Pound Gates has once again been awarded Chartered Insurance Broker status by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), a recognition we’ve proudly held for more than a decade.

But what does it actually mean to be Chartered?

Chartered status is the insurance industry’s gold standard. It’s a mark of trust, professionalism and integrity – achieved by fewer than 16% of UK insurance brokers. It shows that we’ve met rigorous criteria around qualifications, professional development, and ethical conduct, going well beyond the minimum standards required by regulation.

All UK insurance brokers must be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which sets important rules about how brokers operate. However, the FCA doesn’t require firms to have qualified staff or a formal code of ethics. The CII’s Chartered status fills that gap, recognising firms that demonstrate exceptional professionalism and a commitment to doing things the right way.

To achieve and maintain Chartered Insurance Broker status, a firm must:

• Have a board member who holds individual Chartered status.
• Appoint a senior leader as a Responsible Member to oversee compliance and uphold professional standards.
• Ensure at least 90% of client-facing staff are members of the CII.
• Operate a comprehensive professional development and training programme.
• Give clients access to a Chartered professional whenever needed.
• Align its business values and culture with the CII’s Code of Ethics.

Renewal isn’t automatic. Every year, we must demonstrate that we continue to meet these standards across every part of our business, from how we train our people to how we advise and support our clients.

For our clients, Chartered status means confidence. It means knowing you’re working with a broker that values expertise, ethics and ongoing development, and that takes its responsibility to you seriously.