What a Personal Lines Broker Should Be Focused On in Today’s UK Market

Let’s be honest, being a personal lines broker in the UK right now isn’t easy. It’s noisy, it’s regulated to the hilt, margins are tight, and customer expectations are rising faster than most systems can keep up.

So what actually matters right now? What should brokers really be focusing on if they want to stay competitive, relevant, and commercially sustainable over the next few years?

First up - regulation. You can’t talk about broking in 2025 without talking about Consumer Duty, product value assessments, price walking bans, and fair value reporting. It’s not just a compliance issue anymore, it’s a brand and retention issue. Brokers who understand this are moving from box-ticking to actually embedding it in how they sell, price, and support customers.

Then there’s cost management. Everyone’s cutting, but smart brokers are being surgical, looking at claims leakage, inefficient supplier contracts, and over-servicing in non-core areas. The brokers that survive won’t just be the cheapest they’ll be the most adaptable.

Talent is another piece that can’t be ignored. Personal lines has often been seen as a stepping stone but the brokers that win will be the ones who treat it like a destination. That means career paths, training, hybrid flexibility, and a culture that doesn’t just mimic call centres from 2010. Your people are the brand, invest in them like you mean it.

And let’s talk tech or more specifically, the lack of it. Too many brokers are still tied to legacy software platforms that make it painful to update journeys, run proper MI, or even quote competitively. You can’t adapt to a fast-moving market if your core platform is still thinking it’s 2007. Investment in flexible, API-ready tech isn’t optional anymore, it’s survival.

Finally, brokers need to be thinking commercially. Not just “how many policies did we sell,” but “what’s our actual contribution by channel, product, and panel?” Are we aligned with our insurer partners? Are we delivering long-term value, or just gaming the quote engines? The data exists but you have to be willing to look at it.

So yes, it’s tough out there. But brokers who focus on what matters, regulation with purpose, operational efficiency, talent development, modern tech, and clear commercial thinking are the ones who’ll not just survive, but grow.

There’s still space for brokers to win. But the playbook needs an update.

The views expressed in this article are those of WHO2 Global Ltd and do not constitute professional advice. All content is for informational purposes only.