Insurance brokerage website cost in Edinburgh: local agencies vs Kolonell (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Edinburgh, an insurance brokerage website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, between 6 000 and 25 000 GBP, and more if the firm wants an online quoting tool connected to its broking platform. Kolonell builds the product pages, the quote request journey and the regulatory wording for a fixed price of 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth. The real comparison is the 3-year total cost, how each quote handles the FCA financial promotion rules and who owns the domain.

What do Edinburgh agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?

The ranges below are prudent ballparks, not official figures. They draw on public rate cards of Scottish agencies, minimum project sizes listed on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by Edinburgh and Glasgow agencies (often 70 to 120 GBP per hour) and rates visible on Upwork. They vary widely with the number of product lines, integrations and the amount of copywriting.

Payment is by bank transfer or Wise: 50 % to start, 50 % at delivery. A project manager works in your time zone, with Google Meet calls at a time that suits the firm and a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), so there is no time difference with Edinburgh in winter and one hour in summer. Full details are on our international website offer.

Which 3-year total cost should you compare?

The build price is only part of the bill. A brokerage also pays for hosting, maintenance, updates (a new product line, revised disclosures) and sometimes professional portraits. The table assumes the same maintenance budget on both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request.

These figures structure the comparison; they do not predict your invoice. Ask every supplier to fill in the same table.

What does each Kolonell tier include for a brokerage?

An online quoting tool, a client area with policy documents or a link to your broking software is a custom application, quoted on request. So is ongoing search work.

What does an Edinburgh broker need online?

Edinburgh is one of the UK's major financial centres, with a strong insurance and asset management presence. An independent firm here often serves SMEs in Leith and the city fringe, farms across the Lothians and the Borders, New Town landlords and overseas professionals drawn by financial employers. The site has to build trust before the first call:

• Factual product pages: what the line covers, for which profile, which information to prepare. No promised premium or saving.
• Visible regulatory status: the statement of authorisation by the Financial Conduct Authority and the firm reference number, which brokers usually display in the footer.
• An accessible complaints procedure, with the referral to the Financial Ombudsman Service where it applies.
• A minimal quote request: activity, headcount, renewal date, contact details. No sensitive information without a suitable tool.
• Genuine professional membership, BIBA for instance, only if the firm is a member.

On compliance, the facts only. FCA-authorised brokers must follow its rules on financial promotions (clear, fair and not misleading) and the Consumer Duty, in force since July 2023 for products open to sale. The firm or its compliance officer validates every text. Personal data falls under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, cookies under PECR, and the Equality Act 2010 points towards an accessible site (WCAG 2.2 AA as the technical reference). This is not legal advice.

How do you compare quotes, and which red flags matter?

• A price without a written scope: ask for the list of pages, forms and integrations.
• A domain registered in the supplier's name: it must be in yours.
• Copy promising the cheapest premium: your compliance officer will reject it.
• A form that collects too much (detailed claims history, health data) with no thought about storage.
• No mention of compliance sign-off in the schedule.
• Mandatory long-term maintenance with no way to take back control.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Fiona M., managing director of a 9-person commercial brokerage in Leith, receives two proposals. A local agency quotes 12 500 GBP plus 600 GBP of portraits, delivered in 11 weeks. Kolonell proposes Growth at 3 900 GBP in 4 weeks, with an Edinburgh photographer booked separately for 600 GBP.

Build and photos: 13 100 GBP versus 4 500 GBP, an 8 600 GBP gap. With the same maintenance assumption over 33 months (3 960 GBP on each side), the 3-year total becomes 17 060 GBP versus 8 460 GBP. Fiona keeps the local agency in mind for a future client portal, which she will also ask Kolonell to quote.

FAQ

How much does an insurance brokerage website cost in Edinburgh in 2026?

With a local agency, expect a ballpark of 6 000 to 25 000 GBP depending on scope, and 1 500 to 6 000 GBP with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP.

Does Kolonell write copy that fits FCA rules?

Kolonell writes factual copy with no promised premiums, in native English or French. Final sign-off belongs to the firm and its compliance function, and corrections are applied within the 3 to 4 week project.

Can I offer instant online quotes?

A calculator connected to insurers is a custom application, quoted on request. The 3 900 and 6 900 GBP tiers include a quote request form qualified by product line.

Can the site be in English and French?

Yes, the bilingual FR/EN site is included in Premium at 6 900 GBP. Another language is supplied by the firm or quoted separately.

How does payment work?

By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. On Growth, that means two payments of 1 950 GBP.

Let's scope your project. Send us your product lines, your regulatory status and your current site, and we come back with a fixed-price tier and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.