The insurance brokerage market - France

In a rapidly expanding global industry, insurance brokerage is proving to be a strategic lever for value creation. Buoyed by strong momentum, the international market grew by +42.6% between 2014 and 2022, driven mainly byNon-Life insurance (+89%), in the face of emerging risks (climatic, cyber, legal...), whileLife insurance remained more stable (+5.9%). The United States will dominate, with nearly $3,000 billion in premiums by 2022, but European countries, including France, will continue to play an important role. In this changing ecosystem, brokers are emerging as essential intermediaries. Their presence is essential in motor insurance (43.6% of contributions via companies with intermediaries), life insurance (18.5%) and property and liability insurance (47.9%), illustrating their role in providing advice, support and distribution. This intermediation is based on a market that is both highly fragmented (92.2% of firms have fewer than 11 employees) and consolidating, with a concentration of staff in large structures, and a growing dominance of generalists (73.2% of the top 100 brokers in 2024). At the same time, innovation is shaping new models: French Assurtechs (ranked 6ᵉ worldwide) and brokers specializing in niche areas (animals, unpaid rent, collections) are redefining the codes. This shift is framed by demanding regulations (ORIAS, duty to advise, ACPR reform in 2021) that reinforce the sector's quality and transparency. Brokerage is thus becoming much more than a channel: it is a vector of expertise, personalization and differentiation, at the heart of the most successful insurance strategies. This fundamental trend is also stimulated by the changing insurance needs of individuals and businesses. In motor insurance, for example, premiums have risen by +30.3% between 2014 and 2023, underpinned by a +10% growth in the number of vehicles insured. In personal lines, the rising value of property, extreme weather risks and enhanced multi-risk home insurance policies explain a +36% rise in property insurance premiums. Professionals and the agricultural sector are not to be outdone, with premium growth of +40%, reflecting a move upmarket in the coverage required.