Insurance broker

Insurance brokers use their knowledge of the insurance market to help find the right cover, at the best price, for their customers.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day duties you could:

  • gather information from clients to assess their insurance needs and risk
  • research insurance policies
  • arrange insurance cover for clients
  • negotiate the best policy terms with insurers
  • renew or change existing policies
  • make sure all business and paperwork meets legal requirements
  • advise customers who are making a claim
  • use IT systems to keep records and prepare documents
  • prepare case reports for insurance underwriters and surveyors

Working environment

You could work in an office.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could move into account handling, claims broking or a business development role.

You could specialise in an area of insurance, progress into management, or move into other types of insurance work, like loss adjusting, underwriting or compliance.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • customer service skills
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • persistence and determination
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • maths knowledge
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Most relevant

  • Mathematics - Insurance brokers work with numbers constantly – calculating premiums, comparing policy costs, and assessing the financial risks their clients face. They need to be comfortable with percentages, statistics, and financial calculations to find the best value cover for each customer.
  • Business - Insurance brokers operate in a commercial environment, negotiating deals between clients and insurance companies. Understanding how businesses work, including concepts like risk management, customer relationships, and market competition, is central to the role.
  • Economics - Insurance brokers need to understand how markets work, as insurance pricing is driven by supply, demand, and economic conditions. Knowledge of economic trends helps them advise clients on how factors like inflation, interest rates, or industry changes might affect their insurance needs.
  • English Language - Insurance brokers spend much of their time communicating – explaining complex policy terms to clients, writing case reports for underwriters, and negotiating with insurers. Being able to write clearly and speak persuasively is essential for building trust and closing deals.

Also relevant

  • Law - Insurance brokers must ensure that all business and paperwork meets legal requirements, and they work with contracts and policy documents daily. Understanding legal concepts like liability, duty of care, and contract law helps them advise clients accurately and avoid costly mistakes.
  • Accounting - Insurance brokers handle financial records, manage client accounts, and track premium payments and renewals. A solid understanding of financial record-keeping and how money flows through a business helps them stay organised and accurate.
  • Psychology - Insurance brokers need to understand what motivates their clients and how to build strong professional relationships. Being able to read people, handle stressful conversations about claims, and persuade clients or insurers during negotiations draws on an understanding of human behaviour.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards the role
  • a graduate training scheme

You could take a degree before applying for a place on an insurance company's training scheme. Relevant degrees include:

  • business studies
  • finance
  • surveying
  • engineering

It will help to get some relevant work experience whilst you're studying, for example through an internship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

You could get into this this job through an insurance professional higher apprenticeship.

This typically takes about 24 months to complete with a mix of workplace learning and study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

Employers often prefer to take on trainees with a minimum of GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths, and A levels. IT skills are also important.

You would usually start in one of the following jobs:

  • insurance technician
  • junior account handler
  • trainee broker

You could work your way up to broker as you get experience and insurance industry qualifications, for example, through the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

The CII qualifications offer study units relevant to the insurance areas you specialise in, for example marine, commercial or general insurance. Examples of qualifications include:

  • CII Level 3 Certificate in Insurance - for trainee brokers
  • CII Diploma in Insurance
  • CII Advanced Diploma in Insurance

If you have a degree, you could join a large insurance broking firm's graduate training scheme.

Most degree subjects are accepted, but a business or maths degree may give you an advantage, as there is often a lot of competition for places.

Career tips

You'll find it useful to have experience in office work, sales or financial customer service.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Chartered Insurance Institute for professional development and training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about working in insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute and Step Forward.

This page contains original content developed by Coffee With Ltd. You may share this page as a link but you must not copy the content or use it with AI tools. All rights reserved.