Local agency or remote studio for an insurance brokerage website in Dublin: how to choose (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a Dublin brokerage of 2 to 25 people, a fixed-price remote studio delivers a clear, compliant website that generates quote requests for 2 700 to 8 200 EUR, against a 2026 ballpark of 8 000 to 35 000 EUR at a local agency. A Dublin agency is still preferable if you want meetings in your office, a team video shoot or a quote comparison engine connected to insurers from day one. Either way, put ownership of the domain and code in the contract, and plan for your compliance officer to review the regulatory wording.

What should a Dublin broker's website show?

Your clients are SMEs in Sandyford and the Docklands, subsidiaries of tech groups, landlords and a large expat population discovering the Irish insurance market. Before asking for a quote, they look for three things: which risks you cover, proof that you are authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland, and how you are paid.

Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support after launch. Details are on the international website offer. An online quote engine connected to insurers, a client area or an integration with your broker management software are quoted on request.

Dublin agency, freelancer or remote studio: how do you decide?

The ranges below are a 2026 ballpark, built from public price pages of Dublin agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co and rates published by freelancers on Malt and Upwork.

The Kolonell team is based in Dakar (GMT): your working days overlap almost entirely. As a reference, Kolonell delivered the bilingual FR/EN site of TR Signing Group, a notary and apostille service in New Jersey, with verified quote requests per file and an appointment calendar. The logic is close to a broker's: one qualified request is worth more than ten vague forms.

When is the Dublin agency the better choice?

To be frank: if you want a quote comparison tool querying several insurers in real time, a project that takes weeks of technical exchanges with their teams, a local agency used to those integrations has an edge. It also does if you want a presentation video shot in your office, team portraits, or regular in-person meetings with your directors. Kolonell does not do on-site meetings, photo or video shoots.

What does each option cost over three years?

Same hypotheses on both sides, for a fair comparison.

Payment is by bank transfer, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. Maintenance after the first 3 months and ongoing SEO are quoted on request.

Which rules govern a broker's website in Ireland?

An insurance intermediary must be registered with the Central Bank of Ireland, and its communications are governed by the Consumer Protection Code: clear, accurate, not misleading information, and a statement of the firm's regulatory status. Insurance distribution also falls under the European Union (Insurance Distribution) Regulations 2018, which transpose the Insurance Distribution Directive, notably on information about remuneration. Data collected in your forms falls under GDPR, supervised by the Data Protection Commission, and cookies under the Irish ePrivacy Regulations of 2011. The European Accessibility Act has applied since June 2025 to certain consumer services: check with your adviser whether your journey is in scope, and aim for WCAG 2.1 AA in any case. This is not legal advice.

Which questions should you ask both types of provider?

• Who writes the regulatory status page, and who signs it off?
• Do the quote forms collect only the data that is needed?
• Where are enquiries stored, and for how long?
• Are the domain and code in our name in the contract?
• How many product pages are included in the price?
• Who answers, and at what time, during the 3 months of support?

To get your scope priced, use the free quote request.

Mini case study

*Illustrative example.* Ciaran O. runs a 6-person brokerage in Dublin specialising in SME and expat cover. A local agency quotes him 22 000 EUR. He chooses the Premium tier at 8 200 EUR for a full EN/FR site aimed at the French-speaking expat community, a gap of 13 800 EUR. With an average annual commission of 900 EUR per SME policy, that gap equals about 15 policy-years, and the site is live in 4 weeks instead of 12.

FAQ

Should our regulatory status appear on every page?

A footer statement on every page, backed by a dedicated page, is the safest practice. It takes under an hour to set up and reassures visitors from their first visit.

Is an online quote comparison tool included?

No. The qualified quote request form is included from the Growth tier at 4 500 EUR; an engine connected to insurers is quoted on request.

Is the time difference a problem?

Not with a team on GMT: 0 h difference in winter and 1 h in summer, which means an almost fully shared working day.

How long does it take to go live?

Allow 3 to 4 weeks at Kolonell once content is supplied, against 8 to 14 weeks announced by local agencies.

Is local SEO included?

The technical structure is handled carefully in all three tiers; ongoing SEO is quoted on request, with no mandatory monthly package.

Let's scope your project. Product pages, regulatory information and qualified quote forms on the Starter, Growth or Premium tier, at a fixed EUR price, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. Request your free quote or see the international offer.