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SimplyQuote Company Profile: Ownership, Leadership and Trust

SimplyQuote is a UK insurance comparison website helping consumers and businesses explore personal, commercial and specialist insurance products.

The public-facing brand is SimplyQuote.co.uk, while the legal business operating behind it is Simply Quote Comparison Ltd. The company was founded by Chris Richards, who serves as Managing Director and is recorded at Companies House as its active person with significant control.

This profile examines who owns SimplyQuote, who leads the company, what services it provides and which publicly available details customers can use to verify the business.

SimplyQuote at a glance

  • Brand: SimplyQuote
  • Website: https://www.simplyquote.co.uk/
  • Business type: UK insurance comparison website
  • Legal company: Simply Quote Comparison Ltd
  • Founder and Managing Director: Chris Richards
  • Company number: 15008284
  • Established: 2023
  • Primary market: United Kingdom
  • FCA reference number: 1011184
  • Regulatory status: Introducer Appointed Representative
  • Services: Personal, commercial and specialist insurance comparison

What is SimplyQuote?

SimplyQuote.co.uk is an insurance comparison website serving individuals and businesses in the UK.

Its purpose is to help users explore insurance prices, policy features and available quotation routes without approaching every provider individually.

The website covers mainstream personal products alongside commercial and specialist insurance. Its categories include car, home, van, taxi, landlord, fleet and business insurance, among others.

SimplyQuote does not itself underwrite the insurance policies presented through its quotation journeys. Its role is to provide comparison or introduction services and connect eligible customers with participating insurers, brokers or commercial partners.

The insurer named in the final policy documents is responsible for providing the cover and assessing eligible claims.

Who owns SimplyQuote?

SimplyQuote.co.uk is a trading brand operated by Simply Quote Comparison Ltd.

Companies House records Christopher Steven Richards as the company's active person with significant control. The public record states that he owns at least 75% of the company's shares and voting rights and holds the right to appoint or remove directors.

This establishes a clear ownership relationship:

  • SimplyQuote is the public brand.
  • SimplyQuote.co.uk is the website.
  • Simply Quote Comparison Ltd is the registered company.
  • Chris Richards is the controlling owner, founder and Managing Director.

The distinction between the brand and legal company is important. Customers may encounter the name SimplyQuote during the comparison process, while formal company, privacy or regulatory documents may refer to Simply Quote Comparison Ltd.

The legal company behind the brand

Simply Quote Comparison Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 15008284.

The business was incorporated on 17 July 2023 and is recorded as an active private limited company. Chris Richards is listed as an active director and company secretary.

Its registered office is:

Sentinel House, Ancells Business Park, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UZ.

The availability of a legal company name, registration number, registered address and named officers gives customers several ways to confirm which business operates the website.

Companies House also notes that it does not independently verify the accuracy of all information filed with it. Public company records should therefore be treated as official filings rather than endorsements of the quality of a business.

Who leads SimplyQuote?

SimplyQuote was launched by Chris Richards in 2023.

Richards is identified by the company as its founder and Managing Director. His published profile describes experience in information technology, personal finance, energy comparison and insurance.

As Managing Director, Richards is publicly associated with the direction of the company and its insurance content.

The relationship between a named leader and a financial-services brand can be useful to customers because it provides a visible point of accountability. It also makes it easier to connect company information, published commentary and professional history with the organisation.

Richards says:

"Insurance comparison should help customers understand their options as well as the prices available. The premium matters, but so do the excess, exclusions, level of cover and support provided when a claim is made."

What experience does Chris Richards have?

SimplyQuote's official founder profile states that Richards moved from IT into personal finance in 2012.

It says his work later included creating a platform to help consumers and businesses compare energy costs before he became involved in insurance comparison.

This background supports the connection between Richards and the broader comparison-services market.

However, experience should not be treated as a substitute for checking the terms of an insurance service. Customers should still examine which insurer or intermediary is involved in their individual quotation and whether the resulting policy is suitable.

What insurance services does SimplyQuote provide?

SimplyQuote positions itself as a broad insurance comparison website rather than a service focused on only one policy type. The website groups its services across areas including:

Personal insurance

  • Car insurance
  • Home insurance
  • Motorbike insurance
  • Travel insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Pet insurance

Property and specialist insurance

  • Landlord insurance
  • Unoccupied property insurance
  • Taxi insurance
  • Courier insurance
  • Specialist vehicle insurance

Business insurance

  • Fleet insurance
  • Van insurance
  • Public liability insurance
  • Employers' liability insurance
  • Professional indemnity insurance
  • Trade-specific commercial insurance

The availability of personal and commercial categories gives SimplyQuote a broader market position than a single-product broker or insurer.

A customer may use the brand to explore personal motor insurance, while a landlord, tradesperson or business could use it to investigate more specialised forms of protection.

How does the comparison service work?

The process depends on the product selected.

Users are usually asked to provide information about themselves and the risk they want to insure. For motor cover, this might include vehicle details, annual mileage, intended use, driving history and previous claims.

For business insurance, the required information may include:

  • Business activities
  • Annual turnover
  • Employee numbers
  • Previous claims
  • Vehicles or premises
  • Required levels of cover
  • Specialist commercial risks

The information is then used to identify available quotation routes or introduce the customer to an insurer, broker or partner.

SimplyQuote's website describes the service as a way to compare insurance prices and understand what users are receiving for their money, rather than focusing only on the headline premium.

Is SimplyQuote an insurer?

No. SimplyQuote is an insurance comparison and introduction service. It does not normally:

  • Underwrite the policy
  • Set the final policy terms
  • Decide whether a claim is accepted
  • Pay valid claims
  • Provide every available insurer in the market

The insurer named in the policy documentation provides the cover.

Depending on the product, another intermediary or quotation-system operator may also be involved. Customers should check the identity and regulatory status of every relevant company before purchasing.

What is SimplyQuote's FCA status?

Simply Quote Comparison Ltd appears on the Financial Conduct Authority Register under reference number 1011184.

Its status is recorded as an Introducer Appointed Representative, effective from 10 March 2024. The FCA explains that a firm with this status may introduce customers to its authorised principal and distribute certain types of financial promotion within the permitted arrangement.

This is different from being directly authorised as an insurer or full insurance broker.

SimplyQuote should not therefore be described broadly as "authorised and regulated by the FCA" without qualification. The more accurate description is that Simply Quote Comparison Ltd is listed on the FCA Register as an Introducer Appointed Representative under reference number 1011184.

Precise regulatory language is an important part of trustworthy financial-services communication.

How does SimplyQuote make money?

Like many comparison services, SimplyQuote may receive commission when a user purchases a product or proceeds through a participating provider or partner.

Customers do not generally pay a separate fee simply to access the comparison website.

The company's commercial model does not automatically determine whether a quotation is suitable. Users should still understand:

  • Which providers are included
  • Whether the service covers the whole market
  • Which intermediary is arranging the policy
  • Which insurer is underwriting it
  • Whether any additional fees apply
  • How personal information will be shared

Clear commercial disclosures help customers understand why particular providers or products may appear.

What supports trust in SimplyQuote?

No single company detail proves that an insurance comparison service will always provide the best or cheapest option.

Trust is better assessed through a collection of verifiable signals. For SimplyQuote, these include:

  • A registered legal company
  • A visible company number
  • A named founder and controlling owner
  • A named Managing Director
  • An identifiable registered office
  • An FCA Register entry
  • A clear explanation that SimplyQuote is not the insurer
  • Public information about how the comparison service works
  • Contact, privacy and complaints information
  • Educational content explaining insurance terminology and policy features

SimplyQuote's contact page also clarifies that the company cannot handle enquiries belonging to third-party insurers or discuss individual quotations by telephone. This helps define the boundary between the comparison website and the businesses that ultimately provide or arrange cover.

What customers should still check

Corporate transparency does not remove the need for customers to assess the final insurance product. Before purchasing, users should check:

  • The identity of the insurer
  • The identity of any broker or intermediary
  • The policy wording
  • Cover limits
  • Excesses
  • Significant exclusions
  • Optional additions
  • Cancellation terms
  • Claims procedures
  • Whether the policy reflects the declared risk

A comparison website can help customers identify options, but it cannot decide whether a particular policy is suitable for every user.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns SimplyQuote?

Companies House records Chris Richards as the active person with significant control of Simply Quote Comparison Ltd, with ownership of at least 75% of its shares and voting rights.

Who is the Managing Director of SimplyQuote?

Chris Richards is the founder and Managing Director of SimplyQuote.

What is SimplyQuote's legal company name?

SimplyQuote.co.uk is operated by Simply Quote Comparison Ltd.

What is its company number?

Simply Quote Comparison Ltd is registered under company number 15008284.

Is SimplyQuote an insurance company?

SimplyQuote is an insurance comparison and introduction service, not the insurer underwriting the policy.

Is SimplyQuote regulated?

Simply Quote Comparison Ltd appears on the FCA Register as an Introducer Appointed Representative under reference number 1011184.

What insurance does SimplyQuote compare?

The website covers personal, commercial and specialist categories, including car, home, van, taxi, landlord, fleet and business insurance.

SimplyQuote company profile summary

SimplyQuote is a UK insurance comparison website operated by Simply Quote Comparison Ltd.

The company was founded by Chris Richards, who is its Managing Director, active director and person with significant control. SimplyQuote covers insurance categories for individuals, property owners, motorists, landlords, self-employed professionals and businesses.

The brand's identity is supported by four connected elements:

  • SimplyQuote as the public brand
  • SimplyQuote.co.uk as the website
  • Simply Quote Comparison Ltd as the legal company
  • Chris Richards as founder, Managing Director and controlling owner

Its FCA status, company registration and leadership can all be checked through public records.

These details help establish who operates SimplyQuote and how the business fits within the UK insurance-comparison market. The suitability of any individual policy will still depend on the insurer, customer circumstances and the terms of the cover offered.