In this guide · 8 sections
- 01The rules that apply to a broker's website
- 02Names and wording: who may say 'insurance broking'
- 03What the MAS digital advertising guidelines expect
- 04Page-by-page checklist for a broker site
- 05Lead capture, PDPA consent and Do Not Call
- 06Scams and impersonation
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Only registered or exempt insurance brokers may use 'insurance broking' or similar words. Since 25 March 2026, MAS's digital advertising guidelines cover broker websites and social media: each page must be balanced on its own and the firm must monitor content. PDPA and DNC rules apply to lead forms.
The rules that apply to a broker's website
Three layers apply to a registered insurance broker that markets online. Licensing status and names come from the Insurance Act; marketing conduct from MAS guidelines; and personal data from the PDPA.
| Layer | What it covers | Where it bites on a website |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Act 1966 sections 90 to 92 | Who may hold out as a registered broker or use 'insurance broking' | Company name, logo text, page titles, meta descriptions, ads |
| MAS Digital Advertising Guidelines (FSG-03) | Safeguards for advertising financial products on digital media, effective 25 March 2026 | Product pages, blog posts, social media, agencies and influencers |
| MAS Guidelines on Fair Dealing | Board and senior management responsibility for fair outcomes | Clear, balanced information and complaint handling |
| PDPA and Do Not Call provisions | Consent, notification and marketing to Singapore numbers | Enquiry forms, WhatsApp buttons, follow-up calls and messages |
MAS's page on types of insurance entities explains that registered insurance brokers act as agents of the insured, and that exempt brokers (such as banks, insurers and licensed financial advisers) must still follow the conduct requirements for brokers. Broking staff must meet the minimum standards in MAS Notice 502.
Names and wording: who may say 'insurance broking'
Section 91 of the Insurance Act says a person that is not a registered or exempt insurance broker must not use the words 'insurance broking', or any word indicating it carries on business as an insurance broker, in its business name or in any notice, advertisement, publication or writing, 'including in electronic form'. The maximum fine is S$12,500, plus S$1,250 a day for a continuing offence. Section 90 separately makes it an offence to hold out as a registered broker without registration, with fines of up to S$50,000 or 12 months' jail.
For a legitimate broker, the practical point is consistency. Use the exact registered name as it appears in MAS's Financial Institutions Directory, state which type of broker you are registered as, and avoid wording that suggests you are an insurer.
What the MAS digital advertising guidelines expect
MAS's Guidelines on Standards of Conduct for Digital Advertising Activities were issued on 25 September 2025 and took effect on 25 March 2026. MAS lists insurance brokers among the entities they apply to. 'Digital media' explicitly includes email, websites, blogs and forums, as well as social media and video platforms.
- Choose platforms carefully. Check whether a platform's ad policy allows financial products, its reputation, and whether you can quickly change or remove an ad.
- Each ad must stand alone. Character limits do not excuse missing risks or conditions. MAS says showing only benefits in an ad, with risks on a separate webpage, is inappropriate.
- Control your digital marketers. Employees, agencies, affiliates and influencers acting for you count. Select them carefully, brief them, and manage conflicts of interest.
- Monitor. MAS gives examples such as media monitoring, web crawls, social media listening and mystery shopping.
- Discipline. Take action against marketers who break your rules, from warnings to suspension.
- Board accountability. Senior management is responsible for all digital ads, even those produced by an overseas head office.
Where the guidelines overlap with the ASAS Singapore Code of Advertising Practice, MAS says firms should apply the stricter standard. Our guides to insurance agent websites and social media and financial adviser websites cover the same guidelines from the agent and adviser side.
Page-by-page checklist for a broker site
| Page | What to include or check |
|---|---|
| Footer on every page | Registered company name, UEN, broker registration type, registered address |
| About | Statement that you act for clients (the insured), the insurers you work with, and how you are paid in general terms |
| Product or solution pages | Key exclusions, conditions and risks on the same page as benefits; no 'guaranteed' or 'cheapest' claims you cannot support |
| Client reviews and success stories | Approved by compliance, real and verifiable, not edited to remove conditions |
| Quote and enquiry forms | Collect only what you need, with a PDPA notice and separate marketing consent |
| Complaints | How to complain, your response process, and where to escalate if unresolved |
| Blog and social links | Same approval process as the main site; date each article and review it periodically |
Keep a record of each version of key pages and the approval behind it. MAS's guidelines expect firms to monitor and correct digital ads promptly, which is hard without a change log.
Lead capture, PDPA consent and Do Not Call
Enquiry forms collect personal data, often including health or financial details for quotes. Under the PDPA you need a clear purpose, consent or another lawful basis, and reasonable security. Our website privacy policy and cookie consent guide covers the basics.
Before marketing calls or messages to a Singapore number, check the Do Not Call Registry unless you have clear and unambiguous consent. Our Do Not Call Registry guide explains how. Bought lead lists carry both PDPA and DNC risk, and the MAS guidelines also expect you to vet lead-generation partners.
Safer practice
- Short quote form, with details collected securely after first contact
- Separate, unticked checkbox for marketing messages
- Form submissions sent to a company system, not a personal Gmail
- Analytics and ad pixels set up so form contents are not sent to ad platforms
Common problems
- Asking for NRIC numbers and medical history on the first form
- One checkbox covering both the quote and all future marketing
- Leads forwarded to staff on personal WhatsApp
- Agency landing pages you have never reviewed
Scams and impersonation
Fake websites and social profiles using real brokers' names are a growing problem. Publish your official domains and social accounts on your site, tell clients you will never ask for premium payments to personal bank accounts, and set up monitoring for lookalike domains. Premiums should flow through the proper insurance broking premium accounts or directly to the insurer, as the Insurance Act requires.
Do it yourself or get help?
Most of the work is compliance review, which must stay with your firm. The technical side is making the site easy to update with an approval trail, keeping forms secure, and making sure tracking does not leak personal data.
Our Business Website (from S$1,490) builds a fast, mobile-first site of up to 6 pages with a contact form and on-page SEO, and our PDPA Website Compliance Pack adds the privacy notice, consent and form checks. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page. We are not lawyers and do not give regulatory advice; wording should be approved by your compliance officer.
Frequently asked questions
Under section 91 of the Insurance Act, only registered insurance brokers and certain exempt insurance brokers may use 'insurance broking', or words indicating they carry on business as an insurance broker, in their name or in advertisements, including electronic ones. Others face fines of up to S$12,500, plus daily fines for continuing offences.
Yes. MAS lists insurance brokers among the entities covered by the Guidelines on Standards of Conduct for Digital Advertising Activities, which took effect on 25 March 2026. They cover websites, email, blogs, forums, social media and video platforms, and people marketing on the firm's behalf.
MAS's guidelines say it is inappropriate to highlight only the benefits of a financial product in an advertisement while putting the risks on a separate webpage. Each ad or page should be balanced and not misleading when viewed on its own, including on social media with character limits.
Clients can search MAS's Financial Institutions Directory, which lists registered insurance brokers and other regulated entities. Brokers should use the exact registered name on their website and link to the directory so clients can verify them and spot impersonators.
Responding to the quote they asked for is generally expected, but sending marketing messages later needs consent or a Do Not Call Registry check. Use a separate, unticked marketing checkbox and record what each person agreed to. This is general information, not legal advice.