traditional brokers.   Knowing businesses are losing the huge value contributed by knowledgeable brokers, who visit clients in person, fully understand their risk and are always on hand to answer queries, we launched a fightback.

We invested heavily in IT and bespoke software solutions, which can allow a local broker appointed representative to compete on a level playing field with a big conglomerate.  This is the technological force that maximises the advantages of Gauntlet’s impressive buying power and access to a vast number of insurance schemes and insurers.  Using this formula, we have led a local broker renaissance.

Local brokers within our network have been equipped with even more tools to help them thrive and stay at the heart of their local business communities, providing the service that is so hard to obtain from an insurance provider nowadays.

Gauntlet De-authorisation Fast-track – for directly authorised brokers wishing to become appointed representatives

Furthermore, we launched Gauntlet De-authorisation Fast-track – a UK first.  This allows an established broker, struggling enormously with the demands of FCA compliance reporting, accounting, overheads and the purchasing of Professional Indemnity insurance, to de-authorise and become a Gauntlet Appointed Representative.  After around 8 weeks, they can start to enjoy a stress-free life in broking, getting back to what they are good at, and enjoy all the benefits that other Appointed Representatives enjoy.

The investment, initiatives and marketing Gauntlet has put in place, backed by our commitment to its brokers, in terms of training and sales development at annual and spring conferences, impressed the Insurance Times judges.  Rather than have our  management explain the benefits to the judging panel, Gauntlet Appointed Representatives themselves, along with members of our back-office team in Leeds, did the talking, through videos and audio.

Local brokers with national reach

Roger Gaunt, managing director of Gauntlet Group and its Appointed Representative network, says: “We are delighted to win the Insurance Times Award and be recognised as a tremendous business partner for any broker committed to providing clients with a first-class service, right at the heart of their community, as an AR.

“We shall continue to lead the local broker renaissance in 2023 and look forward to supporting even more start-up and de-authorising brokers, who want to be part of the long-term future of traditional style broking in the UK, but broking that comes with a compelling twist.”

More details about the network can be found at www.appointedrepresentatives.com and anyone wishing to contact a local broker can do so by visiting www.gauntletgroup.com and selecting a broker they would like to deal with.