The verdict in three sentences
For a Dublin brokerage managing 2,500 general insurance and protection policies, a broker SaaS at 60 to 150 EUR per user per month is enough as long as your processes stay standard. Once commission calculation per insurer, IDD suitability record keeping and renewal follow ups eat more than a half time role, custom software pays for itself within 3 to 4 years. Plan a market budget of 30,000 to 75,000 EUR excluding VAT and a timeline of 4 to 6 months, scoped in phases.
Broker SaaS or custom software: the real 2026 comparison
Off the shelf tools cover basic book management well: client records, policies, renewal calendar, document storage. They hit their limits on three specific points: commission rules unique to each insurer (initial commission, renewal commission, volume overrides), connections to insurer portals, and proof of the suitability assessment required by the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) and the Central Bank of Ireland.
| Criterion | Standard broker SaaS | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost (2026 ballpark) | 0 to 3,000 EUR setup | 30,000 to 75,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Recurring cost for 8 users | 5,760 to 14,400 EUR per year | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR per year (hosting, maintenance) |
| Commission rules per insurer | Generic grids, frequent re-keying | Dedicated engine, 100 % of your schedules |
| IDD suitability record | Template form | Tracked, timestamped, signed journey |
| Insurer portal connections | 3 to 10 insurers depending on vendor | Connectors chosen by your volumes |
| Data and code ownership | Vendor | Brokerage |
| Go live time | 2 to 6 weeks | 4 to 6 months |
The reading is simple: under 5 users and with 3 or 4 partner insurers, stay on SaaS. Beyond 10 insurers and with commissions negotiated case by case, custom software pays for itself through hours saved and missed commissions recovered.
The modules that make the difference for a broker
A well scoped project does not rebuild everything. It targets the tasks that cost the brokerage the most. Here are the priority modules and their weight in a typical budget.
| Module | Function | Share of budget | Expected gain (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission engine | Calculation per insurer, product, initial and renewal rate | 20 to 25 % | 1 to 3 % of missed commissions recovered |
| Renewals | Alerts at D-90, D-60, D-30, remarketing | 15 to 20 % | Lapse rate cut by 2 to 4 points |
| IDD suitability | Demands and needs, suitability, archiving | 10 to 15 % | File ready for a regulator review |
| Portal connectors | Import of commission statements and premiums | 20 to 25 % | 10 to 15 h less re-keying per month |
| Client portal | Certificates, claims, documents | 10 to 15 % | 30 % fewer inbound calls |
| Dashboards | Book, collections, forecast | 5 to 10 % | Monthly review in 15 minutes |
The commission engine is almost always the most profitable module. A brokerage collecting 600,000 EUR in annual commissions and letting 1.5 % of unclaimed discrepancies slip loses 9,000 EUR a year, the cost of one development phase.
On the Kolonell side, a medium complexity business application ranges from 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR), a complex application from 7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA and up (10,670 to 22,870 EUR and up). Ongoing maintenance is offered at 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month (50, 110 or 180 EUR). These are Kolonell's rates, not market prices.
Mini case study
Ciaran, managing director of a brokerage in Dublin (illustrative example), manages 2,500 policies with 8 staff and 12 partner insurers. His assistant spends 14 hours a month reconciling commission statements, and two account handlers spend 20 hours a month on renewal follow ups.
- Time recovered: 34 hours per month x 35 EUR loaded cost = 1,190 EUR per month, or 14,280 EUR per year.
- Commissions recovered: 1 % of 480,000 EUR = 4,800 EUR per year.
- Total annual gain: about 19,080 EUR.
- Investment: 45,000 EUR excl. VAT for a market scope, plus 6,000 EUR per year of maintenance, against 9,600 EUR per year of SaaS licences removed.
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Payback comes in just over 2 years. With a Kolonell budget for a complex application, it drops below 18 months.
FAQ
How much does custom brokerage software cost in Dublin in 2026?
The 2026 European market ballpark sits between 30,000 and 75,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on the number of insurer connectors and the depth of the commission engine. Splitting into 3 phases lets you start with 15,000 to 25,000 EUR.
Can the software prove IDD suitability compliance?
Yes, if it timestamps the demands and needs capture, the recommendation and the suitability rationale, then archives everything for at least 5 years. It is often the first argument during a regulator review.
Can it connect to insurer portals?
It depends on the insurers: some expose EDI feeds or APIs, others require file imports. In practice, 5 to 8 connectors cover 80 % of a mid sized brokerage's volume.
How long does the project take?
Plan 4 to 6 months: 3 to 4 weeks of scoping, 3 to 4 months of phased development, then 3 weeks of data migration and acceptance testing. The commission engine can ship first, from month three.
What happens to the history in our current SaaS?
Client, policy and premium data are exported and migrated, usually in 2 to 3 weeks. Plan one month of parallel running to validate commission calculations.
Let's scope your project. Send us your policy count, partner insurers and commission rules, and we will price a phased scope with an indicative budget and timeline. 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.
