Stonebridge International Insurance Ltd.

Reference number: 203188

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Authorised by the FCA

This firm is on the FCA register and authorised to carry out regulated activities.

Website, phone number and address

Compare these against whatever you were given. Scammers clone real firm names and reference numbers but use their own phone number and website, so a detail that does not match the register is the clearest warning sign there is.

In the full report: 3 background checks

  • When stonebridge-insurance.com first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
  • What kind of line 0808 178 3232 is
  • Who else gives the postcode EC4A 2DQ
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Other names (3)

If you were contacted under any of these names, it is this firm.

  • Coverty Direct Trading name
  • Guardian Direct Trading name
  • Stonebridge International Ltd. Former name

FCA permissions and consumer protection

  • Hold or safeguard your money FSCS may apply
    Eligible deposits are typically protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person, per banking group.
  • Manage or trade investments FSCS may apply
    Eligible investment and pension claims are typically FSCS-protected up to £85,000 per person, depending on the product and your circumstances.
  • Sell or arrange insurance FSCS may apply
    Eligible insurance claims may be FSCS-protected, often 90%, or 100% for compulsory or long-term cover.
  • Complaints Ombudsman, free
    You can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.
Show FCA detail (6 permissions)
  • Accepting Deposits
  • Arranging (bringing about) deals in investments
  • Carrying out contracts of insurance
  • Dealing in investments as agent
  • Effecting contracts of insurance
  • Making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments

Limits on what they may do

  • Must comply with the Solvency II Firms Sector of the PRA Rulebook.
    The Firm must comply with the Solvency II Firms Sector of the PRA Rulebook.

FCA disciplinary action

FCA action

fine
1
in fines
£8.37m
most recent
August 2014
  • Fined £8.37m on 7 August 2014
    On 7 August 2014, the FCA fined Stonebridge International Insurance Limited (Stonebridge) £8,373,600 for breaching Principles 3 and 6 of the FCA's Principles for Businesses. These breaches occurred between 1 April 2011 and 31 December 2012 in relation to telephone sales of Personal Accident, Accidental Death and Accidental Cash Plan insurance products. These products were underwritten by Stonebridge and sold to customers on its behalf by various authorised intermediary firms to whom Stonebridge had outsourced its sales and customer services operations in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain (the Outsourcing companies). Stonebridge failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that its customers were treated fairly. It identified its target market as being persons who typically were in the middle-to-low income bracket and did not have a college degree or professional qualification; yet the sales process it designed provided insufficient information and channelled customers who had families towards the broader, costlier family cover. Stonebridge designed sales scripts and call flows that emphasised the availability of cancellation rights during the sales calls. However, when customers tried to cancel their policies, the post-sales cancellation process designed by Stonebridge presented customers with barriers to cancellation. These failings were made possible by Stonebridge's poor systems and controls, and inadequate oversight of the Outsourcing companies. There were deficiencies in the training material designed by Stonebridge. Stonebridge failed to ensure that its UK sales and post-sales cancellation calls were subject to adequate quality assurance procedures. It also failed to obtain adequate management information. Furthermore, Stonebridge's Compliance department was inadequately resourced. Stonebridge has agreed to carry out a past business review covering sales of the products during the relevant period and will compensate customers who have suffered losses.

The Financial Ombudsman Service only publishes complaint figures for firms with 30 or more new complaints in six months, so there are none here for this firm.

Companies House record

The company behind the firm: its status, age, registered office and directors.

Company number
03321734
Company status
Active
Company type
Private limited company
Incorporated
20 February 1997 (29 years old)
Registered office
14th Floor 33 Cavendish Square, London, W1G 0PW, United Kingdom
Nature of business
  • Non-life insurance (SIC 65120)

Directors and company secretaries

Name Role Born Appointed Other companies
Robin William Webster Director Sep 1955 14 Dec 2022 3 other companies
Paul Edward Thilo Director Jun 1968 5 Jan 2024 16 other companies
John Giles Blundell Director Nov 1963 16 Jun 2024 1 other company
Edgardo Penollar Director Nov 1966 12 Sep 2024 None
Pat Hayes Director Apr 1968 7 May 2025 2 other companies
Catherine Baxandall Secretary Not published 17 Dec 2025 –

Other companies run by these 5 directors

A firm is run by people, and their other companies are their track record: what they built, what closed, and anything that failed. It is the check most people never think to make.

other companies
19
closed down
4
went insolvent
1

In the full report: all 19 companies, named

  • What each company does, and whether it is still trading
  • Which of these 5 directors sit on each board, and since when
  • The one that went into liquidation or administration
  • The 5 on the FCA register
  • The 2 companies these 5 directors run together
  • All 48 people who have ever been directors, with their dates
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Key dates in its history

Stonebridge International Insurance’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (13) All events (110)

2025

28 July 2025

  • Changed its registered name from "Stonebridge International Insurance Ltd"

FCA register

2024

31 December 2024

  • FCA imposed a requirement (Must comply with the Solvency II Firms Sector of the PRA Rulebook.)

FCA register

2021

28 February 2021

  • Cornerstone International Holdings Ltd gave up control
  • Global Premium Holdings Ltd took control (75–100% of shares)

Companies House

2016

6 April 2016

  • Cornerstone International Holdings Ltd took control (75–100% of shares)

Companies House

2014

7 August 2014

  • Fined £8.37m by the FCA

FCA register

2013

1 April 2013

  • Regulated by the FCA from this date
  • Regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority from this date

FCA register

2001

1 December 2001

  • Regulated by the Financial Services Authority from this date
  • Became authorised by the FCA

FCA register

1998

16 April 1998

  • Changed its registered name from "Stonebridge International Ltd."

FCA register

1997

20 February 1997

  • Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

1901

1 January 1901

  • Supervised by HM Treasury under the money laundering rules from this date

FCA register

In the full report: all 110 events

  • All 110 events in its history (13 shown here)
  • Every director appointment and resignation: 92
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Firms connected to Stonebridge International Insurance

Other FCA-listed firms that share a director, phone number or address with Stonebridge International Insurance. A link shows who the firm is tied to, not whether either can be trusted.

connected firms
2
share a director
2
share its postcode
1

In the full report: all 2 connected firms, named

  • How each is linked: shared directors (2), the same postcode (1)
  • Who links each one: the named directors, with dates
  • 3 past links through former directors
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Firms like Stonebridge International Insurance

Other firms of the same type (insurer), nearest first.

In London

Cx Reinsurance Company Limited.LondonAuthorisedUBS Asset Management Life LtdLondonAuthorisedNavigators Insurance CompanyLondonAuthorisedChubb European Group SELondonAuthorisedChubb Life Europe SELondonAuthorisedFederal Insurance CompanyLondonAuthorised

Firms are listed by type and location, best known first. Being listed is not a recommendation: check any firm before you deal with it.

Get the full report on Stonebridge International Insurance

Everything on this page, plus everything locked above, in one dated PDF you can keep, file or send on.

  • 19 other companies its directors have run, named
  • 3 background checks on its contact details
  • All 110 events in its history
  • 2 connected firms, named, and who links them

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Stonebridge International Insurance Ltd. FCA authorised?
Yes, Stonebridge International Insurance Ltd. (FRN 203188) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since December 2001 and works as an insurer. The FCA has placed a limit on what it may do.
What is Stonebridge International Insurance’s phone number and website?
The FCA register lists the phone number 0808 178 3232 and the website stonebridge-insurance.com for Stonebridge International Insurance. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.
Is Stonebridge International Insurance a scam or clone?
Stonebridge International Insurance is a genuine FCA-listed firm, and the FCA has published no warnings about fake versions of it. Scammers do copy real firms, though, so check that any contact details you were given match the ones on the register.
Is my money safe with Stonebridge International Insurance?
It may control client money but not hold it. It depends on the product, but eligible claims may be protected by the FSCS. You can also refer complaints about Stonebridge International Insurance to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.
Who owns Stonebridge International Insurance?
Stonebridge International Insurance is owned by Global Premium Holdings Ltd, which holds 75–100% of shares, 75–100% of votes and can appoint and remove the board, since 28 February 2021. Before that, it was controlled by Cornerstone International Holdings Ltd.
Who runs Stonebridge International Insurance?
Companies House lists 5 directors of Stonebridge International Insurance: Robin William Webster, Paul Edward Thilo, John Giles Blundell, Edgardo Penollar and Pat Hayes.
How long has Stonebridge International Insurance been in business?
The company was formed on 20 February 1997, and has held its current FCA authorisation since December 2001.
Has the FCA taken action against Stonebridge International Insurance?
Yes. The FCA register records 1 fine in 2014, £8.37m in total. The details are in the disciplinary section above, with links to the FCA's notices.
Does Stonebridge International Insurance use any other names?
It trades as Coverty Direct and Guardian Direct. It has previously used the name Stonebridge International Ltd..

Sources and links

The full report on Stonebridge International Insurance Ltd.

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