Top 50 Brokers 2011: 29th A-Plan

Management: Publicity-shy chief executive Carl Shuker has been in the role since 2001, during which time Barclays Private Capital backed a management buyout.

Strategy: A-Plan shuns the internet, dealing exclusively through high-street branches – most of which are no more than an hour’s drive from the Oxford head office. It is aimed at slightly older customers and those who feel let down by policies bought online.

Having entered the Top 50 last year at 28, it drops one place this year to 29th, despite experiencing 5% growth in brokerage to £48m.