Brokerbility, the Clear Group's network community for insurance brokers, has moved for the Gauntlet Appointed Representative (AR) Network and Gauntlet Retail Brokers.
The combination of Brokerbility and Gauntlet AR Network creates a single partner for independent insurance brokers.
Founded in 1994 by Roger Gaunt, Gauntlet has grown into a specialist commercial insurance broker and national broker network. Gauntlet AR Network, in particular, has served as a principal for appointed representative insurance brokers, assuming full regulatory responsibility on behalf of its AR members. This structure has become a popular route for entrepreneurial brokers wanting to launch quickly while leveraging a larger firm's regulatory framework and market access.
Roger Gaunt will remain with the combined business and help in the development of Brokerbility's AR proposition, with a particular focus on expanding membership across its various offerings and supporting entrepreneurial brokers.
Commenting on the recent acquisition, John Dunn (pictured), who has led Brokerbility since 2022, said the deal strengthens an already successful collaboration between the two companies. He added that Brokerbility continues to expand its footprint as it welcomes new members and introduces new capabilities.
Meanwhile, Gaunt said that they are looking forward to growing Brokerbility's AR network and support brokers with the right framework, flexibility and support.
The acquisition builds on Clear Group's broader strategy of using M&A and network investment to support independent firms, a plan that has seen it complete a string of deals in recent years and grow into a £1 billion‑plus GWP business.
Clear Group's acquisition of Gauntlet follows a busy run of deals across both the UK and Ireland. Recent transactions include the purchase of Surrey-based commercial broker C.R. Toogood & Co. in 2025, adding £14.5 million of GWP and 19 staff and extending Clear’s footprint in the South of England. In October 2024, the company acquired Vision Insurance Services, a £10 million GWP broker in the South East.
Clear has also been active in specialist and MGA segments, including its 2024 acquisition of MGA Accelerate Underwriting, its fourth MGA deal, alongside earlier transactions, such as Thomond Underwriting in Ireland and schemes specialist CoverMarque.
This latest deal also highlights the growing importance of AR networks within the UK insurance distribution landscape. Over the past decade, AR models have become an established and profitable segment of the market, particularly for groups able to combine scale, strong compliance oversight and access to insurer capacity.
For principals, AR networks generate recurring revenue through commission participation, fee income and ancillary services such as compliance support, IT platforms and market access. While margins vary by structure, well-run AR networks can deliver attractive returns, particularly as fixed regulatory and technology costs are spread across a growing membership base.
However, profitability has increasingly been linked to governance quality. The Financial Conduct Authority has repeatedly flagged AR oversight as a supervisory priority, pushing principals to invest more heavily in monitoring, reporting and controls. That has favoured larger, well-capitalised groups, while smaller principals have faced rising costs and greater regulatory scrutiny.
Against that backdrop, consolidation within the AR network space has accelerated, with larger broker groups acquiring established principals to build scale, strengthen supervision and improve long-term economics. Clear Group’s move for Gauntlet fits squarely within that trend, adding an established AR platform that can be integrated into Brokerbility’s broader network model.
For entrepreneurial brokers, AR structures remain attractive as a route to market, but increasingly so when backed by principals with the financial strength, regulatory infrastructure and insurer relationships needed to operate sustainably under tighter supervision.
