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General Insurance in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Joseph Maher Joseph Maher London, United Kingdom Last Updated: August 2024 SIC K65.120

Revenue

£72.9bn

2024-25

£72.9bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£X.Xbn

Employees

75,500

Businesses

338

Wages

£X.Xbn

General Insurance in the UK industry analysis

Over the five years through 2024-25, the General Insurance industry's revenue is forecast to edge downwards at a compound annual rate of 1.7% to £72.9 billion, including estimated growth of 2% in 2024-25. After Solvency II regulations were brought in at the start of 2016, buffer requirements constricted capital. The COVID-19 outbreak brought about huge disruption to insurance patterns and claims, with some lines (like car insurance) becoming considerably more profitable, while the opposite is true for others (like income protection).

Trends and Insights

  • Recovering financial markets lift revenue growth. The prospect of rate cuts and improving economic growth are set to drive capital markets, ramping up investment returns and aiding revenue growth.
  • Motor vehicle and property insurance make up more than half of the market. The persistence of remote-working beyond the COVID-19 outbreak resulted in more time at home, supporting demand for property insurance claims.
  • London’s a global insurance hub. It’s the only city that all of the world’s top 20 insurers and reinsurers have offices in, making it a huge draw to general insurers seeking reinsurance funding.
  • A good reputation is key for insurance companies. Having a strong and well-recognised brand name that’s associated with quality service provision is likely to bring in more clients.
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Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Industry Overview

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £72.9bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The containment of inflation in 2024-25 will aid profitability

  • In the home insurance market, premiums are set to have jumped by 17% in 2023, according to EY, as insurers sought to mitigate the impact of major weather events, sustained high inflation and supply chain pressures, all of which ramped up claims costs.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Climate change puts a storm on the horizon

  • Calculations by the Association of British Insurers suggest industry losses related to annual weather conditions have increased fourfold over the past three decades.

Biggest companies in the General Insurance in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (£m)
2025
Aviva plc
7,058.9
RSA Insurance Group Ltd
2,772.9
Allianz Holdings plc
2,711.1

To view the market share and analysis for all 8 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

General Insurance in the UK

Products & Services

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Motor vehicle insurance, Accident and health insurance and Property insurance. Motor vehicle insurance is the largest segment of the General Insurance in the UK.

Trends and Insights

Motor vehicle insurance premiums rise at a slower rate as inflation eases

  • Motor vehicle insurance covers the insured party for any loss incurred through damage to property or person as the result of a car accident, including theft.
  • More insights available in the full report

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Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Life Insurance in the UK
  • Reinsurance in the UK
  • Insurance Agents & Brokers in the UK
  • Dental Insurance in the UK

International industries

  • Global Life & Health Insurance Carriers
  • Global Direct General Insurance Carriers
  • Health & Medical Insurance in the US
  • Property, Casualty and Direct Insurance in the US
  • Pet Insurance in the US

View all industries in United Kingdom

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Businesses in this industry underwrite insurance policies relating to property, casualty, liability and other general risks. The premiums they earn from this are then invested to generate additional income. Underwriting life and disability is a separate industry, although many firms compete in both insurance markets.

What's included in this industry?

Motor vehicle insurance Property insurance Accident and health insurancePecuniary loss insuranceGeneral liability insuranceHome-foreign risk insuranceMarine, aviation and transport insurance

Companies

Aviva plcRSA Insurance Group LtdAllianz Holdings plc

Purchase this report to view all 8 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

GILTEBITSOLVENCY II

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 65.12 - General Insurance in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Recovering financial markets lift revenue growth. The prospect of rate cuts and improving economic growth are set to drive capital markets, ramping up investment returns and ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Motor vehicle and property insurance make up more than half of the market. The persistence of remote-working beyond the COVID-19 outbreak resulted in more time at home, suppo...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

London’s a global insurance hub. It’s the only city that all of the world’s top 20 insurers and reinsurers have offices in, making it a huge draw to general insurers seeking ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

A good reputation is key for insurance companies. Having a strong and well-recognised brand name that’s associated with quality service provision is likely to bring in more c...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Aviva aims to meet clients’ desire for convenience. It launched AvivaPlus at the end of 2018, offering an easy way for customers to find and renew their insurance policies an...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Aviva plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of RSA Insurance Group Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Allianz Holdings plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 5 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Aviva plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for RSA Insurance Group Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Allianz Holdings plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 5 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The UK replaces the EU’s Solvency II directive with its own version. Solvency UK is expected to reduce capital requirements for insurers, with the aim of promoting the indust...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Global events push up payouts and pick away at profit. Geopolitical tensions, fierce inflationary pressures, and aggressive rate hikes have clobbered investment returns in re...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £72.9bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the General Insurance in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 338 businesses in the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 1.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the General Insurance in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the General Insurance market in United Kingdom are Aviva plc, RSA Insurance Group Ltd and Allianz Holdings plc

What does the General Insurance in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Motor vehicle insurance and Property insurance are part of the General Insurance in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the General Insurance in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Aviva plc.

How competitive is the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and steady in the General Insurance in the UK industry in United Kingdom.