Business & Technology
Incept wins Fortegra backing for UK title insurance
Incept has entered into an underwriting agreement with Fortegra for its new UK title insurance product, giving the insurtech backing from a specialty insurer with an established presence in the British market.
The agreement supports Incept’s push into title insurance, a niche form of property cover used in real estate transactions to protect against defects or risks linked to legal title. It will also support policy distribution through the company’s digital portal.
Incept’s platform uses live data from HM Land Registry to generate title insurance policies on demand. Users can obtain all-risks cover within seconds through the online system, which is designed for buyers, sellers and lenders involved in property deals.
Title insurance remains a specialised segment in the UK compared with the United States, but providers have been turning to technology to reduce the manual work involved in property transactions. Insurers and brokers are also looking for ways to improve turnaround times as conveyancing delays continue to weigh on housing market activity.
Fortegra, which operates internationally in specialty insurance, has been expanding its UK presence. The agreement with Incept places it behind a product aimed at a property market where speed, documentation and risk assessment often determine whether transactions complete on schedule.
Mark Figes, chief executive officer of Fortegra Insurance UK, said: “Fortegra’s commitment to innovation and our financial strength make us well-positioned to support Incept’s ambition in the UK title insurance space. Their technology-driven platform represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking proposition we look for in a partner – one that delivers genuine value to the market. We look forward to supporting this exciting next chapter together.”
For Incept, the deal is a significant step in bringing its title insurance offering to market. The company was founded to apply data and automation to property transactions, with a focus on reducing delays and administrative burdens.
Market pressure
The UK property insurance and conveyancing sectors have come under pressure from slowing transaction chains, uneven service standards and falling prices in some lines of cover. Incept’s leadership argues that technology can help address inefficiencies while giving underwriters greater consistency in how policies are issued.
Reema Mannah, founder and chief executive officer of Incept, said Fortegra’s backing was an endorsement of the firm’s approach.
“Fortegra’s support is a real vote of confidence in our platform. The team shares our belief in harnessing advanced technology to improve both the underwriter and client experience. Incept delivers true value, helping to cut through a saturated market where service quality is otherwise being diluted and premium rates are slipping to unsustainable levels. With the support of this world-class underwriter, our goal is to revolutionise how UK property transactions get done.”
The company positions its product as a way to put insurance in place earlier in the transaction process. That could appeal to firms involved in residential and commercial property work, where title issues can emerge late and delay completion.
Digital tools have become more prominent across insurance distribution in recent years, including in specialist lines once handled mainly through manual review and broker-led processes. In property-related insurance, access to cleaner data sources has encouraged more automated decision-making, although many transactions still rely on case-by-case assessment.
Fortegra’s support also gives Incept a recognised underwriting partner as it seeks to win business in a market where insurer credibility matters to solicitors, lenders and transaction advisers. For newer entrants, underwriting relationships can be decisive in moving from a technology concept to an insurable product with broad market acceptance.
Incept says its system is built around direct access to Land Registry information, allowing policy creation to be tied closely to current property records. The company argues that this can reduce friction in a process that often depends on document gathering, legal review and repeated checks between parties.
The partnership brings together a specialist insurer and a newer technology-led intermediary at a time when the property sector is under pressure to shorten timelines without increasing risk.
Jayden, 13 launched Jay’s Bakes from his home in Taunton Road in Bicester on Saturday, June 20.
His late nan, a keen baker herself, was the inspiration behind his passion, as well as time spent helping his uncle with his catering business.
Over the last 18 months he has honed his skills by preparing sweat treats every day after school.
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Determined to turn his hobby into something more, Jayden spent two and a half months researching requirements, gaining his Level 2 food hygiene certificate and officially registering his business, mostly without adult intervention.
After four days of preparation, the business officially launched.
Customers were treated to a wide selection of homemade goods, including M&M cookies, Kinder brownies, Biscoff cookies, Victoria sponge trays, lemon drizzle cups and viral ‘dot cakes’.
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His Kinder brownies proved particularly popular, and by the end of the day he had sold out of everything, taking £210.
Despite feeling “excited and a bit nervous” beforehand, Jayden said the opening was a success, with a strong turnout and positive feedback shared on social media.
His favourite moment came when he officially opened the shed by cutting the ribbon.
Supported by his mum, stepdad, grandparents and uncle, Jayden first began selling from a table in May before building and painting his now-signature blue cake shed.
He now plans to continue baking and selling regularly, bringing his creations to the local community.
Lidl has been given planning permission to build its ninth supermarket in Oxfordshire, despite concerns over flooding.
Aldi opened in Didcot in 2015 and has a supermarket at the Jubilee Way roundabout but shoppers in the town have had to wait over a decade for Lidl to follow.
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South Oxfordshire District Council has now backed plans by the German retailer for a new supermarket in Abingdon Road.
Former Didcot mayor Mocky Khan said: “This give the residents of Didcot more choice, especially when you consider the cost of living environment we have at the moment.
“The town is growing with more new homes being built, and with more growth it’s good to have a wide variety of supermarkets to fit all budgets,”
The plans for the new supermarket were first submitted in 2024.
Didcot Town Council previously objected to the scheme, on the grounds of a lack of flood risk mitigation measures, along with the county council who said there was “insufficient information”.
The town council noted there are “several flooding incidents in the area, especially when the Marsh Bridge water pumps fail”.
But in a report by planning officers granting permission to the supermarket, those issues have now been addressed by Lidl.
The officers said the proposals “largely accord” with the policies around planning, and more can be done to “break up” the car park with greenery.
Planning officers chose to let Lidl build the new supermarket subject to conditions.
They said in a report: “Balanced against this policy conflict is the fact that this is a previously developed site, which is currently in a dilapidated state.
“The proposals represent a significant improvement on the current underutilisation of the site and on its appearance.
“The National Planning Policy Framework and Local Plan set out significant support for the reuse of previously developed land.
“As stated in the applicant’s planning statement, there have been previous enquiries as to the redevelopment of the site that have not come to fruition.
“Given this, finding a viable use for the site is a clear benefit which I consider to be of substantial benefit.”
Thirty-four residents had objected to Lidl’s plans, highlighting concerns over extra traffic, there being no need for another supermarket in the town and there being more appropriate locations to build in their view.
Didcot already has an Aldi store just off Broadway and a Sainsbury’s, M&S Foodhall and Asda.
The nearest Lidl to the proposed site are in Lupton Road, Wallingford, and Marcham Road in Abingdon.
Three people wrote in to support the new Lidl, recognising the benefits of a discount food store and the further jobs it will create.
Lidl has said its proposals for a Didcot supermarket would deliver 40 full-time equivalent jobs as well as further employment during the construction phase.
No opening date was given by the retailer, while the developer is currently on site progressing with the enabling works.
A spokesman said: “We’ve seen demand for our affordable, high-quality products continue to rise in Oxfordshire, and we are committed to serving more communities in the area.
“Our new store will create around 40 new jobs and build on our continued growth.
“We’re excited to be a step closer to opening this store and thank everyone who has supported us on our journey so far.”
It also said the £12m investment would work with the 6,300 new homes allocated to be built, as per the local plan.
Dalcour Maclaren, a specialist in utilities and infrastructure, announced the news on June 22, following a detailed assessment of its operations, including governance, employee wellbeing, environmental impact, and social responsibility.
James Neil, CEO of Dalcour Maclaren, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Dalcour Maclaren.
“B Corp status gives us the official badge that recognises everything that matters most to us in our culture, our values, and how we make decisions for our people and our clients. We thrive on doing things differently at DM and B Corp absolutely endorses this.”
The certification means the company meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Dalcour Maclaren now joins more than 10,000 B Corps worldwide and over 2,600 in the UK, including well-known names such as The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, and The Big Issue.
Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, said: “Welcoming Dalcour Maclaren to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
Dalcour Maclaren operates across the UK and Ireland, supporting major projects in energy, water, transport, and digital infrastructure. The company’s services include land, planning, environment, stakeholder engagement, and geospatial services.
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