Mr McLuskey, who resigned from global broker Lockton in October and was formerly a senior underwriter at Zurich, believes the industry has become complacent.

The firm has been designed to deliver “traditional service values for the modern era”. Monteith aims to set itself apart from it’s larger peers by dedicating more time to client service & advice – allowing for deeper understanding of business risk, stronger relationships, and more effective insurer negotiations.

Operating from offices in Glasgow and London, the firm will write £1 million in premiums within its first three months of trading and is targeting clients in real estate, construction, logistics, professional services, and technology.

Mr McLuskey, who has represented PLCs, privately owned firms, and family-run businesses, said: “The delivery of insurance advice is often rushed by brokers prioritising short-term profit over client service. We’re here to do things differently – to advise, not sell.

“We embed ourselves in our clients’ senior teams to fully understand their risks. That depth of insight allows us to give sharper advice and run insurer tenders that manage both risk and cost more effectively.

“Commercial insurance buyers are often left in the dark about how well their broker is representing them in front of insurers. At Monteith, we agree on a broking strategy and insurer presentation upfront, involve clients in key discussions, and keep them informed on market conditions all year-round – so we can benchmark premiums and hold insurers to account at renewal.”

“The main reasons a commercial insurance claim is rejected include; inaccurate presentation of a client’s business to insurers and non-compliance of policy conditions of cover. We are taking the appropriate time to make sure our clients don’t get caught out.”

Monteith nods to Glasgow’s insurance heritage which dates back to the 1700’s. Once home to  circa 100,000 insurance jobs, the city has long been an insurance hub with some of the earliest insurers even operating their own private fire brigades throughout the city.

When Mr McLuskey’s grandfather worked in the post-war insurance era, insurance premiums were set by industry-wide ‘tariff agreements’ which led to business being won on the strength of advice, service and face to face relationships – even premiums were collected by hand.

He said: “There has been rapid consolidation within the sector and the market is now dominated by a handful of global firms. We want to revive an ethos of independent advice, trust and personal service.

“We are breaking free from the global firm mentality, adopting our own intelligent thinking and are dedicated to treating our clients’ businesses as if they were our own.”

Monteith enters the market as the Financial Conduct Authority tightens oversight on broker remuneration practices. Recent regulatory signals have called for greater transparency and stronger alignment between broker earnings and client outcomes.

Mr McLuskey believes the changes are overdue.

“Both the regulator and insurance buyers demand fair value and rightly so, there is an opportunity in the market for a fresh advisory-led firm who offer a transparent service and remuneration structure, and we plan to capitalise”, he said.

“Every one of our client relationships begins with a due diligence review of pre-existing insurance provisions, service delivery and broker remuneration. It’s not uncommon to uncover missed opportunities to reduce risk and/or cost.”

The firm is also looking to play a role in reshaping perceptions of the industry – especially among young business leaders, who Mr McLuskey said are “increasingly sceptical of one-size-fits-all financial advice”.

“Insurance doesn’t have to be impersonal or riddled with jargon,” he added. “We want to demystify the procurement process. Our clients are time-poor business owners – we owe them speed, clarity, and the assurance that their insurance adviser is supporting the growth of their business.”

Monteith has partnered with Partners& who will act as principle firm. Mr Mcluskey said: “Partners& are top 40 UK insurance broker who were recently recognised as Insurance Broker of the year, they share our commitment to quality advice and the partnership provides our clients with economies of scale & a host of added value services whilst managing our regulatory compliance.”

With plans to scale sustainably, Monteith’s early growth strategy is simple: “we will grow the business one handshake at a time – sustainably, without compromising service.”