1 ANSWER INSURANCE SERVICES LTD.
💤Zombieactive
04201623 · ltd · incorporated 2001-04-19
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-life insurance
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 14.0y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 14.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (81/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (1 active, 6 linked, 4 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
7 connected companies via shared directors
66
Filing history
103 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 73 | 6700 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
4 signals detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
4
filings
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 officers
- • 1 address
Last 90 days
7
filings
- • 3 officers
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 address
Last 180 days
8
filings
- • 3 officers
- • 2 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 address
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-14📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-04-14📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2026-04-14📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2026-02-10📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-02-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-02-10📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2026-02-09➖CUTTS, Trevor David resignedsecretary
- 2026-02-09➖CUTTS, Trevor David resigneddirector
- 2025-12-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-04-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-04-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-04-02📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-03-26📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-03-26📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-08-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-07📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-03-07📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-03-07📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-01-18📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2023-01-18📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-08-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-09🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Security Trustee Limited
- 2013-04-01➖TURNER, Jamie Simon resigneddirector
- 2012-04-25🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2011-04-01➕TURNER, Jamie Simon appointeddirector
- 2010-02-05➕CUTTS, Trevor David appointedsecretary
- 2010-02-05➖DAVIES, Martin Kevin resigneddirector
- 2009-10-10➖MUIR, Angela Pary resignedsecretary
- 2008-09-17➕CUTTS, Trevor David appointeddirector
- 2005-10-01➕DAVIES, Martin Kevin appointeddirector
- 2001-04-19🏢Company incorporatedAs 1 ANSWER INSURANCE SERVICES LTD.
- 2001-04-19➕MUIR, Paul Eric appointeddirector
- 2001-04-19➕MUIR, Angela Pary appointedsecretary
Owner dependency
93/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 25 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 25 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 25 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med ·2 director resignations in last 12 months
mediumMultiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: CUTTS, Trevor David resigned 2026-02-09; CUTTS, Trevor David resigned 2026-02-09
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Paul Eric Muir Individual · British · DOB 02/1965 · age 61 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Trevor David Cuttsceased 09/02/2026· significant influence
- Mrs Angela Pary Muirceased 03/03/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Financial services · BN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 176 INVESTMENT GROUP LIMITED→ 16599724 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1783 LIMITED→ 13136585 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 1ST CHOICE VEHICLE FINANCE LIMITED→ 06609099 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| A.J. HASSELL LIMITED→ 01047853 · est 1972 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 54y | — | — |
| A1 CSD LIMITED→ 11383041 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A2 CSD LIMITED→ 11415022 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A3 CSD LIMITED→ 11415019 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A4 CSD LIMITED→ 11413029 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A5 CSD LIMITED→ 11412851 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AC WEALTH MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 14459943 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ACADIA MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 11051487 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ACCEPTED INS LTD→ 14553204 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated2001-04-19
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC65120 — Non-life insurance
Registered office
Unit A1 Chaucer Business Park
Dittons Road
Polegate
East Sussex
BN26 6QH
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-15
Last: 2026-04-01
Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)
MUIR, Paul Eric→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2001-04-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CUTTS, Trevor David→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2010-02-05 · resigned 2026-02-09
MUIR, Angela Pary→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2001-04-19 · resigned 2009-10-10
CUTTS, Trevor David→
Resigneddirector · ~55y · appointed 2008-09-17 · resigned 2026-02-09
DAVIES, Martin Kevin→
Resigneddirector · ~51y · appointed 2005-10-01 · resigned 2010-02-05
TURNER, Jamie Simon→
Resigneddirector · ~51y · appointed 2011-04-01 · resigned 2013-04-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Security Trustee Limited | A registered charge | — | 09/09/2019 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 25/04/2012 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (103 total)
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-04-14
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2026-04-14
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2026-04-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-01
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-02-10
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-02-10
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2026-02-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-04
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-04
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-04
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-03
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-02
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-03-26
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-03-26