The verdict in three sentences
For a Dublin brokerage managing 4,500 policies for businesses and individuals with 9 partner insurers, a custom management system costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, EUR 60,000 to 120,000, for a 5 to 7 month project. The fastest return comes from automatic commission reconciliation: brokers who reconcile by hand every quarter let 4 to 6 % of commissions go unclaimed. The portfolio, renewal schedule and claims tracking then improve retention.
The system budget, module by module
A broker working with 9 insurers receives 9 different commission statement formats, often PDF or Excel, with policy numbers that do not always match its own references. That is where the gaps hide.
| Module | Core version | Full version |
|---|---|---|
| Client and policy portfolio (property, casualty, health, fleet) | EUR 12,000 | EUR 20,000 |
| Renewal schedule, renewal and unpaid premium reminders | EUR 6,500 | EUR 12,000 |
| Claims tracking (notification, documents, assessment, settlement) | EUR 10,000 | EUR 20,000 |
| Import of 9 insurers' statements and reconciliation | EUR 13,500 | EUR 26,500 |
| Commission dashboard by insurer and product | EUR 5,500 | EUR 10,500 |
| Client portal (certificates, online claim notification) | EUR 4,500 | EUR 13,500 |
| Security, audit logging and GDPR compliance | EUR 4,000 | EUR 8,000 |
| Testing, data migration and training | EUR 4,000 | EUR 9,500 |
| Total | EUR 60,000 | EUR 120,000 |
Data migration is often underestimated: 4,500 policies spread across an old system, spreadsheets and paper files take 4 to 6 weeks to clean. Brokers regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland must also keep records that support the Consumer Protection Code, so the audit trail is not optional.
Off-the-shelf broker software or custom build
The Irish and UK market offers established broker management systems, but they are priced per user and rarely handle every insurer's statement format without manual work.
| 2026 option | Upfront cost (order of magnitude) | Recurring cost | Commission reconciliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheets and legacy system | EUR 0 | 1 to 1.5 administrative FTE | Manual, quarterly |
| Established broker management system | EUR 15,000 to 40,000 | EUR 80 to 200 per user per month | Partial, limited formats |
| European SaaS platform | EUR 10,000 to 25,000 setup | EUR 100 to 250 per user per month | Generic import rules |
| Custom system | EUR 60,000 to 120,000 | EUR 8,000 to 16,000 a year | Automatic, 9 formats recognised |
| Custom + client mobile app | EUR 100,000 to 145,000 | EUR 13,000 to 23,000 a year | Automatic |
Custom makes sense when commission volume is large and insurer formats change: each statement connector is maintained by the provider, not by the accounts team.
How automatic reconciliation works
The system imports each statement, recognises the policy by number, insured name and period, then compares the commission paid with the insurer's contractual rate. It sorts every line into three statuses: matched, rate discrepancy, missing commission. Missing commissions generate a pre-filled claim to send to the insurer. In practice, the first run over 12 months of history reveals the most gaps: uncommissioned endorsements, missed renewals, sliding rates applied incorrectly.
Mini case study
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Aoife, managing director of a brokerage in Dublin (illustrative scenario), collects about EUR 1,200,000 in commissions a year on 4,500 policies. Her team spends 3 weeks per quarter reconciling statements, about 900 hours a year. If the system recovers 4 % of missed commissions, the gain is EUR 48,000 a year. The administrative time freed up, about 700 hours, is worth close to EUR 25,000. For a EUR 95,000 system and EUR 12,000 of annual maintenance, payback comes in about 18 months, faster if retention improves thanks to automatic renewal reminders.
FAQ
How much does an insurance brokerage management system cost in Ireland in 2026?
As an order of magnitude, EUR 60,000 to 120,000 for a custom system, plus EUR 8,000 to 16,000 a year in maintenance. Delivery takes 5 to 7 months.
Can the system read every insurer's statements?
Yes, a connector is built for each format, PDF, Excel or CSV. Allow EUR 1,300 to 2,700 per format, included in the reconciliation module budget.
How much commission can really be recovered?
Brokers who reconcile by hand often miss 4 to 6 % of their commissions. The gain depends on the number of endorsements and the quality of the statements received.
Can clients notify a claim online?
Yes, from the client portal with photos and supporting documents. The handler receives a complete file, which cuts the time to open a claim from 3 days to a few hours.
Is health data protected?
It is encrypted, access is restricted by role and every view is logged, in line with GDPR and Central Bank of Ireland record-keeping expectations.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your policy count, your partner insurers and your current tools, and we will price the system by module with a 5 to 7 month schedule. 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.
