The verdict in three sentences
For a Guernsey intermediary that works on captive and commercial insurance as well as local personal lines, the site has to reassure a corporate risk manager in another country and a family in St Peter Port at the same time. A local agency is the better choice when partners want to brief writers in person and the firm's island relationships are the main sales channel; a remote studio is well suited when the international audience dominates, because that audience never meets you on the island anyway. In every case, the domain, hosting and code must be in the firm's name, and marketing pages must go through your compliance review before go-live.
This guide is for leaders of insurance intermediaries in St Peter Port. A separate article compares prices; here we look at how to choose.
Who is the site really for?
Guernsey is a major captive insurance domicile, so an island intermediary may count multinational groups among its contacts alongside local clients. Mapping the audiences first tells you what kind of writer and process you need.
| Audience | Where they are | What they look for | Pages that serve them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captive owners and corporate risk managers | Europe, North America, elsewhere | Clarity on services, team expertise, regulatory status | Captive and commercial services, team, regulatory information |
| Introducers and professional advisers | Island and mainland | Who to call, how referrals work | Contact routes, team pages |
| Island businesses | St Peter Port and the parishes | Commercial cover explained simply | Commercial lines, claims guidance |
| Local households | Across the Bailiwick | Home, motor and travel cover, easy contact | Personal lines, quote request form |
| Due diligence teams | Anywhere | Status, policies, complaints process | Regulatory disclosure, complaints page, privacy notice |
The local agency pool in Guernsey is small, and few island studios have written for captive audiences. That is why many firms compare an island agency, a mainland UK agency and a remote studio.
Which criteria matter, side by side?
| Criterion | Weight for captive and commercial side | Weight for personal lines side | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-person workshops in St Peter Port | Low | High | Local agency |
| Native English copywriting for corporate readers | High | Medium | Either, check samples |
| Time-zone overlap with partners | High | High | Either, if the project manager works your hours |
| Compliance review with tracked approvals | High | High | Either, ask for the process |
| Photography of the team and island premises | Medium | High | Local, or third-party local photographer |
| Ownership of domain and code | High | High | Contract, whatever the provider |
| Fixed budget and short timeline | Medium | Medium | Remote studio |
The international website offer from Kolonell runs at £2,300 for Starter, £3,900 for Growth and £6,900 for Premium, with a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Maintenance afterwards is on quote.
What do the options cost over three years?
Local figures are 2026 ballparks from typical agency quotes, not a survey. Maintenance uses the same market assumption everywhere: £150 a month from month 4, so £1,350 in year 1 and £1,800 a year afterwards. Each option includes a £700 third-party local photographer in year 1.
| Option | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Three-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island agency, £14,000 build | £16,050 | £1,800 | £1,800 | £19,650 |
| Island freelancer, £5,000 build | £7,050 | £1,800 | £1,800 | £10,650 |
| Kolonell Growth, £3,900 | £5,950 | £1,800 | £1,800 | £9,550 |
| Kolonell Premium, £6,900 | £8,950 | £1,800 | £1,800 | £12,550 |
When is the local agency clearly better, and what must be in the brief?
Choose the island agency when your partners want face-to-face briefings, when local households and businesses are the core of the book and the brand is built on being seen around St Peter Port, or when the same supplier must also handle print and events. Choose a remote studio when the captive and commercial content carries the site and decisions can be made on video.
Regulatory frame, in general terms: insurance intermediaries are regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC), and as a general rule the site states the firm's regulatory status. Personal data is governed by the Data Protection (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2017, overseen by the Office of the Data Protection Authority. The complaints page should explain your procedure and, where relevant, the Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman. WCAG 2.2 AA is a sensible accessibility target. Never promise premiums, savings, cover or claim outcomes. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask both types of provider:
- Have you written for a corporate, international insurance audience? Show two samples.
- How does our compliance officer approve pages, and is each approval recorded?
- Which quote form fields are strictly needed, and is document upload in scope or on quote?
- Where is the site hosted, and who are your sub-processors?
- Is the domain registered to us, and what are the exit and handover terms?
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Mini case study
Illustrative example. Tom is a director of a fictional St Peter Port intermediary that works with captive owners and island clients. He plans a 30-page site and wants every page reviewed by his compliance officer, at 20 minutes a page and an internal cost of £90 an hour.
- Review time: 30 x 20 minutes = 10 hours, so £900 whichever provider builds the site.
- Remote route: Kolonell Premium at £6,900 + £900 review + £700 third-party local photographer = £8,500.
- Mainland agency route: £16,000 build + 3 visits at £400 (travel, market assumption) + £900 review + £700 photographer = £18,800.
The difference is £10,300. Tom picks the remote route for the captive content and keeps a local photographer for team portraits and the office.
FAQ
Is it realistic to find a Guernsey agency with captive experience?
The pool is small, so plan to speak to 2 or 3 island candidates and at least 1 off-island option. Ask each for samples written for corporate insurance readers.
Does the site need separate sections for captive and local clients?
Usually yes: two clear entry points on the home page and 5 to 10 pages for each audience. That structure keeps local households away from technical content.
How long will the project take?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content and approvals are ready. Local agencies typically plan 8 to 14 weeks.
Can the quote form accept documents?
Yes, but secure document upload is on quote. A first version with 6 to 8 fields often covers local personal lines.
What happens after the 3 months of support?
Maintenance at Kolonell is on quote. As a market ballpark, island agencies often charge £120 to £400 a month.
For a figure on your own page list, request a free quote and mention both audiences.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your audiences, lines of business and page count, and we will propose Starter, Growth or Premium with delivery in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
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.