A whole-of-market broker compares the whole market; a tied or panel broker sells from one insurer or a limited list. It changes how much choice you actually get.
How it works in practice
The label matters because it defines how wide a net the broker casts. A whole-of-market, or independent, broker compares all or most of the insurers available, which is what you want if the point is genuine comparison. It can tell you not just what one insurer offers, but how that stacks up against the rest.
A single-tie broker represents one insurer only. Dealing with one is closer to buying from that insurer directly — useful if you already know that is the insurer you want, but not a comparison. A multi-tie or panel broker sits in between, comparing a limited list of insurers it has agreements with rather than the whole market.
The risk with a limited panel is that the best policy for you sits with an insurer that is not on the list, and you would never know. That is not dishonesty — it is just the boundary of what that broker can offer.
Telling them apart is simple: ask how many insurers they compare, and check the firm on the FCA register. If genuine choice is what you are after, a whole-of-market broker is the one to use.
Questions to put to the insurer or broker
- Do you compare the whole market, or a panel of insurers?
- How many insurers can you actually place my cover with?
- Which insurers are not on your list?
Related questions
- Broker or direct: which is the better way to buy private health insurance?
- Can a broker get me cheaper private health insurance than going direct?
- Can a broker help me get private health insurance with a pre-existing condition?
- Can a broker switch my private health insurance to a cheaper insurer?
How this site fits in
This explains how UK private health insurance brokers work in general. Health Insurance UK is not itself a broker and is not FCA-authorised; when you request a quote we introduce you to one selected FCA-authorised broker, which is responsible for any regulated advice, and we may be paid for the introduction. Always check any firm on the FCA Financial Services Register before you act, and remember a broker cannot cover a condition you already have — that is set by underwriting, not by who arranges the policy.
Get a free quote — a specialist broker calls you back, free and with no obligation.
Or see how UK cover compares and the FCA-authorised broker list.