The verdict in three sentences
A London brokerage handling commercial lines, motor fleets and group protection pays between 80 and 250 EUR per user per month in 2026 for an off-the-shelf broker management system, which means 15,000 to 40,000 EUR a year for 10 to 15 people. A custom platform bringing together quotes, policies, claims, client portal and an audit trail of the duty of advice costs between 6,100 and 22,870 EUR excl. VAT depending on scope, with a 3 to 5 month timeline. Custom becomes cost-effective once the firm passes 8 users or when its workflows (fleets, multi-insurer schemes) no longer fit packaged software.
What broker software really costs in 2026
The per-user price only tells part of the story. Vendors often charge extra for modules (client portal, document management, e-signature, insurer connectors) plus data migration fees. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude for a 10 to 15 person firm.
| Item | Off-the-shelf broker system | Kolonell custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Licence or development | 80 to 250 EUR per user per month | 6,100 to 22,870 EUR excl. VAT (one-off) |
| Client portal | Optional module, 200 to 600 EUR per month | Included in scope |
| Data migration (policies, clients) | 2,000 to 8,000 EUR | Included in the quote |
| Insurer connectors (EDI, API) | 500 to 2,000 EUR per connector | Built for your partners |
| Maintenance and updates | Included, but vendor roadmap imposed | 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month (50 to 180 EUR) |
| Time to go live | 1 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months |
| 3-year cumulative cost (14 users) | 50,000 to 105,000 EUR | 8,000 to 29,400 EUR |
Custom only makes sense if the firm has processes that set it apart: per-vehicle fleet rating, international programmes, delegated claims handling. For a 3-person personal lines broker, packaged software remains the sensible choice.
The four building blocks that create value
The quote depends mostly on four functional blocks. The table shows their weight in the budget and what regulation (the IDD in Europe, FCA conduct rules in the UK) requires.
| Block | Concrete content | Regulatory requirement | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating and quotes | Multi-insurer comparison, fleet grids, protection simulation | Pre-contract information, product information document | 20 to 30 % |
| Client portal | Certificates, endorsements, claims notification, signed documents | Secure access, GDPR, access log | 15 to 25 % |
| Duty of advice | Needs analysis, recommendation rationale, archiving | Evidence of advice kept for at least 5 years | 15 to 20 % |
| Insurer integration | Import of bordereaux, premiums, commissions, claims | Reconciliation of commissions worth 10 to 20 % of premiums | 20 to 30 % |
| Management reporting | Portfolio per client, renewals, retention rate | Tracking of 15 hours of annual CPD | 10 to 15 % |
The most profitable block is often automatic commission reconciliation. A firm earning 600,000 EUR in commissions a year easily loses 1 to 2 % in unclaimed discrepancies when matching is done in spreadsheets.
How to scope the project without blowing the budget
Three scope decisions can triple the price. A first phase at 6,100 to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT (4 to 7 M FCFA) covers CRM, quotes and a basic portal. A full project at 10,670 to 22,870 EUR excl. VAT adds insurer connectors, e-signature, a claims module with delegated authority and executive dashboards. Integrations are the main source of overruns: list your 5 priority insurers and the format of their bordereaux before asking for a quote.
On compliance, specify from the start data hosting in the UK or EU, access logging and full file export for a regulator review.
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Laurence runs a 14-person brokerage in the City of London focused on fleets and group protection. Her current system costs 160 EUR per user per month plus 400 EUR a month for the portal: (14 x 160 + 400) x 12 = 31,680 EUR a year, or 95,040 EUR over 3 years. A custom platform at 15,240 EUR excl. VAT (10 M FCFA), with Premium maintenance at 180 EUR a month, comes to 15,240 + 6,480 = 21,720 EUR over the same period. The 73,000 EUR gap more than funds the insurer connectors, and the team gets the fleet rating tool the package never offered. This is an estimate: migrating 15 years of history can add 2 to 4 weeks of work.
FAQ
How much does insurance broker software cost in 2026?
Market solutions range from 80 to 250 EUR per user per month, excluding add-on modules. A Kolonell custom platform costs 6,100 to 22,870 EUR excl. VAT depending on scope, with maintenance of 50 to 180 EUR a month.
Can custom software handle advice compliance?
Yes, provided it is in the specification: needs analysis, written recommendation rationale and archiving for at least 5 years. This module usually represents 15 to 20 % of the budget.
How long does deployment take?
Allow 3 to 5 months for a full project, including 3 to 6 weeks for data migration and connector testing. A first CRM and quotes phase can ship in 10 to 12 weeks.
Can we connect insurer extranets?
Yes, via API or import of EDI bordereaux and CSV files, depending on what each insurer offers. Each connector takes 3 to 8 days of development and testing.
Who owns the code and the data?
The firm keeps ownership of its data and can export everything at any time. Code ownership terms are set out in the quote.
Let's scope your project. Send us your user count, partner insurers and priority workflows (fleets, protection, claims) to get a quote between 6,100 and 22,870 EUR excl. VAT and a 3 to 5 month plan through our free quote form. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
