GlobalData: AI emerges as key competitive threat for UK commercial insurance brokers

A GlobalData survey found that AI is emerging as a competitive concern for UK commercial brokers, as new AI-enabled distribution channels create additional ways for customers to begin their insurance purchasing journey. While traditional competitive pressures remain more prominent, the growing use of conversational AI could challenge brokers' visibility at the earliest stage of customer acquisition.

GlobalData's 2026 UK Commercial Insurance Broker Survey found that 9.2% of brokers identified AI as the biggest threat to their business—behind only competition from other brokers and the soft market. These findings indicate that brokers already recognise AI as a meaningful competitive threat, even as AI-led insurance distribution remains at a relatively early stage.

Against this backdrop, insurers and aggregators are increasingly establishing a presence within ChatGPT. For example, ManyPets recently launched a ChatGPT plugin, following similar moves from MoneySuperMarket and Simply Business earlier in 2026. These tools allow customers to obtain indicative pricing before being redirected to the provider's website, potentially placing insurers and aggregators in front of consumers before a broker becomes involved. The trend is particularly relevant to commercial brokers following Simply Business's launch of an app that allows SME customers to obtain guide pricing for commercial cover through ChatGPT.

For brokers, AI is unlikely to eliminate the need for advice—particularly for complex commercial risks where customers benefit from specialist knowledge, risk assessment, and support with placement. However, the growing role of AI in product discovery could reshape where the customer relationship begins. Brokers need to ensure they remain visible as consumers increasingly use conversational AI to research insurance, while emphasising the value of advice and expertise that current AI tools cannot provide. Brokers that fail to adapt their digital distribution strategies risk being excluded from the initial consideration stage, even if they remain important later in the purchasing process.

"AI adds to competitive pressures facing UK commercial brokers" was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand.