Compare AR networks
Momentum vs Gauntlet: which broker network is right for you?
Choosing an Appointed Representative network isn't simply about comparing commission percentages. The ownership behind the network, how broking works, the support available when a risk becomes difficult and what happens as your business grows can all shape the experience.
Momentum and Gauntlet both offer established routes for commercial insurance brokers, but the two businesses are structured differently.
At a glance
Two established networks with different operating models.
Both provide a route into the Appointed Representative model. The important differences sit in ownership, client rights, broking, funding and what happens when you eventually want to leave.
| Momentum | Gauntlet | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Independently operated, with AUB Group holding a minority stake | Owned by Clear Group |
| Client ownership | Your clients remain yours, with no standard buyback clause in the Momentum model | Client ownership and exit arrangements should be checked carefully, including any purchase or buyback provisions in the individual agreement |
| Direct client business | Momentum does not operate a competing direct retail brokerage | Gauntlet operates retail broking alongside its AR network |
| Broking model | Momentum's central Broking Team handles market placement in most cases | ARs can retain more placement themselves or use Gauntlet's central broking support |
| Broking team focus | 60+ experienced colleagues focused on supporting Momentum Broker Partners | Central broking support sits within a wider business that also serves Gauntlet's own direct clients |
| Market access | 300+ agencies across insurers, MGAs, underwriting agencies and Lloyd's brokers | Broad insurer access, schemes and facilities |
| Funding | Start-up, cashflow, recruitment and acquisition funding available subject to approval | Brokerage Builder offers an alternative employed route into ownership |
| Commercial model | Commission-sharing model | Commission-sharing model |
| Notice and exit | Client ownership remains with the Broker Partner, subject to the agreed notice arrangements | Contract terms should be checked carefully, including notice period, client transfer, buyback provisions and any personal obligations |
Information relating to Gauntlet is based on publicly available information and Momentum's understanding of competitor arrangements reviewed in September 2026. Individual contracts and commercial arrangements may vary and should be checked directly before making a decision.
Broking support
Look at who the broking resource is built to support.
Both networks offer broking capability. The difference is how central that capability is to the model and where the team's attention is focused.
Momentum
Dedicated capability behind Broker Partners
Momentum has more than 60 experienced colleagues within its Broking Team. In most cases, the team handles market placement while the Broker Partner remains focused on the client relationship, advice and winning business.
Momentum does not operate its own competing retail client book. Broking capability is there to support the independent brokerages within the network.
On complex risks, the Broker Partner can be brought into insurer or underwriter discussions where their direct involvement adds value.
Gauntlet
A shared central broking resource
Gauntlet gives ARs more flexibility over how much placement activity they retain themselves and how much is passed to its central team.
Gauntlet's HQ operation also serves its own direct retail clients. The same wider business therefore supports both the AR network and Gauntlet's own customer-facing brokerage.
Brokers comparing the two models should consider not simply whether central broking support exists, but how much resource sits behind the network and what that resource is required to support.
Broking support can mean different things.
With Momentum, central broking is a core part of how the brokerage operates. The aim is to give you significant placement capability without requiring you to build and manage that function yourself.
The Momentum difference
What really sets Momentum apart.
Some of the biggest differences do not sit in the headline commission percentage. They sit in what you own, where the network's resources are focused and how closely its success is tied to yours.
Your clients stay yours
Build value you control
Momentum's agreement is built around the Broker Partner retaining their client relationships and the value created around them. There is no standard client buyback clause.
Dedicated broking capability
60+ experienced colleagues behind you
Momentum's Broking Team exists to provide placement capability behind Broker Partners. Momentum does not have its own competing direct client book drawing on the same broking resource.
Funding beyond launch
Support as the business grows
Subject to the business case, funding can support first-year cashflow, recruitment, acquisitions and longer-term growth rather than simply helping you reach launch.
Aligned economics
We don't earn if you don't earn
Momentum's commercial model is linked to the success of its Broker Partners. The network grows when the independent brokerages it supports grow.
Insurer access
Market access is about more than insurer logos alone.
Both Momentum and Gauntlet make market access an important part of their proposition.
Momentum
Access to more than 300 agencies across mainstream insurers, MGAs, underwriting agencies and Lloyd's brokerages.
Where a placement becomes difficult, the Broking Team can help identify routes to market and work alongside you to find the right home for the risk.
Gauntlet
Gauntlet promotes broad insurer access, schemes and facilities as part of its network proposition.
Its wider Clear Group and Brokerbility relationships also form part of the market access story.
Access matters. Placement capability matters too.
An insurer appearing on an agency list doesn't automatically mean every risk will be straightforward to place. Momentum combines access with a dedicated Broking Team, while still allowing Broker Partners to speak directly to underwriters and remain involved in complex placements.
Comparing broker networks
Compare the whole network model.
Choosing between insurance broker networks is about more than comparing a headline commission split.
Gauntlet and Momentum both provide an established route into the Appointed Representative model, with compliance, systems, market access and broking support forming part of the wider proposition. The important differences sit in how each broker network is owned, how broking support is used, how the commercial model works, what funding routes are available and how the wider business is structured.
The right broker network is therefore not simply the one with the most attractive headline percentage. It is the model that best fits how you want to run, support and grow your brokerage.
The commercial model
Compare the whole operating model, not just the percentage.
Both Momentum and Gauntlet use commission-sharing models, making this a relatively like-for-like commercial comparison. But what sits behind the percentage still matters.
The percentage only makes sense in context.
Look at what is being taken off your desk, what capability becomes available to you and whether the economics continue to make sense as your brokerage grows. With Momentum, the principle is simple: we don't earn if you don't earn.
Commercial terms vary by business and should be confirmed directly with each network.
Contracts and exit
Read beyond the headline commercial offer.
The contract can matter just as much as the commission split. Client ownership, notice periods, personal obligations and what happens when you leave can materially affect the value and flexibility of the brokerage you are building.
Who owns the clients?
Do not assume that owning the limited company automatically means every client relationship can leave the network with you. Check exactly what the agreement says about ownership, transfer and any purchase or buyback mechanism.
Is the individual personally bound?
Check whether only the limited company is entering the agreement or whether you personally are also a party to it. Personal obligations can create a very different level of exposure if the business later runs into difficulty.
How practical is the notice period?
A short notice period can sound flexible, but changing Principal involves more than serving notice. Policies, systems, PI arrangements, data and regulatory responsibilities all need somewhere to move.
What happens at exit?
Understand whether you can simply move the business, whether clients need to be purchased, whether the network can buy the book and what financial obligations remain after notice is served.
Momentum
Client ownership is explicit
Momentum's standard agreement is built around the Broker Partner retaining their clients. There is no standard client buyback clause, and the contract provides a defined notice period to allow an orderly move if the relationship ends.
Gauntlet
Check the individual agreement carefully
Gauntlet promotes several routes through the life of a brokerage, including options to transition or sell a book to Gauntlet at exit.
Before joining, ask specifically about client ownership, any purchase or buyback provisions, the applicable notice period and whether the individual as well as the limited company takes on contractual obligations.
Contractual terms can vary between businesses and over time. Always review the current agreement and take appropriate professional advice before entering or leaving an AR arrangement.
Starting and growing
There is more than one way to de-risk the move.
Both networks recognise that the transition from employment to business ownership can create financial pressure. They approach that problem differently.
Gauntlet
Brokerage Builder
Gauntlet's Brokerage Builder provides an employed route towards running your own brokerage. Participants remain salaried while developing a client base and learning how to operate the future business before moving into the AR network.
It can reduce some of the immediate financial pressure of leaving employment. Gauntlet states that successful participants leave the programme with a ready-made client base, although the subsequent AR commission structure reflects the support provided during the programme.
As with any route into an AR network, it is important to understand the agreement that applies after the programme, including client ownership, transfer rights, exit provisions and any obligations attached to the individual as well as the company.
Momentum
Own the business from launch
Momentum takes a different approach. You launch your own brokerage from day one rather than building it while employed by the network.
Where cashflow is the obstacle, funding can support start-up costs, covenant periods, recruitment and growth subject to the business case.
For larger opportunities, Momentum Equity Partners may also provide minority investment where appropriate.
Two approaches to the same first-year problem.
Gauntlet offers a route that can delay the jump into ownership. Momentum's approach is to help you own the business earlier and support the financial transition where the business case stacks up. Neither route is automatically right for everyone.
Finding the right fit
The right network depends on how you want to build your brokerage.
Gauntlet may suit you if...
- You want to remain highly involved in placing your own risks.
- You value a network that also operates a direct retail brokerage.
- You are attracted to the wider Clear Group and Brokerbility structure.
- The Brokerage Builder employed route appeals more than launching immediately.
- You value an established route for eventual book sale or exit.
Momentum may suit you if...
- You want a Principal focused on supporting independent Broker Partners rather than competing for direct clients.
- You want a substantial central Broking Team behind your brokerage.
- You want the option of financial support during the start-up period.
- You want support that can extend into recruitment, acquisitions and long-term growth.
- You value a model where Momentum succeeds financially when its Broker Partners do.
Switching networks
Already with Gauntlet? Start with the contract before the sales pitch.
Changing Principal is a significant decision. Before comparing a new network, understand exactly what leaving your current arrangement would mean.
Understand the move before you make it.
Momentum can talk through how a network move would work before you make any decision. Individual contracts vary, so the first conversation is about understanding your current position.
Talk through a potential moveCommon questions
Comparing broker networks in more detail.
What is the main difference between Gauntlet and Momentum?
Both are established Appointed Representative networks, but the operating models are different.
Momentum puts a significant central Broking Team behind its Broker Partners, with the team handling market placement in most cases. Gauntlet gives its ARs more flexibility over how much of the broking and placement activity they retain themselves.
There are also differences in ownership, direct client activity, funding and the wider support available as the brokerage grows.
Is Gauntlet cheaper than Momentum?
Both businesses operate commission-sharing models, so a comparison based only on the headline percentage can be misleading.
A useful comparison should also consider what is included within the commercial arrangement, how much broking and operational work you retain yourself, any additional costs and how the model works as your brokerage grows.
Individual commercial terms can vary and should be confirmed directly with each network.
Who handles the broking with Momentum?
In most cases, Momentum's central Broking Team handles insurer and MGA relationships and manages placement on behalf of the brokerage.
The Broker Partner remains responsible for the client relationship, understanding the risk and providing the information and insight needed to achieve the right placement.
On more complex risks, there can be situations where the Broker Partner is brought into the placement discussion and speaks directly with an insurer or underwriter alongside the Broking Team.
Can Gauntlet ARs broker their own risks?
Gauntlet publicly states that its ARs can use its broking support for all, some or none of their placements.
This gives brokers more scope to retain routine placement activity themselves if that is how they prefer to operate.
Is Gauntlet independently owned?
Gauntlet was acquired by Clear Group in 2026 and now sits within the wider Clear and Brokerbility structure.
Momentum remains independently operated. AUB Group holds a 40% minority stake in the business.
Does Gauntlet have its own direct insurance clients?
Yes. Gauntlet operates a direct retail broking business alongside its Appointed Representative network.
Momentum does not operate a competing direct client brokerage. Its operating model is focused on supporting its Broker Partners and their businesses.
Does Momentum offer funding to start a brokerage?
Potentially, yes. Subject to the business case and approval, Momentum can provide funding to support areas such as start-up costs and cashflow during the early stages of the business.
Funding can also support recruitment, acquisitions and future growth. For larger opportunities, separate minority equity investment may be considered through Momentum Equity Partners.
What is Gauntlet Brokerage Builder?
Brokerage Builder is Gauntlet's alternative route for selected account executives who want to work towards owning their own brokerage.
Rather than launching independently straight away, participants remain employed while building towards eventually moving into the Gauntlet AR network.
Momentum takes a different approach, with the broker owning and launching their business from the outset and funding support potentially available where the business case works.
Which broker network is best for an independent insurance broker?
There isn't one network that is right for every broker.
Consider how much broking and placement work you want to retain, how the commercial model works, ownership of the network, market access, operational support, funding options and what support you may need as the business grows.
Can I move from Gauntlet to Momentum?
An Appointed Representative can change Principal, subject to the terms of its existing agreement and the regulatory and operational steps involved in moving the business.
Before making a decision, it is important to understand areas such as notice periods, client ownership, exit provisions, policy migration, PI arrangements and any outstanding financial obligations.
Momentum can talk through what a move would involve before you decide whether changing network is right for your business.
Information relating to Gauntlet is based on publicly available information reviewed in September 2026. Individual contracts, commercial terms, services and arrangements may vary and should be confirmed directly with Gauntlet.
Still comparing?
Choose the network behind the business you want to build next.
You don't need to decide from a comparison table. If you're considering Momentum, Gauntlet or another AR network, talk us through what you're trying to build, the business you expect to write and the support you actually want.
We'll explain how Momentum would work and you can decide whether it is the right fit.
