Check an insurance intermediary — Central Bank of Ireland register
Check for free whether an Irish insurance broker or intermediary appears on the Central Bank of Ireland's Insurance Distribution Register. Enter the firm's C-number and see its registration status and category instantly.
Check an intermediaryPaste the firm's Central Bank reference number (e.g. C10015) below — instant check against the register.
Check a C-number against the register
Supervisory authority
Central Bank of Ireland
Official register
Insurance Distribution Register
S.I. No. 229 of 2018 (IDD)
Identifier
Central Bank reference (C-number)
Example: C10015
Updates
Synced daily
from the register published by the Central Bank
What is the Insurance Distribution Register?
The Insurance Distribution Register is the public register of insurance, reinsurance and ancillary insurance intermediaries kept by the Central Bank of Ireland under the European Union (Insurance Distribution) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 229 of 2018). Around 2,400 intermediaries are currently registered, and the Central Bank publishes the register on its statutory registers portal.
As in every EU member state, the register stems from the EU Insurance Distribution Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/97, IDD), which requires each country to keep a public, regularly updated register of authorised intermediaries. Registration is a legal precondition for carrying on insurance distribution in Ireland.
Under the IDD's European passport, an intermediary registered in one EEA state can operate in the others on a freedom-of-services (FOS) or freedom-of-establishment (FOE) basis. The Irish register records the countries each firm passports into, and an EEA firm operating in Ireland remains on its home-country register.
Who must be registered?
Under the European Union (Insurance Distribution) Regulations 2018, any firm or sole trader carrying on insurance distribution in Ireland — advising on, proposing or concluding insurance contracts — must be registered with the Central Bank of Ireland before starting to trade. The obligation covers insurance intermediaries (including brokers), tied insurance intermediaries, ancillary insurance intermediaries and reinsurance intermediaries.
A firm from another EEA state operating in Ireland under the European passport stays on the register of its home country — the ORIAS register for a French broker, the FSMA register for a Belgian one. To check such a firm, query its home register: paste its home identifier into the BrokPass tool and the right register is detected automatically.
The register categories explained
Insurance intermediary
A firm registered to distribute insurance products — the register category that covers insurance brokers and agencies. It advises on and arranges cover with one or more insurers.
Tied insurance intermediary
An intermediary that acts on behalf of one or more insurance undertakings (or other intermediaries) under their full responsibility. The register shows which firm it is tied to.
Ancillary insurance intermediary
A business whose main activity is not insurance but which sells cover alongside its goods or services — travel agents, car dealers or retailers offering product insurance, for example.
Reinsurance intermediary
A firm registered to distribute reinsurance — cover placed between insurers rather than sold to consumers.
The register records each firm's category under the heading "Registered As", the date it was registered and — for tied intermediaries — the firm it is tied to. BrokPass shows the category exactly as it appears in the register.
How to check an Irish intermediary
Every firm on the register is identified by its Central Bank reference number — the "C-number", a letter C followed by digits. Checking with BrokPass takes three steps:
- 1
Open the checker at the top of this page.
- 2
Paste the firm's C-number (for example C10015) — regulated firms usually state it in their terms of business, regulatory disclosures or website footer. The checker on this page queries the Irish register directly (🇮🇪 Ireland).
- 3
Run the check: the registration status appears instantly, with the category, registration date and passporting countries where available.
Only have the firm's name? Name search isn't available on BrokPass yet — look the firm up on the Central Bank's online register at registers.centralbank.ie to find its reference number, then verify it here.
Revoked or not registered: what to do
The Insurance Distribution Register lists the firms currently registered to distribute insurance in Ireland. A firm whose registration has been revoked, or which has ceased trading, no longer appears on it — BrokPass then returns "Not found". A firm that is not on the register (and not passporting in from another EEA state) is not authorised to distribute insurance in Ireland.
Do not sign a new contract or pay a premium to a firm you cannot find on the register.
Confirm the position on the official register at registers.centralbank.ie — that is the authoritative source.
If you already hold a policy arranged through the firm, contact the insurance undertaking directly: the policy itself remains with the insurer.
If you have concerns about a firm's conduct, report it to the Central Bank of Ireland.
A quick C-number check before you sign anything is the simplest protection against unauthorised operators. When in doubt, always fall back on the official register.
What BrokPass shows you
Registration status
Registered or not found in the official register, at a glance.
Category
Insurance, tied, ancillary or reinsurance intermediary — as recorded under "Registered As".
Identifiers and dates
The Central Bank reference number (C-number) and the date the firm was registered.
Address and EEA passporting
The firm's known address and the EEA countries it passports into (FOS / FOE), where available.
BrokPass is not the official register
BrokPass is an independent verification service, not the official register. It is not operated, endorsed or approved by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our data comes from the register the Central Bank publishes, which we sync daily. For an official, up-to-date confirmation, always consult the register directly.
Frequently asked questions — Central Bank register
What is the Insurance Distribution Register?
It is the public register of insurance, reinsurance and ancillary insurance intermediaries kept by the Central Bank of Ireland under the European Union (Insurance Distribution) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 229 of 2018), which transpose the EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD). Around 2,400 intermediaries are currently registered. Any firm carrying on insurance distribution in Ireland must appear on it before doing business.
What is a C-number and where do I find it?
The C-number is the Central Bank of Ireland's reference number for a regulated firm — a letter C followed by digits, such as C10015. Regulated firms commonly state it in their regulatory disclosures, terms of business and website footer. Paste it into the checker on this page to see the firm's registration status.
Can I search by firm name?
Not on BrokPass yet — our checker works with the C-number. If you only have the firm's name, you can search the Central Bank of Ireland's online register at registers.centralbank.ie to find the firm and its reference number, then verify it here.
What is the difference between an insurance intermediary and a tied insurance intermediary?
An insurance intermediary — the category that covers brokers — distributes insurance in its own right and may deal with several insurers. A tied insurance intermediary acts on behalf of one or more insurance undertakings (or other intermediaries) under their full responsibility; the register records which firm it is tied to. BrokPass shows the category exactly as it appears in the register.
What does it mean if a firm is not found?
The register lists the firms currently registered to carry on insurance distribution in Ireland. If a firm does not appear, it may have been revoked, ceased trading, or never have been registered — or it may operate in Ireland under the EU passport while remaining on its home-country register (a French broker stays on the ORIAS register, for instance). Double-check the reference number, then confirm on the official register at registers.centralbank.ie before signing anything or paying a premium.
Is BrokPass the official Central Bank of Ireland register?
No. BrokPass is an independent verification service, not the official register. It is not operated, endorsed or approved by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our results are based on the register the Central Bank publishes, which we sync daily. For an official, up-to-date confirmation, always consult the register directly at registers.centralbank.ie.
Can an Irish intermediary operate elsewhere in the EEA?
Yes. Under the IDD's European passport, an intermediary registered in Ireland can operate in other EEA states on a freedom-of-services (FOS) or freedom-of-establishment (FOE) basis after notifying the authorities. The register records the countries an Irish firm passports into, and BrokPass shows them on the result when available.
Other European registers on BrokPass
Check your intermediary now
Before you take out a policy, check that your broker or intermediary is on the Central Bank of Ireland register. Free, instant, no account needed.
Run the check