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Coversure Network launched Cupican Insurance Brokers in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, on 2 November 2026. The brokerage is the first of its kind in the network, built for UK medical cannabis insurance as private prescriptions keep rising.
Key points
- Coversure Network has launched Cupican Insurance Brokers, its first brokerage devoted to medical cannabis, in Stevenage.
- Private cannabis prescriptions in the UK rose from 282,920 items in 2023 to 659,293 in 2024.
- Standard policies often exclude cannabis-related work unless it is explicitly covered.
Coversure Network has opened Cupican Insurance Brokers, a specialist brokerage for the medical cannabis sector, according to Insurance Business. It is based in Stevenage, a new area for Coversure in Hertfordshire. The network says it has passed 90 offices.
Prescriptions surge, cover lags behind
Private cannabis prescriptions in the UK rose from 282,920 items in 2023 to 659,293 items in 2024, the same source reports. The active patient population is estimated at between 80,000 and 90,000.
Another estimate puts the 2026 market at £302 million to £389 million, with more than 800 products available. That figure counts more than 140,000 patients.
Why standard policies fall short
The market has grown faster than the insurance infrastructure supporting it. Standard policies routinely exclude cannabis-related work unless it is explicitly addressed, according to Insurance Business.
Clinics, importers, pharmacies and prescribing doctors each face distinct risks. These include medical malpractice, professional indemnity, product liability and regulatory cover. Most prescribed supply in the UK is imported.
Generalist commercial brokers are described as poorly placed to handle these needs. The number of independent broking firms in the UK has nearly halved over 15 years, Insurance Times notes.
A specialist with sector experience
Richard Cupit leads the new firm. He was previously head of healthcare at PIB Insurance Brokers and led medical cannabis insurance at Towergate Insurance Brokers.
Cupit said the sector is developing and becoming more sophisticated, which calls for specialist expertise and an understanding of its particular business challenges. Coversure’s Jordan Maskell said Cupit had spotted a part of the market where expertise matters more and more, and that Cupican marks the network’s move into specialist areas.
Franchise model and GMC rules
Coversure runs a franchise network that gives FCA appointed representative status. That route offers faster market entry than standalone authorisation, according to Insurance Times.
The General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice guidance (2024) requires doctors to hold appropriate insurance covering the full scope of their practice. For prescribers, that points to the need for cover that names cannabis work.
Ce que ça change pour toi
For most readers, nothing changes directly. The launch concerns professionals such as clinics, pharmacies and prescribers, not shoppers.
It could, however, signal a maturing medical market around our full product range. Prescription cannabis is a separate matter from the hemp-derived items sold in Europe, such as CBD flower. If you hold a prescription, your clinic’s insurance should not affect your treatment, though you could ask the clinic about it.
Every Spliff product is lab-tested: THC content below 0.3% (0% for vapes and pods).
FAQ
What is UK medical cannabis insurance?
It covers risks faced by clinics, importers, pharmacies and prescribing doctors, such as malpractice, professional indemnity, product liability and regulatory cover. Standard policies often exclude cannabis-related work.
How many private cannabis prescriptions were issued in the UK?
Private prescription items rose from 282,920 in 2023 to 659,293 in 2024, according to Insurance Business. The active patient population is estimated at 80,000 to 90,000.
Where is Cupican Insurance Brokers based?
It is based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. It is Coversure Network's first brokerage with a dedicated medical cannabis focus.
Sources
- Insurance Business — Coversure adds medical cannabis broker as UK prescriptions surge
- Insurance Times — Coversure expands into medical cannabis sector with broker launch
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