The verdict in three sentences
A Dublin insurance brokerage managing 4,200 commercial policies typically loses 2 days a month reconciling insurer commission statements by hand. A custom policy and commission system costs between 35,000 and 75,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026, with a 4 to 6 month rollout. It pays off once the firm works with more than 10 insurers and must evidence compliance with the Central Bank of Ireland Consumer Protection Code and the IDD at every review.
What the software really needs to automate
The heart of the project is not the CRM, which most brokers already have, but statement reconciliation. Every insurer sends commissions in a different format: Excel, CSV, PDF, EDI or portal exports. A firm of this size routinely receives 15 distinct formats, with rates that vary by line of business, inception year and endorsements.
| Function | Without a tool (2026) | With custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Statement import | Manual keying, 15 formats | Automatic import, per-insurer mapping |
| Commission / policy reconciliation | 2 days a month in accounts | 2 to 3 hours reviewing exceptions |
| Commission discrepancies spotted | Often after 6 to 12 months | Alert at import, configurable threshold |
| Renewal tracking | Shared spreadsheet | Automatic reminders at D-90, D-60, D-30 |
| IDD and CPC suitability records | Scattered documents | Needs analysis, fact find, timestamped archive |
| Client portal | None or insurer portal | Certificates, claims, documents online |
| Management reporting | Monthly, by hand | Dashboard by insurer and line of business |
On a 4,200-policy book, an average unclaimed discrepancy of 0.8% on commissions can represent several thousand euros a year. That pool, more than time saved, often funds the project.
2026 budget by scope
The ranges below are a 2026 order of magnitude for a Dublin broker with 10 to 25 staff. They cover design, development, acceptance testing and go-live, excluding third-party licences.
| Workstream | Content | Indicative budget excl. VAT | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy core | Policies, clients, insurers, renewals | 10,000 to 18,000 EUR | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Statement engine | Import of 15 formats, mapping, rate rules | 9,000 to 20,000 EUR | 5 to 8 weeks |
| Reconciliation and exceptions | Matching, alerts, insurer claims | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR | 3 to 5 weeks |
| IDD / CPC compliance | Fact find, suitability, audit trail | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Client portal | Secure space, certificates, claims | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Data migration | From legacy tool and spreadsheets | 2,000 to 4,000 EUR | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Total | Full project | 35,000 to 75,000 EUR | 4 to 6 months |
Add EU-based, GDPR-compliant hosting at 150 to 400 EUR excl. VAT per month, and evolutive maintenance of 12 to 18% of the initial budget per year.
Custom build or broker package?
Off-the-shelf broker systems often charge 60 to 150 EUR per user per month, and their commission modules struggle with the unusual formats of niche insurers and MGAs. Custom wins when the firm has introducer commission splits, complex group schemes or needs a branded client portal. The right approach is often hybrid: keep the existing accounting package and build the statement engine and portal around it.
Mini case study
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Claire, managing director of an 18-person brokerage in Dublin 2, manages 4,200 policies across 22 insurers. Her accounts team spends 2 days a month on reconciliation, or 24 days a year. At a loaded cost of 420 EUR per day, that is 10,080 EUR a year. The first quarter of use surfaces 0.6% discrepancies on 1.9 million euros of annual commissions, or 11,400 EUR recoverable. With a 52,000 EUR project and 5,000 EUR in yearly running costs, the net annual gain of about 16,500 EUR pays back the investment in just over 3 years, before counting the time freed for new business.
FAQ
How much does broker commission software cost in 2026?
Expect 35,000 to 75,000 EUR excl. VAT for a complete custom tool. A module limited to statement reconciliation can start around 18,000 EUR.
Does the software help with Central Bank of Ireland rules?
Yes, it structures the fact find, suitability statement and timestamped archive of documents provided to the client. During a Central Bank review, the firm retrieves each file in seconds instead of hours.
How many statement formats can be imported?
A standard project covers 15 formats at launch, then each new insurer costs roughly 400 to 900 EUR of configuration. PDF statements need an extra extraction step.
How long until we are live?
Between 4 and 6 months for the full scope. The statement engine can ship first, from month 3, to deliver quick wins.
Does the data stay in the EU?
Hosting can be located in Ireland or elsewhere in the EU, with encryption and daily backups, for 150 to 400 EUR excl. VAT per month depending on volume.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of policies, insurers and statement formats, and we will price a scope with a 4 to 6 month plan. 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.
