How brokers actually get paid
Most UK employee benefits brokers do not send you an invoice. They are paid commission by the insurer, a percentage of the premium that is already built into the price of the cover. That is the standard model across the UK market, whether you use a broker or not.
In other words, the commission is in the premium regardless. A broker simply means someone is doing the work that commission is meant to pay for: reviewing the market, challenging your renewal, supporting claims and looking after your people.
The fees to watch for
The thing that genuinely varies between brokers is what sits on top of the commission. Some brokers add a separate platform fee, a management fee, or a consultancy fee for work they treat as extra.
That is the layer to question. The commission is part of the premium either way, so any additional fee is a real, separate cost to you. It is worth knowing exactly what you are being charged for and whether it should already be included.
What to ask any broker
One question settles it. Ask any broker, current or prospective:
If the answer is that they are paid by the insurer and there is nothing extra, the commission you are already funding is doing its job. If there is a fee on top, you now know what it is and can decide whether it earns its place.
See where your setup stands
Score your current benefits setup against the standard a 2026 broker should be hitting, in two minutes, with no call.