Defaqto, UK’s leading provider of financial product ratings, market intelligence, and adviser technology, has agreed to acquire the Market Pricing Business of Pearson Ham Group, a move that materially expands its data and technology offering for the UK retail financial services and insurance sectors.
The £11 mn transaction was completed through Defaqto’s parent company, Fintel. The acquisition combines extensive product intelligence with detailed pricing data, creating a consolidated dataset aimed at insurers, advisers, and end consumers.
With the addition of Pearson Ham’s pricing operation, Defaqto now holds one of the broadest product and pricing datasets in the UK personal lines insurance market.
Coverage spans motor, home, travel, and pet insurance, areas where pricing transparency and consumer value assessment have become increasingly central to regulatory and commercial strategy.
Defaqto’s existing data underpins its widely used Star Ratings framework.
The integration of pricing data is expected to accelerate development across its technology portfolio, including the Matrix 360 platform, which is already used by 22 major insurers.
According to Beinsure, the combination of product features and real-world pricing data positions Defaqto to support more granular benchmarking and emerging value-for-money assessments as the market shifts toward AI-driven analysis.
John Milliken, chief executive of Defaqto, said the Pearson Ham pricing unit brings a profitable and cash-generative business with a deep historical dataset.
He said proprietary data assets, combined with the ability to innovate, will define which firms lead in an AI-led economy, particularly in insurance where consumer value is under regulatory and public scrutiny.
The winners in the AI economy will be those with unique, valuable, proprietary data and expertise who can also innovate to benefit their customers. Through the combination of unrivalled product and pricing data, Defaqto has the tools to help the industry to better understand and deliver consumer value.
John Milliken, CEO of Defaqto
Milliken added that strengthening pricing intelligence alongside Defaqto’s product data reinforces its role within the personal lines market and supports providers seeking to design more competitive and transparent financial solutions.
“This strategic move further reinforces Defaqto’s position within the personal lines insurance market, strengthening our role as a leading provider of market intelligence and technology. Acquiring pricing data to complement our market leading product data is critical. The unique combination of product and pricing data will help providers build smarter financial solutions,” John Milliken said.
Matt Timmins, chief executive of Fintel plc, said the acquisition aligns with the group’s strategy to expand its software and data division through targeted, synergistic transactions.
He said the deal deepens Fintel’s market position and supports its role as a technology and data partner to UK financial services firms.
The Market Pricing Business will initially operate as a standalone unit before being integrated into Defaqto during 2026.
Stephen Kennedy, chief executive of Pearson Ham Group Market Pricing, said joining Defaqto provides a platform for further growth, supported by Defaqto’s experience in integrating acquisitions and scaling data-driven businesses.
We are delighted to become a part of the Defaqto family, because of the exciting ideas we have to grow the business and Defaqto’s proven ability to integrate and add value to the businesses they acquire.
Stephen Kennedy, CEO Pearson Ham Group Market Pricing
Defaqto provides financial product ratings, market intelligence, and adviser technology across the UK, while Fintel plc operates a broader portfolio of software, compliance, and data services through brands including SimplyBiz and threesixty.
Pearson Ham Group specialises in pricing strategy and market price tracking, supplying daily insights on competitor pricing across UK insurance markets using consumer panels and detailed pricing analytics.
