Sabre Insurance increased gross written premiums by 14.3% to £173.4 million in the first nine months of 2026, driven by its motor vehicle and motorcycle insurance businesses.
The UK insurer released its trading statement on 20 October 2026, covering the period to 30 September, and reiterated its expectation that full-year profit before tax would be slightly higher than the previous year.
The group wrote £155.1 million of motor vehicle premiums, up 16.5% from £133.1 million in the same period of 2025. Motorcycle premiums increased 52.9% to £13.3 million from £8.7 million.
The motorcycle increase was supported by continued expansion of the Sabre Direct offering. Taxi premiums moved in the opposite direction, falling 49.5% to £5.0 million from £9.9 million.
These figures represent premiums written during the period rather than revenue earned or profit generated on those policies. Insurers recognise premiums and claims across coverage periods, so changes in written volumes can affect future earnings on a different timetable.
Sabre said claims inflation had continued at approximately 6% to 7% during 2026. Claims inflation refers to rising costs of settling losses, including vehicle repairs and associated expenses, rather than the rate at which insurers increase customer prices.
The company said it was incorporating the increased claims costs into its pricing, while maintaining underwriting discipline. That may mean moderating new policy volume where available prices do not match its assessment of risk.
The insurer expects premium growth for 2026 as a whole, but indicated that the rate of growth could slow in the final quarter as it maintains those pricing requirements.
Management expects its undiscounted net insurance margin to be within its 18% to 22% target range for the financial year, with margin improvement during the second half supported by the earnings contribution from policies written earlier in the year.
The group has also retained its longer-term Ambition 2030 objective to deliver annual profit before tax of at least £80 million in 2030. That is a strategic target, not a result already achieved.
Sabre attributed the growth in its strategic products to continued development of distribution and pricing. The fall in taxi premiums underlines that the company is not pursuing the same volume trajectory in all parts of its book.
The motor and motorcycle businesses produced very different rates of premium growth, reflecting their starting sizes as well as the expansion of individual products. Motorcycle premiums grew rapidly from a smaller base, while motor vehicle cover remained the principal contributor to the total.
Sabre’s guidance refers to profit before tax rather than written premium. Strong premium growth can be offset by claims costs, operating expenses or changes in the cost of reinsurance, which is why the company continues to emphasise pricing discipline.
The group said claims inflation was running around 6% to 7%. Its assessment is based on the costs it expects to incur when policies generate claims, and the final position may be different as claims are settled.
The Ambition 2030 objective is a future profit target. It is not part of the nine-month premium result, and the company has not suggested that the target was achieved during the latest reporting period.
The statement records the 2025 profit before tax comparator as approximately £51 million, making the 2026 expectation modestly higher than that prior outcome. This should not be reported as a forecast for precisely £51 million or as a profit already earned.
The company expects premium volume growth to continue but at a more moderate pace near year end. Its pricing policy could limit new underwriting where market prices do not meet projected claims costs, even with higher demand.
The October disclosure provides premium and outlook measures without a completed annual profit figure. Claims trends, pricing and the timing of premium earnings remain important determinants of the final 2026 performance.
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