INSURANCEBUSINESS.CO.UK ISSUE 1.04 | £14.99
WOMEN OF INFLUENCE THE ASTOUNDING PROFESSIONALS CHANGING THE FACE OF THE INDUSTRY SSP FALLOUT
Wider implications of the cloud-busting tech outage
OFC and spine SUBBED_V2.indd 2
BETTER BUSINESS It's not unpatriotic to outsource if you're cutting costs
THE ART OF THE DEAL Apply the science of negotiation and everybody wins
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It’s a risky business choosing the right insurance partner. Choose Ageas for extensive choice of Personal and Commercial products access to specialist underwriters
a dedicated account manager expertise in niche and schemes products
For information about our Personal and Commercial products please call your Ageas Account Executive or visit ageasbroker.co.uk
Your Partner in Insurance.
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NOVEMBER 2016
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CONTENTS
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UPFRONT 04 EDITORIAL
Promoting diversity
05 HEAD TO HEAD
WOMEN
OF INFLUENCE
COVER STORY
20
FEATURES
CLASSIC CAR? WE GOT IT COVERED
Tips on storage and the best insurance cover to keep your clients’ prestige wheels in peak condition
16
34
BETTER BUSINESS
It’s a big world out there, so it pays to go global and consider the advantages of outsourcing
What will be the ultimate outcome of the SSP disruption?
10 INTELLIGENCE
Industry appointments and a round-up of new products
How automated cars are likely to drive disruption
19 OPINION
The key to Solvency II compliance
FEATURES 32 BROKER PROFILE
Driving into the sunset with retiring motor sport enthusiast Duncan Woodcock of Reid Hamilton
PEOPLE 39 CAREER PATH
FEATURES
36
THE ART OF THE DEAL
Negotiating isn’t about winning at all costs; it’s about securing the best outcome for all parties
2
8 SSP OUTAGE: THE FALLOUT
14 TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
FEATURES
Amanda Blanc has risen to the top at AXA, one good decision at a time
Industry optimism for post-Brexit business
The consequences of the Insurance Act for MGAs
We pay tribute to 30 inspirational women who are changing the face of the UK insurance industry
INDUSTRY ICON
06 STATISTICS
12 MGAs UPDATE
WOMEN OF INFLUENCE
PEOPLE
30
Will the recent steps towards gender parity bring about real change?
Fresh from school, all Laura High wanted was a job. Instead she landed herself a high-flying career
40 OTHER LIFE
A martial arts master mentoring a new generation of karate kids
INSURANCEBUSINESS.CO.UK
CHECK IT OUT ONLINE
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CONNECT WITH US Got a story or suggestion, or just want to find out some more information?
CONTENTS
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UPFRONT
EDITORIAL
Finding the comfort in gaining diversity
I
t was at the BIBA conference earlier this year that Insurance Business UK made its public debut – and at the same event one of the industry’s biggest issues became abundantly clear to us. Scanning that packed venue, it quickly became apparent that insurance is an overwhelmingly traditional industry – females were hard to find, and those of different ethnic backgrounds or people with disabilities even more so. That’s why in this issue of Insurance Business UK, we’re delighted to shine the spotlight on some of the most hard-working, influential and exceptional women in the insurance industry. They are the women who are bucking the trend, who have risen to the top on talent and merit and who are inspiring other women to follow the same path. However, truth be told, a celebration of gender diversity is comfortable ground for most insurers. The world has moved forward and while the insurance industry may have been slow to react, women are now widely accepted in high-ranking positions. Although there is still work to be done in changing many cultural aspects of the industry, having inspiring females such as Inga Beale and Amanda Blanc leading the way, it’s clear the gender issue is at least in the process of being addressed.
There is much work to be done in integrating and attracting people of different races to the industry … That’s the comfortable ground, however. As demonstrated by the recent Dive In Festival – of which Insurance Business was an official media partner – there is much work to be done in integrating and attracting people of diverse races to the industry, as well as in accepting those with different sexual orientations and understanding that embracing people with disabilities in the workforce means more than just placing a wheelchair ramp outside the office. The Association of British Insurers outlining its targets for gender balance in the industry, and insurers signing up for the Women in Finance Charter represent vital steps in the right direction. However, they aren’t going to break ground alone. Many believe there remains a frozen middle in insurance: those who are yet to see the benefits, both culturally and financially, that a truly diverse workforce can bring. The time for them to thaw isn’t today – it was many, many years ago. So now insurance needs to turn up the heat and prove that actions speak louder than corporate words.
The team at Insurance Business UK
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www.insurancebusiness.co.uk NOVEMBER 2016 EDITORIAL Editor Paul Lucas Journalists Lucy Hook, Heather Turner, Libby Macdonald, Tim Garratt Editorial Researcher Hannah Go Production Editors Bruce Pitchers, Roslyn Meredith
CONTRIBUTORS Tim Baker, Sian Fisher, Marcus Seeger
ART & PRODUCTION Design Manager Daniel Williams Designer Joenel Salvador Production Manager Alicia Salvati Traffic Manager Kay Valdez, Freya Demegilio
SALES & MARKETING Vice President of Sales John Mackenzie Business Development Manager Jonathan Connelly Sales Manager Dane Taylor Mktg & Comms Manager Lisa Narroway
CORPORATE Chief Executive Officer Mike Shipley Chief Operating Officer George Walmsley Managing Director Tim Duce Chief Information Officer Colin Chan Human Resources Manager Julia Bookallil
Editorial Enquiries editor@insurancebusiness.co.uk Subscription Enquiries subscriptions@keymedia.com Advertising Enquiries jonathan.connelly@keymedia.com
Key Media International Limited Aldgate Tower, 2 Leman Street, London E1 8FA, United Kingdom tel: +44 20 7193 0935 www.keymedia.com Offices in London, Denver, Toronto, Sydney, Auckland, Manila, Singapore
Insurance Business UK is part of an international family of B2B publications and websites for the insurance industry Insurance Business America cathy.masek@keymedia.com T +1 720 316 0151 Insurance Business Asia peter.smith@keymedia.com.au T +61 2 8437 47OO Insurance Business Canada john.mackenzie@kmimedia.ca T +1 416 644 874O Insurance Business Australia peter.smith@keymedia.com.au T +61 2 8437 47OO Insurance Business NZ peter.smith@keymedia.com.au T +61 2 8437 47OO Copyright is reserved throughout. No part of this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the editor. Contributions are invited, but copies of work should be kept, as the magazine can accept no responsibility for loss.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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UPFRONT
HEAD TO HEAD
Taking the pledge Are the recent commitments made by industry leaders to ensure gender parity likely to bring about real change?
Nick Major
Adeola Ajayi
Sian Fisher
Chief underwriting officer Zurich Global Corporate UK
Advocacy manager Association of British Insurers
CEO Chartered Insurance Institute
“Pledges are trendy. UN Women, HeForShe, International Women’s Day are all focusing on the issue of gender parity in 2016. Why? Because the World Economic Forum in 2015 predicted that the gender gap would not close entirely until 2133. “Pledges themselves won’t change a thing; it is the actions sitting behind them that matter. It’s the how that is important. “What’s wrong with demanding women are included in all shortlists for recruitment? What’s wrong with setting a target for gender diversity at all levels of the business? “We’re good at targets, so let’s add a couple more to the scorecard.”
“Gender parity won’t happen overnight, but what the insurance HeForShe campaign has started is a collection of efforts that will actually make a difference to some people. “It could be a mentor that broadens someone’s horizons, a team led with a sharper focus on the experiences of its men and women, or a sponsor that ensures another woman has a seat at the table. “Increasing diversity in the industry is all about adopting a more inclusive culture, educating ourselves on what is already happening, listening to the experiences of various groups and having leaders who lead by example.”
“Insurance is sending a clear signal that it is serious about tackling gender inequality. This is a profound message from what is considered a traditionally male-dominated profession. “Early pledges reflect a real change in mindset, and senior leaders are increasingly talking about diversity and gender parity as a genuine opportunity to address challenges of innovation and talent acquisition and retention. “But our commitment to change does not end with HeForShe. The CII recently launched Insuring Women’s Futures, with the objective of inspiring change for women as clients and employees of insurance.”
PROMISES, PROMISES Late summer was the season of pledges for some high-profile insurers. In September, when the insurance industry threw its support behind the UN’s global HeForShe initiative – a solidarity campaign for the advancement of women – it became the first profession to do so. This commitment came a matter of weeks after the Association of British Insurers undertook to promote gender diversity in the notoriously male-dominated sector by signing up to the Women in Finance Charter, an initiative designed to encourage gender balance across financial services. Pledges are all very nice, but the real question is: will the rubber meet the road?
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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UPFRONT
STATISTICS
HOLDING STEADY
Shockwaves from the Brexit result are starting to be felt in the insurance industry, but it’s not all bad news...
WHILE LEVELS of optimism remained unchanged and growth in business volumes remained healthy for general insurers, the picture, according to the most recent Financial Services Survey from the CBI and PwC, is far gloomier for insurance brokers. Among brokers, optimism declined sharply and growth in business volumes slowed significantly in the three months to September. On the profitability front, general insurers again fared better: they
51%
reported profit growth as having increased sharply over the period, whereas brokers saw a decline in profitability. Employment, however, remained strong on both sides of the industry, as did expectations for further investment in IT. Finally, low availability of professional staff is now seen as a much more significant impediment to growth than it was 12 months ago. More detailed findings are displayed in the graphics below.
87%
feel business with overseas clients has declined
33%
now see changes in access to EU markets as greatest risk
of general insurers haven’t analysed the impact of leaving the EU
84%
report an upward trend in the value of insurance claims Source: Financial Services Survey, CBI and PWC, September 2016
INSURER OPTIMISM STOPS GROWING
CHARGES, COSTS AND PROFITABILITY AMONG GENERAL INSURERS
[all figures are % balances of respondents]
[all figures are % balances of respondents]
Optimism among general insurers was unchanged for the September quarter.
+5
+10
0
March
June
September
50
Mar
Jun
Sep
A much smaller majority see commissions, fees and premiums as rising 50
Mar
Jun
Sep
A significant majority now see operating costs as rising 50
Mar
Jun
Sep
A much larger majority now see overall profitability as rising 50
BROKER OPTIMISM TAKES A DIVE
40
40
40
40
30
30
30
30
Optimism among brokers swung from being on the rise in the previous quarter to being decidedly negative in the September quarter.
20
20
20
20
10
10
10
10
0
0
0
0
-10
-10
-10
-10
-20
-20
-20
-20
-4
+12
-27
March
June
September
Source: Financial Services Survey, CBI and PWC, September 2016
6
A slight majority now see average spreads as falling
Mar
Past 3 months
Jun
Sep
Next 3 months
Source: Financial Services Survey, CBI and PWC, September 2016
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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OBSTACLES TO GROWTH OF GENERAL INSURERS’ BUSINESS Level of demand, competition and regulation continue to be the factors most general insurers see as limiting growth prospects, but availability of professional staff is now also a leading concern. WHAT FACTORS ARE LIKELY TO LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO INCREASE YOUR LEVEL OF BUSINESS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
[Figures represent percentage of respondents selecting each factor]
LEVEL OF DEMAND
AVAILABILITY OF CLERICAL STAFF Mar
Jun Sep
Jun
20
40
60
80
100
0
STAFF TURNOVER
20
40
60
80
100
ADEQUACY OF SYSTEMS CAPACITY
0
Sep
Jun Sep
0
20
40
60
80
100
20
40
60
80
0
Jun Sep
0
20
40
60
80
100
20
40
60
80
100
20
40
60
80
100
Mar 2016
2016
Sep
100
OTHER
Mar
Jun
80
Jun
100
ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS
Mar
60
Sep 0
AVAILABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF
40
Mar 2016
Jun
20
STATUTORY LEGISLATION AND REGULATION
Mar 2016
Mar
Jun Sep
Sep 0
2016
Mar 2016
2016
2016
Mar
2016
COMPETITION
Jun Sep
0
20
40
60
80
100
0
Source: Financial Services Survey, CBI and PWC, September 2016
WATCHING THE COMPETITION
VOLUME OF BUSINESS
Most general insurers unsurprisingly still see most competition as coming from within the insurance sector, but other financial services and new entrants are also on their radars.
Overall, growth in level of business for general insurers is slowing; when it comes to overseas customers, level of business has actually started shrinking.
Insurance sector
Other sectors of financial services Mar 2016
2016
Mar Jun Sep
Your present level of business (above/below normal) is:
Jun
2016
Sep 0
20
40
60
80
100
0
10
Companies currently positioned outside of financial services
20
30
40
50
New entrants
+5%
+2%
Mar
Jun
Sep
Your present level of business with overseas customers (above/below normal) is:
Mar
Mar
+30%
2016
2016
2016
Jun
Jun Sep
Sep 0
10
20
30
40
50
0
10
20
30
40
50
+11%
-2%
-1%
Mar
Jun
Sep
60
Source: Financial Services Survey, CBI and PWC, September 2016
Source: Financial Services Survey, CBI and PWC, September 2016
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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UPFRONT
NEWS ANALYSIS
SSP outage – the fallout For many brokers, the recent SSP outage was deemed one of the most challenging incidents of their careers. We look back on the events and examine the potential fallout
“IF I treated my customers this way, I wouldn’t have any customers.” They are the eye-catching remarks of Rachael Palmer, owner of Eden Insurance Services in Clitheroe, Lancashire, concerning the SSP outage. Talking to Insurance Business UK she expresses her frustrations at her company’s treatment and the lack of communication provided by SSP throughout the ordeal, declaring that she had “definitely lost business”. “There was nothing on their website straight away,” she says. “It was only when I rang up and asked why I couldn’t log in that I heard a message on their answering service saying there’d been a power outage: ‘We’re working on it and
just ridiculous, as was the fact that no one from SSP actually called and said, ‘We know; we’re sorry, but we’re working on it and you matter.’ If I treated my customers the way that I have been treated by SSP, I wouldn’t have any customers.”
Frustration Brokers vented their frustrations on the Insurance Business UK forum and across Twitter and social media. The common theme was that they felt they were being left in the dark – it wasn’t so much anger that the outage had occurred, but more disappointment at the lack of feedback and clarity as to when business would resume.
“No one from SSP actually called and said, ‘We know; we’re sorry, but we’re working on it and you matter’ ” Rachael Palmer, Eden Insurance Services. we will let you know.’ “At the start, you got an email twice a day but they faded out. You rang someone and tried to get hold of somebody and you were waiting 40 minutes before you got through. I appreciate everyone was trying to ring and get information, but those patronising emails from Lawrence were
8
However, Duncan Woodcock, chairman of Reid Hamilton, is more sympathetic of SSP’s plight, and even looks at their lack of communication as a sign of honesty. “If you’re going to be realistic about it, at least SSP were not saying things that were undeliverable – they were not making promises
they couldn’t keep,” he says. “So I think you can look at that scenario in two ways. “If I’m being honest, there are brokers that will be absolutely up in arms with SSP, but my own personal view is that SSP had already planned migration away from the site for all the right reasons and they were just really unlucky that they didn’t get that migration complete before this unforeseeable event took place. “To be honest, my heart goes out to the people who work for SSP, because they have been working around the clock and dealing with people who have no doubt been shouting and swearing at them. “We’ve been with the various incarnations of that firm since 1991, and it’s the first time anything like this has happened. I am quite sure it was as dreadful for them as it was for us.” Palmer, however, is not so sympathetic – pointing to issues with the firm dating much further back than the outage alone. “For the first 12 months it was an absolute nightmare,” she says.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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SSP OUTAGE – THE TIMELINE 26 AUG Solihull and surrounding district suffers unprecedented power outage. 30 AUG Brokers return to work after the bank holiday weekend to find they are offline. 02 SEP BIBA seeks reassurances from SSP and other software houses. 05 SEP SSP tries to restore service at alternative site. 07 SEP SSP decides to permanently decommission Solihull site.
“Nothing worked, essentially. I’ve had people from Premium Credit ringing me and asking me how to do something on the SSP system. “The finance integration didn’t work; it’s so complicated to set up your own risk screens and, unless you know how to do double-entry bookkeeping, it’s very complicated to manage
SSP group CEO Laurence Walker has also reiterated his apologies to brokers: “We would like to express our disappointment about the delay, disruption and frustration experienced by our customers, for which we sincerely apologise.” As brokers begin piecing together their businesses once more, the long-term impact will
“To be honest my heart goes out to the people who work for SSP, because they have been working around the clock” Duncan Woodcock, Reid Hamilton accounts. I do all my accounts manually; I wouldn’t want SSP to have control of that.”
What’s next? In the aftermath of the outage, BIBA has already met with SSP to discuss how similar issues can be prevented in the future.
ensure that this is a story that will continue to have repercussions. Not only could there be legal and compliance implications – the Financial Conduct Authority has issued a statement reminding brokers of their CASS compliance obligations – but there may be a shake-up in the sector, too, with Applied
12 SEP 90% of brokers reported to be back online with rebates coming. 16 SEP FCA issues message to brokers about compliance duties. 10 OCT BIBA meets SSP to discuss prevention of similar issues in the future.
Systems launching its Applied Epic system in the UK. Perhaps the most crucial point now is whether brokers who are already reluctant to make the digital switch will shy away from cloud management even further. As clients are now more technologically advanced than ever, to do so would surely be a mistake, but the outage has certainly added fuel to the naysayers’ fire.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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UPFRONT
INTELLIGENCE CORPORATE ACQUIRER
TARGET
PRODUCTS COMMENTS
Global Risk Partners
Marshall Wooldridge
Deal allows Marshall Wooldridge to access more financial resources, network and expertise to speed up the broker’s expansion.
Allianz
MoneyFarm
The German insurance giant acquired a minority stake in the digital wealth manager.
Phoenix Group
Abbey Life
The insurance group purchased the life insurance business from Deutsche Bank for £935m.
Aspen
Liberty Specialty Markets UK regional P&C business
The business, including 40 staff, will be moved to Aspen on 1 November.
Sompo Holdings
Endurance Specialty
Sompo's acquisition of Endurance for about £5bn signals the company's overseas transformation.
Broker Network
Finch Commercial Insurance Brokers
Finch is the first regional broker acquired by Broker Network.
HPS Investment Partners
Autonet Insurance Services
Autonet says the deal provides "long-term backing" for its "next phase of growth".
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Ascot Underwriting Holdings Ltd
The Lloyd's business tied to AIG was sold for US$1.1bn.
HISCOX UNVEILS NEW CRIME PRODUCT FOR SMEs
Specialist insurer Hiscox has launched a new crime product designed to protect SMEs in the UK and Ireland from a broad range of fraudulent acts from both internal and external parties. The latest product provides affordable and comprehensive cover for various commercial crimes, including telephone fraud, physical destruction, computer violations and theft of money, securities and property. Hiscox said businesses can also purchase a social engineering endorsement, which covers the emerging but prolific problem of fraudsters posing as company directors to exploit unwitting victims.
INDUSTRY-FIRST MOBILE PHONE INSURANCE INTRODUCED
PHOENIX GROUP BUYS DEUTSCHE BANK’S UK INSURER
Major British insurer Phoenix Group has acquired Deutsche Bank’s insurance business in the UK, Abbey Life. Under the terms of the deal, Phoenix will obtain 100% of Abbey Life for £935m. Deutsche Bank said the sale will strengthen its capital position, although the transaction will also result in an expected pre-tax loss of €800m for the German company. In Phoenix’s half-year report in August, CEO Clive Bannister hinted at more potential deals, saying the company is “well placed to generate value from further acquisitions”.
10
Insurance2Go has released a new and cheaper policy that only covers loss and theft for just £4.99 a month. The insurer launched the industry-first product to keep up with the increasing durability of smartphones. According to the firm, consumers are now less likely to get expensive insurance policies to cover the cost of fixing broken phones due to emerging features such as water resistance, tempered glass screens and the use of protective phone cases.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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AON DEBUTS P&C AND IoT CYBER COVER
Aon Risk Solutions has introduced a unique P&C and internet of things (IoT) insurance policy that offers enterprisewide coverage against cyber risk for all industries. The Aon Cyber Enterprise Solution aims to be a comprehensive and integrated cyber product covering property, products liability, supply chain risk, technology platforms and information and physical assets, in addition to defences against privacy and security liability. It seeks to address emerging areas of cyber risk and related regulation, including IoT exposure, cyber terrorism, network security breaches and business interruption arising from a systems failure.
AXA UNWRAPS ALL-RISKS INSURANCE PACKAGE
Insurance heavyweight AXA has unveiled a new all-risks insurance package for high net worth clients in the UK. The latest product, called tailorMade, combines home, travel, motor, legal expenses and home emergency insurance for individuals who have exclusive lifestyles and assets frequently distributed across several countries. Compared to AXA’s previous household product, tailorMade’s home policy provides wider cover and higher limits. There are also several new and improved features, including liability coverage, trespass clean-up cover, allowance for environmental upgrades and home business cover.
LOCKTON LAUNCHES LONDON TERROR PRODUCT
Lockton has teamed up with several insurers to launch a new product in response to the evolving threats of terrorism. Terrorism Crisis Solutions offers corporate clients combined terrorism cover for various threats, including sabotage and terrorism for both property damage and liability, active assailant, active shooter, riots, strikes and civil commotion. Clients can also obtain cover for nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological malicious acts, workplace violence, stalking threats and financial protection if a client is impacted by an insured event.
PEOPLE NAME
LEAVING
JOINING
NEW POSITION
Jose Hernandez
AIG
Argo Group
Head of international business
Markus Nordlin
Zurich
QBE
Global chief information officer
Matt Webb
n/a
Hiscox
Head of cyber
Graham Fulcher
Willis Towers Watson
Chubb
Chief actuary for overseas general insurance
Andrew Wilkinson
n/a
Aviva
UK general insurance technical claims director
Rafael Sanchez
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Beazley
International manager of breach response services
Owen Ryan
Deloitte Advisory
AEGIS
CEO and director
Neil Wray
Tokio Marine Kiln (Asia)
Tokio Marine Kiln (UK/Global)
Head of international business
Alexander Ankel
Khazanah Nasional Berhad
Ergo International
Chief operating officer
Donna Dorairajoo
n/a
Chubb
EMEA regional manager for travel, accident and health
Graham Roberts
Willis Towers Watson
Ed (formerly Cooper Gay)
Head of accident and health division
Kieran O’Keeffe
Co-operative Group
LV=
Finance director of general insurance
Neil Galjaard
n/a
Markel International
Divisional managing director
Jamie Keaney
n/a
Chubb
VP and CUO, international personal risk services
Steven Zuanella
Zurich
RSA
Digital chief officer
ROBERTS TO JOIN REBRANDED COOPER GAY
Just weeks after rebranding from Cooper Gay, global broker Ed made the crucial appointment of Graham Roberts as head of the newly launched accident and health division. Roberts will take up the role in December, bringing with him 26 years of industry experience. He joins from Willis Towers Watson, where he served as divisional director for more than five years. Ed’s CEO of specialty Chris Bonard said the latest hire “offers a glimpse of the scale of our ambitions”.
MARKEL UK HIRES NEIL GALJAARD
There is a new man ready to take Markel UK forward: Neil Galjaard has been appointed as the company’s divisional managing director. Galjaard will take overall responsibility for the development and growth of the business, which also includes Abbey Tax and Abbey Legal. He has held a host of senior management roles in leading UK-based financial services firms. Recently, he led the acquisition of a commercial insurance broker. Galjaard was also CEO of the small business market at Towergate.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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UPFRONT
MGAs UPDATE
MGAs and the Insurance Act The MGA sector keeps growing, but is it ready for the industry’s new legal landscape?
The industry body polled 25 MGAs with gross written premium of up to £20m. All respondents said they weren’t contracting out of any of the terms of the act, a decision that had not changed in the previous six months. Peter Staddon, MGAA managing director, says many MGAs have taken the necessary steps and have engaged with their capacity providers to address the act’s requirements. “Having taken this level of responsibility,
“The focus must be on the brokers and distribution partners to meet their obligations”
Said to be the industry’s biggest legal shake-up in over 100 years, the Insurance Act 2015 has come into force. As the youngest insurance entities, MGAs haven’t been around that long, but like all other industry players, they will feel the impact of the new law. The Insurance Act aims to make seeking claims payments from insurers simpler and fairer. Jennette Newman, head of Lloyd’s and London Market at insurance law firm BLM, says that the new law presents both challenges and opportunities for the MGA sector.
NEWS BRIEFS
“The Insurance Act is the most significant legislative change in commercial insurance law, and is of profound importance not only to MGAs but also their brokers and capacity providers,” Newman says. Are MGAs equipped for the implications of the act? According to a survey conducted by the Managing General Agents’ Association (MGAA), there are high levels of preparedness and engagement in the sector, with capacity and distribution partners focused on the requirements and impact of the law.
Plum Underwriting launches private client division
Home insurance MGA Plum Underwriting has enhanced its portfolio of insurance covers for brokers. The company has launched Plum Private Clients, a dedicated division that features two improved all-risks products to expand on its existing coverage and increase limits. Its two products are: Premier, for high net worth buildings and contents risks; and Amethyst, which has been set up for mid net worth risks. The two products will sit alongside the firm’s existing specialist household cover available through its online portal.
12
the focus must be on the brokers and distribution partners to meet their obligations and be prepared to ensure the act achieves what it is designed to do,” he says. The results of the MGAA survey showed that the majority of MGAs reviewed their terms of business agreements (TOBAs) in preparation for the act. Forty per cent had already updated their TOBAs, while 36% did not see the need to make any changes. Only 12% had not reviewed their TOBAs, while another 12% were planning to update theirs. Communication and engagement were also key aspects of the drive to ensure MGAs were ready for the Insurance Act. Over 33% said they were in communication with their capacity providers, while 62.5% had already been advised of their position.
Brightside announces Lorega tie-up
Insurance brokerage Brightside Group has appointed Lorega as a provider of commercial loss recovery insurance and expert loss adjusting services for its business insurance offerings. As part of the deal, the MGA and assistance specialist will offer support to Brightside’s SME clients and to those of its One Solution brand for claims over £5,000. Services include unlimited advice from expert chartered loss adjustors to assist with the preparation, negotiation and settlement of material damage or business interruption claims.
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Q&A
Creating a virtual insurer Jonathan Turner Executive chairman Pen Underwriting
Fast fact Pen Underwriting launched its Pen UK app in early 2016. It is designed to provide brokers on the move with direct access to senior underwriters, key product information and news on the latest Pen developments
What is Pen Underwriting doing to set itself apart from other firms? Everything we do at Pen Underwriting is guided by our four values – differentiation, expertise, added value and ease of doing business – and investment in delivering on our virtual insurer commitment, which will enable us to do more for insurers and broker clients. Differentiation is all about identifying industry specialisms or a different way of doing business. For Pen, that could mean offering unrivalled cover for those transporting hazardous goods, or riskmanaged commercial where our mid-market offering is focused on mitigating client risk first and foremost through our team of in-house surveyors, with embedded cover extensions as standard, such as legal expenses and cyber liability. Expertise means we hire technical underwriters who continually look for ways to trade in their chosen markets – not present reasons why they can’t – while investing significantly in our actuarial, governance, analytics and pricing capabilities. Added value: there has to be something in each transaction for everyone, from the capacity provider who backs us, to the broker who approaches us, and the end client, who ultimately makes the purchasing decision. Our focus is on creating and maintaining an advantage for all three. Finally, ease of doing business means doing all we can to help our partners navigate around our business, simplifying the underwriting process from start to finish, and improving the speed at which an insurance transaction can be closed. In practical terms, that has seen us invest in one unifying
OverArk gets investment boost from Asta
Asta, the leading third-party managing agent and specialist MGA investor, has concluded a deal to finance the development of OverArk Limited. Asta will take a minority equity stake in OverArk and will support the firm’s infrastructure, including finance and regulatory compliance. OverArk is an MGA that will offer risk-led comprehensive P&C insurance cover to UK-based organisations. Former Airmic chairpersons Peter Berring and Patrick Smith lead the new MGA. Keith Nevett will represent Asta’s investment on the board.
MGAA selects new chairman
brand, a single TOBA, a nationwide sales team, the Pen app and the creation of one legal entity. In short, we’re creating a true virtual insurer, which means doing all of the things that you’d expect an insurance company to do – from pricing and claims handling to having a robust risk and governance framework – with the one exception of not carrying risk.
Do you think there’s an oversaturation of MGAs in the market? In every sector in the insurance community, there’s competition, whatever the territory, or whatever the class of business. But the UK’s MGA market is particularly competitive and, arguably, overpopulated. Faced with an increasingly intrusive regulatory environment, and the demands for robust governance, capacity management, analytics and pricing, some of the smaller businesses in this sector may struggle. Capacity providers expect controlled environments and that takes significant and continual investment.
What are the challenges for MGAs? Undoubtedly, the fundamental challenge for any MGA is ensuring they deliver an underwriting profit, and making sure the loss ratio delivered is in line with expectations. All our technical underwriters are fully focused on this, take ownership and control of their loss ratios and will closely monitor and manage them to mitigate any movement, taking action where necessary.
Charles Manchester has been named as the new chairman of the Managing General Agents’ Association. He assumes his role immediately following the decision of James Gerry to step down. Manchester is the CEO of Manchester Underwriting Management, which underwrites UK and international business with an emphasis on financial lines, both through regional brokers and in the London market. He has gained over 30 years of industry experience from insurance firms and Lloyd’s brokers and a syndicate.
Castel launches new unit to boost start-ups
A new specialty division has been established at Castel Underwriting Agencies to support talented underwriters with smaller books of niche business. Castel Specialty will provide the capacity, infrastructure and support to enable experienced underwriters to join and quickly begin writing their own books of business. They will also be rewarded according to the profitability of their book of business. The first to join the company is Gordon Steward, writing forestry physical damage business worldwide.
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UPFRONT
TECHNOLOGY UPDATE NEWS BRIEFS Only a third of UK firms have cyber insurance
A recent PwC survey discovered that only 38% of UK companies have a cyber insurance policy, down from 59% last year. The company said firms are reluctant to invest in cyber insurance because they view products available in the market as inadequate. The study also found that half of specialist insurance companies in London are already selling cyber policies or considering it as a growth area. The other half do not actively pursue cyber and believe that the risk is “borderline insurable”.
Vitality inks telematics deal with Apple
Health insurer Vitality has signed a deal with Apple to offer customers with deeply discounted smart devices. Vitality clients can get an Apple Watch for just £69 on one condition: that they “pay” the remaining £300 purchase price by achieving exercise goals over 24 months. Policyholders must walk at least 10,000 steps daily or carry out more vigorous exercise 20 days a month to avoid penalty charges. Vitality’s deal with Apple aims to encourage customers to get in shape with the help of telematics.
Lloyd’s: 9 in 10 firms suffer cyber security breach
New research conducted by Lloyd’s reveals that 92% of European businesses had experienced some form of cyber breach in the past five years. However, only 42% are worried that another incident will happen in the future. Lloyd’s CEO Inga Beale warned that firms may still
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be too complacent about cyber risk preparations and implications. Many businesses still underestimate the potential impact of a cyber incident; only 13% of firms believe that they will lose trade due to a cyberattack.
Applied Epic arrives in the UK
Applied Epic, the fastest growing cloud-based broker management system in the world, has been introduced by Applied Systems in the UK market. Applied Epic is a single, integrated and open application that is meant to offer essential capabilities to help better manage customer relationships, e-trading, sales opportunities, policy administration and financial accounting across all aspects of a business. It is used by more than 60,000 brokers in North America, including five of the top 12 global brokerages.
Insurance sought against driverless car hacks
In a study conducted by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, 74% of UK drivers said insurers should provide cover for damage caused by hackers accessing control systems in autonomous vehicles. According to the survey, 46% think that it is a “good” or “very good” idea for future insurers to include cover for self-driving cars. However, the research discovered that most drivers are not willing to spend extra for insurance against hackers, and 68% disagree that such coverage should add to insurance costs.
The threat of driverless cars A shift to automated driving could mean significant changes in broker commissions and office structure The UK is bracing for the age of automated vehicles, a developing technology that threatens to drive down car insurance premiums and disrupt the industry. On October 12, members of the public tested a driverless vehicle on UK roads for the first time. The demo was part of the government’s plan to make Britain the world leader in automated vehicles. In July, ministers also launched a consultation on changes to insurance and road laws with the aim of allowing self-driving cars to be on the streets by 2020. These recent developments may bring worrying news to some industry players. For independent brokers, experts say the shift to automated driving could mean significant changes in both commission and office structure as one of the channel’s introductory products becomes less prominent. According to a new report by brokerage giant Aon, premiums for car insurance could drop by 20% by 2035 due to driverless cars. And once the vehicles reach full adoption by 2050, premiums will potentially decline by over 40%. “Adoption of autonomous vehicles will, of course, be affected by many variables, such as regulatory challenges, cost to the consumer, safety, vehicle ownership preferences and the technology itself,” says Paul Mang, CEO of Aon Analytics. “However, we as an industry need to act quickly to ensure that we have the products available to align to the new paradigm;
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if we fail to do so, we only invite disruption,” he adds. A recent study by LexisNexis Risk Solutions said insurers and brokers must learn to adapt in order to stay relevant and profitable in a world of automated cars, where only a quarter of the UK’s driving population is expecting to be served by the industry. “For the insurance industry, significant disruption lies ahead,” says Bill McCarthy, UK and Ireland insurance managing director at LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
“We as an industry need to act quickly … to align to the new paradigm” “The successful motor insurer of the future, in our view, will be the one that is today seeking to understand how underwriting can keep up with or even pioneer the new car and data technologies, such as telematics, that are already revolutionising the sector.” The LexisNexis report said 8% of consumers believe that coverage will no longer be needed in the future because of driverless cars. Also, 31% of UK drivers expect insurance to be provided at a lower price. The research discovered that only 26% of British motorists are expecting their insurance cover in a driverless future to be provided by the industry as it stands today. Another 16% of drivers believe that they will get their insurance from new market entrants or businesses currently outside of the industry, such as car manufacturers.
Q&A
Joe Sultana Managing director, broker solutions Applied Systems UK
Fast fact In 1983, Applied launched the first PC-based software application in the P&C insurance industry
Business applied to the cloud What’s unique about Applied Epic, and why have you launched in the UK? At Applied, our product portfolio is built around the idea that there needs to be seamless connectivity within a broker business – from the staff right up to the insurers, as well as the insured – and we create the different tools and platforms that are necessary for those to all speak to one another. Applied lives and dies by the broker channel. It’s at the core of our business, and we’re highly focused on giving brokers the tools and the systems that are going to make them successful. What makes a broker most successful is their ability to properly service and also sell to customers. Applied Epic, which is a cloudbased management platform, is designed around the idea that it is one application that everyone in the business should use to have a complete view of their business. There hasn’t been a new broker management system in about 10 years or so here, so the market has really been starved for something that’s more advanced and has integrated capabilities.
What are the main benefits of the system compared to other platforms? Epic has a flexible architecture, so it can scale with growth. It allows you to quickly acquire new business and add it into the data source. People have said that it future-proofs their operations; users aren’t going to invest today and then have to invest again tomorrow. It’s a solid investment for a lifetime of futures and capabilities. CRM and sales automation – automated marketing, such as texts and emails – can be managed from within the system. The sales component brings your sales into one system and allows you to track them. The dashboard is also associated with sales automation, so you can see what is in your pipeline, what is and what isn’t closing. It brings your prospect and your client base into one view.
What is the message to a smaller broker that might be hesitant on the need to go digital? If they intend on staying a smaller shop, we would suggest that their consumer, whether that be personal and/or commercial, is fundamentally changing. And while your operations might seem small, your consumer has expectations. We’ve seen in recent surveys that the insurance industry, from a customer service point of view, is actually coming last. Our expectation as a consumer is digital, mobile and connected, and you have to have the infrastructure supporting your operations to deliver on that demand – that’s what your customer expects. You run a risk of being outpaced if you don’t adopt digital.
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PEOPLE
INDUSTRY ICON
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES AT THE RIGHT TIME Amanda Blanc is now one of the most recognised names in the industry – but her journey has been all about key decisions SOMETIMES IT’S the smallest decisions that can change your life forever, and for Amanda Blanc, group chief executive of AXA, life has been all about decisionmaking. Whether it is the big decisions or the small ones, her choices have a habit of reaping rewards. “I always thought I was going to be a musician,” says South Wales-native Blanc, reflecting on her life before insurance. “I loved singing; I play the piano and the clarinet. But, unfortunately, I wasn’t really good enough to make that work, so I had to get a proper job – and that’s what I did.” The first of her crucial, life-affirming decisions came at the age of 21 when, after completing a course in modern history at Liverpool University, Blanc joined a graduate trainee scheme at Commercial Union, considered one of the best in the industry at the time. Her choice – at the time a shot in the dark to try something new – started what has ultimately proven to be one of the biggest success stories in the industry. “When you apply for graduate places, I wasn’t looking for anything other than, could I get a job?” she says. “I loved Wales but I wanted to get away and do something new. If I’m honest, it wasn’t a case of positively choosing insurance, although I have to say it was probably the best
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decision I’ve ever taken and I don’t regret it for a second.”
The dilemma Glancing at Blanc’s CV would make it appear as though she moved smoothly from one position to another with natural career growth. She worked from 1989–97 at Commercial Union, becoming a casualty and fleet underwriter, then an assistant development manager before leaping into
undertaking an MBA. She would leave in 2002, only to return in 2011. Between her stints at AXA, however, she was faced with one of the biggest dilemmas of her life: with a job offer from Towergate in one hand, she held a positive pregnancy test for her second child in the other. “I can remember phoning Towergate and saying I can’t come, it’s not right, and them saying, ‘Don’t be silly; we absolutely want you to come,’ ” she says.
“I always thought I was going to be a musician … but, unfortunately, I wasn’t really good enough to make that work, so I had to get a proper job – and that’s what I did” the role of branch manager in Leicester, a two-step promotion which, at the age of 29, made her the first female and the youngest branch manager in the company’s history. A stint at Ernst & Young followed as Blanc wanted to try something different. However, she quickly realised she missed the accountability of leadership, and after just six months she transitioned into her first role at AXA, when she joined in 1998 as regional director for the north, while simultaneously
“However, I probably went back too quickly. I had worked for four months at Towergate before taking the time off – and so I went back to work after four to five weeks, which in reality was too soon. If I had my time again, I would have taken more than that. I’m lucky to have an incredibly supportive network: my mum and dad and my husband. You have to be fortunate enough to have a strong support network to be able to do things like that.”
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PROFILE Name: Amanda Blanc Company: AXA UK Title: Group CEO, AXA UK Age: 49 Years in the industry: Too many! (But if you insist, over 25) Career highlight: Being appointed president of the CII Career lowlight: Those six months in consultancy work
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PEOPLE
INDUSTRY ICON
Getting the balance right While her career decisions have undoubtedly paid off, Blanc’s most important decisions are being made on a daily basis, as she juggles her high-profile career with being a mother and a wife. Balance, she believes, is vital. “I don’t do many corporate dinners because I like to come home and see my children,” she explains. “I will be in the office for 7.30am – but that’s because I like to come home in the evenings and spend time with my family. It’s important to be around and to have a conversation about how the day has gone.
business around. There was a lot of press speculation at the time, saying that it couldn’t be done, that AXA couldn’t recover. But with a great team you can do a lot.” Fast forward five years and not only has Blanc been promoted to the position of group chief executive, but AXA has recently been recognised for having the strongest insurance brand in the world. One of the keys to success, she believes, has been enhancing customer trust, and now she challenges the insurance industry to make a crucial decision of its own and make a vital step towards transparency. “I don’t just speak about broker
“The issue for me is … let’s be transparent everywhere. I believe that consumers are interested in what their brokers get paid – and, anyway, who are we to say what they are and aren’t interested in?” “I don’t think it’s macho to be in the office for 12 hours a day – and I don’t think it’s necessary. You decide what you prioritise. If you are in the office for 12 hours a day, you haven’t got the right team, or you’re doing something wrong.”
Facing challenges When Blanc decided to return to AXA in 2011 to lead its commercial lines business, she came to a company in a comparative state of disarray. “I knew there were problems with retention levels reducing, new business reducing and costs being too high and the service poor,” she explains. “However, I could see there were people in the business that I knew who were good at their jobs. “I knew I was going to be judged about whether I, with a team, could turn the
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commission transparency; there are areas in which insurers need to be more transparent,” she says. “AXA was the first company to publish last year’s premium with this year’s premium and now the FCA has said that all insurers have to do that. But what a shame that we had to be told to do that and that we, as an industry, didn’t just think it was the right thing to do anyway. “Transparency doesn’t just apply to brokers – but it does also apply to brokers. The issue for me is … let’s be transparent everywhere. I believe that consumers are interested in what their brokers get paid – and, anyway, who are we to say what they are and aren’t interested in? Why aren’t we just open, honest and transparent so we can drive towards more trust? It’s not just broker commissions – it’s everything.”
AXA UK: THE STATISTICS
1985
Year the AXA name was adopted (company’s roots date back to 1720)
£4.1bn Total revenue in 2015
10,500+ Total number of employees
22
Number of offices in the UK
Ranked 16th in Sunday Times Top 25 Best Big Companies to Work for Survey 2016
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UPFRONT
OPINION
GOT AN OPINION THAT COUNTS? editor@insurancebusiness.co.uk
The key to Solvency II compliance According to Henry Umney, those struggling with the requirements of Solvency II must ensure the theory aligns with the real-world scenario ACCORDING TO a recent report by CEB TowerGroup Insurance, many insurance firms are still struggling to meet both quantitative and qualitative requirements set in Solvency II. Seventy-six per cent of companies say they have only partially met or have yet to meet any requirements thus far. Automation of many risk management activities, particularly reporting, remains relatively low and only 20 per cent of companies have determined their risk management systems are effective through formal assessments. In addition, 83 per cent of companies either don’t have an internal model for solvency related risk assessment, or only have a partial internal model. In some cases these companies are still manually reporting and calculating key risk management metrics.
The challenge of EUC application management Regardless of the type of risk assessment models that insurers use, good quality data underlies the accuracy of any risk calculation. Organisations deploy different types of very expensive systems to ensure the integrity of business data, but insurers rely heavily on end-user computing (EUC) applications, such as Excel spreadsheets, databases and financial modelling tools for their day-to-day business processes, calculations and financial manipulations. These EUC files run into the hundreds, as data is fed into them from a variety of internal and external sources. Due to the number of EUC applications in use, manual supervision and management of these complex files for data quality and integrity is impossible. Often, the knowledge of their existence and the information they contain is poor. This means that access to the right data or
the understanding of what might be critical to these solvency risk-related calculations can be difficult to harness, because the data is spread across a sea of low-value EUC files.
Data validation is a key Solvency II compliance requirement For solvency related risk assessment, data validation is key. The regulation demands that insurers must use the correct and fully auditable data for calculations such as minimum capital requirements and solvency capital requirements. It also demands the existence of a data directory – ie, a repository that different end-users can
of the EUC landscape, thereby enabling organisations to identify the relevant EUC application data sources that are being used for solvency related risk assessments. To support data quality, an accurate view of data lineage is essential. Automated processes will not only highlight the data connections between the various EUC files, but also establish controls to monitor data tolerances and staleness. This is key to ensuring that only the most current data is used for solvency risk assessments, a requirement of the Solvency II regulation. Solvency risk assessments aren’t one-off processes; they are required to be undertaken periodically so an organisation’s changing circumstances can be taken into consideration. Also, it’s imperative that the theoretical calculations of the insurer align with the realworld scenario. Automated processes will securely allow the imposition of expert human judgement on data, so that it might be suitably manipulated for risk-based calculations. Finally, creating processes that monitor changes to data by using the metadata attached to EUC applications will provide the transparency needed to enable management to show auditors
“Eighty-three per cent of companies don’t have an internal model for solvency related risk assessment, and are still manually reporting and calculating key risk management metrics” refer to in order to understand how input data is being used in the financial models.
EUC application management aids compliance An unmanaged EUC applications estate is a significant operational risk to an insurance organisation, threatening Solvency II compliance. Insurance companies should institute automated processes to facilitate EUC applications management. It’s the most efficient and effective approach, given the complexity of data sources involved. Foremost, automation will provide visibility and an in-depth understanding
that they understand how the business is preparing the reports and calculations. This is vital to enable companies to demonstrate their qualitative standards for risk management governance and process supervision. This kind of technological approach will make Solvency II compliance less costly, near fail-safe and achievable.
Henry Umney is responsible for the commercial operations of ClusterSeven, overseeing sales and client activity, as well as partner engagements; he has over 20 years’ experience in financial services.
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FEATURES
COVER STORY: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE
WOMEN OF INFLUENCE Insurance Business UK shines the spotlight on 30 women who are changing the face of the UK insurance industry
INSURANCE IS one of the oldest professions in the world – and like many other industries it has long been dominated by men. Fast-forward to 2016 and that is no longer the case. In fact, industry-wide mindsets are beginning to change, and there are several proactive movements underway to ensure gender equality and improve the sector’s diversity. That’s not to say that the glass ceiling has completely disappeared. Despite their growing presence among industry employees, women only account for 7% of insurance industry executive positions in the UK –
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but our list proves that those statistics may soon be in the past. We surveyed our readers and reached out to top organisations in the industry to uncover an impressive tally of 30 women whose astounding personal and professional achievements have earned them a place among the industry’s best. From executives at major corporations to women trailblazing a path for other women in the industry, these Women of Influence demonstrate collectively that the insurance industry is no longer just a man’s world.
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COMPANY
PAGE NAME
Admiral Group/JLT Ageas Allianz UK Aon Risk Solutions Arc Legal Assistance Arthur J Gallagher Arthur J Gallagher AXA UK
24 24 29 22 22 28 28 27
Annette Court Cathy Taylor Stephanie Smith Julie Page Helen Withers Sue Langley OBE Vyvienne Wade Amanda Blanc
Carpenters Law
28
Donna Scully
Chubb
21
Diane Davidson
Chubb
22
Helen Troman
CII (The Chartered Insurance Institute)
27
Sian Fisher
CNA Hardy
23
Monique van der Linden
23
Sharon Beckett
23
Elizabeth Bilney
Guy Carpenter
23
Victoria Carter
Hiscox UK Direct Independent Women in Insurance Network (Worshipful Company of Insurers) inet3 The Insurance Supper Club/The-Women'sInsurance-Net-Work
26
Kate Markham
26
Barbara Merry
29
Catherine Bell
24
Barbara Schönhofer
Complete Cover Group/Hyperformance Eldon Insurance Services
Head of ebroking, UK & Ireland Chubb
Diane Davidson got her first view of insurance while tagging along with her dad, who worked in life assurance. She decided to have her first work experience at Eagle Star, eventually becoming one of the first female sales managers, and went on to gain her ACII and a degree in insurance management. Chubb’s inclusive environment has empowered Davidson to arrive at her position as a true digital leader. In her 11 years with the company, she has progressed from managing a team of two in financial lines to running the regional financial lines team for the UK and Ireland (UKI); she now leads the entire e-trading strategy for UKI. Recently, Davidson led Chubb’s 21st-century work group to form the company’s e-trading vision for the next five years. Her focus in the coming year will be on the launch of a new, client-centric online platform and a pipeline of new e-products. Davidson advises women to keep and present their true selves: “Be true to yourself, do not be someone that you are not, work hard, and do not be afraid to speak up and follow your desired career path.”
LAURA HIGH Director Yutree Insurance
Lancashire Insurance UK 22
Hayley Johnston
Lloyd's of London
25
Lloyd's of London
24
Inga Beale Shirine KhouryHaq
Pen Underwriting
27
Jennifer Martin
26
Jackie Hyde
29 28
Denise Garland Janice Deakin
UK General Insurance
29
Karen Beales
Willis Networks
22
Sara Fardon
Yutree Insurance
21
Laura High
Stanmore Insurance Brokers Tokio Marine Kiln Towergate Insurance
DIANE DAVIDSON
Since starting out as an account manager in 1996, Laura High has climbed up the industry ladder and, in 2007, became a distribution director for Bluefin Insurance Services. Presently, she serves as director at Yutree Insurance, which she and three other senior industry professionals launched in 2011. She heads the underwriting division, which provides exclusive liability policies to brokers. In September 2016, the company made its biggest deal, a new binding authority liability product backed by Endurance at Lloyd’s. In 2014, High was appointed as the Anglia
region chairman of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA). She is working to push brokers in the region to engage with the trade association and enable BIBA to campaign for the most relevant issues. Even with her success, High senses the industry’s struggle in recruiting women, and even more so getting them to the top. She advises recruiters to emphasise the social/relational nature of the work and, in terms of developing leaders, she highlights the need for more visible female role models. “I think it’s about putting female role models up there … you want to hear from successful people in the industry about what their path is. You have to give [women] confidence. They need to be encouraged to push through with other success stories.”
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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FEATURES
COVER STORY: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE
HELEN TROMAN Head of cleantech, Europe, Eurasia, Africa and Latin America Chubb
Helen Troman’s greatest accomplishment to date has been her appointment as head of cleantech, a proposition that started in 2015 to support the evolving renewable energy sector. “At the time, cleantech was a newly created segment, and setting up the practice from grassroots has been hugely rewarding,” she says. “It has provided me with an excellent opportunity to challenge myself and learn new skills.” Under her leadership, the company has built an established profile within the European cleantech market; it was the only insurer sponsor for two key cleantech events in Europe. In July 2016, Troman led the launch of a new biogas and solar insurance product in the UK and Ireland, as a result of her work with
HAYLEY JOHNSTON Chief underwriting officer/reinsurance manager Lancashire Insurance Company (UK)
Hayley Johnston joined Lancashire in 2007 as a member of the underwriting team, handling the marine and aviation accounts. In 2011, she acted as the deputy chief underwriting officer, and was appointed chief underwriting officer and director in 2014. Prior to joining Lancashire, Johnston served as underwriting manager and outwards reinsurance manager at Axis Specialty Europe, based at the company’s European headquarters in Ireland.
HELEN WITHERS Managing director Arc Legal Assistance
One of Arc Legal Assistance’s three founders, Helen Withers has overseen all aspects of the strategy behind the specialist legal expenses and assistance MGA over the past 13 years. Leveraging her background in finance and legal expense insurance, she has helped Arc manage a portfolio of over 5.5 million motor legal expense policies and over 2.4 million family legal expense policies, in addition to providing access to off-duty legal protection for half of all police officers in England and Wales.
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SARA FARDON Managing director, Networks Willis Towers Watson
“Insurance presents so many fabulous opportunities, so keep an open mind and always express a desire to learn. Network widely, to understand the many component parts of the industry, and stay focused –
JULIE PAGE Managing director, UK national business Aon Risk Solutions
After an absence of over 15 years, Julie Page has returned to Aon as managing director for national business, responsible for growing the mid-market segment of the national business through the application of Trio Risk Management and, more importantly, the incorporation of the company’s client promise and service methodology. Page was with Aon
renewable energy industry associations, clients and brokers. Troman has also served as UK and Ireland infotech underwriting manager. As a multiline underwriter, she focuses on harnessing the company’s expertise to create customised package solutions that cover multiple lines of insurance through a single point of transaction for the client. She has been with Chubb for 14 years in various roles, and her position today is a testament to the company’s inclusive environment. She carries that forward by serving as an active member of Chubb’s women’s forum and by acting as a mentor to women in the company. you’ll be hugely rewarded with a satisfying and stimulating career,” says Sara Fardon. Fardon is an industry leader with over 30 years’ experience. She started her career in Eagle Star’s graduate trainee scheme and has since worked her way up to MD of Willis Towers Watson Networks, the first network to receive chartered status. Her involvement with Networks goes all the way back to its beginnings when she served as insurer relations director. Her current work involves managing the team’s P&L delivery and proposition development in relation to insurers and brokers. Fardon is a fellow and board member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Insurers. in the early 1990s – assigned to various risk and consulting positions – before moving to Marsh in 1999. In 2008, she became chief executive for Marsh’s UK consumer and commercial business, tasked with the company’s strategic direction and growth. In 2014, Page became chair of BIBA’s international and wholesale brokers’ advisory board. She has also spoken at recent industry events sponsored by the Independent Women in Insurance Network and the Insurance Institute of Sussex on mentoring, learning and development.
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VICTORIA CARTER Vice chairman of international operations Guy Carpenter
Though she started her career track in medicine, Victoria (Vicky) Carter eventually found herself in insurance and never left. The insurance trade is “somewhat akin to medicine – you listen to problems and try to solve them”, she says. A key member of Guy Carpenter’s international leadership team, Carter is responsible for driving new business production across the reinsurance specialist company’s international operations. With over 37 years’ experience in the reinsurance industry, Carter was the first female founder of a Lloyd’s brokerage since its beginnings in 1668, and has held a number of senior executive positions within the broking sector, most recently serving as chairman of UK and international operations at Towers Watson. Carter is a freeman of the City of London and a court member of the Worshipful Company of Insurers. She was the inspiration behind the March and McLennan Companies Young Professionals’ Global Forum and Gala Night, which has received market-wide recognition and raised significant funds for charity since starting three years ago. In her spare time, Carter enjoys interior design and often finds herself redesigning home interiors.
MONIQUE VAN DER LINDEN Chief operating officer CNA Hardy
Monique van der Linden has gained over 30 years’ experience in claims management while working with major insurers Aon and Chubb, serving as European financial lines claims manager for the latter before joining CNA Hardy in 2012 as head of claims for Europe.
SHARON BECKETT CEO Complete Cover Group/Hyperformance
When she is not spending time with her husband, daughters and golden retrievers, Sharon Beckett leads one of the largest independent specialist brokers, Complete Cover Group, which was founded in 1968. Having spent over half her life in the business, Beckett first “fell” into insurance as a result of her financial background. Helping to launch a premium finance company led to her transition into insurance. For Beckett, insurance is one of the most exciting industries to work in, with great potential for growth for companies with the right strategy and people. Being able to contribute to that gives her the greatest sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. “I most enjoy developing people and helping them to realise their potential,” she says. “I don’t consider that there has been a single great personal achievement. All the successes in my career were team efforts … I have been incredibly lucky in my career to have been instrumental in the growth and development of some significant businesses.”
ELIZABETH BILNEY CEO Eldon Insurance Services
Four years ago, Elizabeth Bilney left an established career to help create a new broking business. Within four years, Eldon Insurance Brokers has grown from a start-up to employing over 1000 personnel based in four locations internationally. In addition, Bilney also co-founded GoSkippy Insurance, a trading style of Eldon. “My greatest accomplishment is knowing I’ve been part of other people’s successful career journeys,” she says. “By building a strong sustainable business, we have found friends, provided job security and a very interesting and fun day-to-day work life.” When she is not running her insurance business, Bilney heads the Leave.EU campaign and has made regular appearances on political shows to discuss the EU referendum.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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FEATURES
COVER STORY: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE ANNETTE COURT
SHIRINE KHOURY-HAQ
Non-executive director, Admiral Group
Director, operations
BARBARA SCHÖNHOFER
Non-executive director, JLT
Lloyd’s of London
Founder
Since leaving her position at Zurich Financial Services as CEO of their European general insurance business, Annette Court has remained active in the industry and now serves as a non-executive director of various prominent insurance companies. With an extensive background in insurance, Court has held various senior positions and is now on the boards of JLT, Admiral Group and Foxtons Group. Court is also a member of The Insurance Supper Club, a network of senior women leaders around the globe who operate or are involved with the insurance industry. She is also involved with the charity SteetGames.
After working for some of the world’s largest corporations, including IBM and McDonald’s, Shirine Khoury-Haq joined Lloyd’s of London in 2014 following her position as group head of operations and UK COO for Catlin. As director of operations at Lloyd’s, Khoury-Haq is responsible for driving change and modernisation across the Lloyd’s market and throughout the full London market. Outside of Lloyd’s, Khoury-Haq is a board member of the London Market Group and is a sponsor of the London Market Target Operating Model initiative.
The Insurance Supper Club
CATHY TAYLOR Head of commercial underwriting and operations Ageas
Cathy Taylor has over 25 years’ commercial market experience of working with major insurers, such as Aviva, Ecclesiastical and Direct Line Group. First joining the industry as a professional trainee underwriter at NFU Mutual, she joined Ageas in 2014 as head of commercial underwriting and operations, tasked to manage Ageas’ commercial lines account. In this capacity, Taylor focuses on engaging brokers and helping them step up to address the needs
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of their SME clients, particularly following the EU referendum and the implementation of the Insurance Act. She regularly communicates market updates and changes to the broker’s role through online channels and resource sites, such as SME for Growth, and oversees events that facilitate direct exchanges between brokers and Ageas’ underwriting team. Prior to Ageas, Taylor held a variety of senior roles, including one that is among her proudest accomplishments. “I was acting CEO of a day hospice in the Cotswolds at the same time as leading a major project for a niche insurer. I managed both concurrently and worked closely with the hospice board and executive to enable positive change and bring in a new permanent CEO as well as delivering a successful project,” she says. With many industry achievements under her belt, Taylor is not without personal accomplishments as well. She once played indoor rugby with Prince Charles using a Christmas cake; she has abseiled off the tallest building in Birmingham for charity; and was once part of a record-breaking air guitar event.
Barbara Schönhofer can clearly attest to feeling out of place as a woman in leadership, having been the only female member on boards and thus considered “a little mad”. She believes firmly that the power of women in these positions increases with numbers, and that has led to her efforts in helping set up networking spaces for women, such as The-Women’s-Insurance-Net-Work and The Insurance Supper Club. The club was launched in 2008 for senior female executives and non-executives in the industry, and consisted of dinner events for networking, discussing business issues and promoting women in the industry. In recognition of her efforts, Schönhofer received a Women of Excellence award in 2014 from the National Association for Female Executives. Her more recent initiatives include setting up HTS-Stargate to support faster advancement of aspiring women leaders and serving as Insuring Women’s Futures lead for women’s careers in risk. She has 40 years’ experience in executive search and business leadership and has served as a partner with Korn Ferry, establishing the company’s insurance and reinsurance practice in London. More recently she set up ejsSearch, a boutique executive search business that recently merged with The Jacobson Group and is now operating as Schönhofer.
THE INSURANCE SUPPER CLUB Launched in 2008, The Insurance Supper Club provides a forum for senior women in the insurance industry from around the globe to engage with like-minded colleagues on business issues. The organisation has over 350 members across Europe and the US and is sponsored by major insurance groups.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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INGA BEALE CEO Lloyd’s of London
Our Women of Influence list would be incomplete without the inclusion of Inga Beale, the first female chief executive in Lloyd’s of London’s 328-year history. She started out in insurance in 1982 as an international treaty reinsurance underwriter, worked in various underwriting management roles across Europe and the US, and served as chief underwriting officer and CEO at a number of insurance companies. One of her top priorities is the modernisation of Lloyd’s and the London markets, which involves a balancing act between using new technology and keeping to the market’s tradition of relationshipbased, face-to-face negotiations. Beale also works to ensure that Lloyd’s maintains an inclusive working environment. Last year, Lloyd’s sponsored the inaugural Dive In Festival, which was the first festival that celebrated the benefits of diversity in the industry. Her prominence as a female leader in the still male-dominated insurance industry has brought the D&I cause back to the forefront. She is the first woman to top the Financial Times’ LGBT business power list. She is also a member of the WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation, patron of Insuring Women’s Futures and a founding member of The Insurance Supper Club.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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FEATURES
COVER STORY: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE BARBARA MERRY Chair Independent Women in Insurance Network (Worshipful Company of Insurers)
“In thinking about how to take control of their career development, young women in the insurance industry often cite the importance of building networks and of securing an industry mentor,” says Barbara Merry. The Independent Women in Insurance Network (iWIN), which she chairs, aspires to address these needs. Merry embraced the idea of launching iWIN, which is supported by the Worshipful Company of Insurers and offers a learning and development programme for young women, many of whom need help in navigating the work environment. “I’ve always felt strongly about the need to do the right thing for people who are disadvantaged in some way or who are less
JACKIE HYDE Director Stanmore Insurance Brokers
Jackie Hyde is sole director of Lancashirebased Stanmore Insurance Brokers, where she manages over £5.5m in GWP annually and a staff of 23. With many accomplishments under her belt, she is most proud of her development and implementation of the dot2dot scheme for children’s nurseries, which has driven her from day one. “I started to work with nurseries through another insurance supplier and quickly
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fortunate than I am. As a result, I am passionate about the diversity and inclusion agenda and my focus has been on gender, most particularly because of unconscious bias, which makes it very tough for young women to be treated fairly. When we launched iWIN, it was clear that we had touched a nerve, and we have been able to secure massive support across the market,” Merry says. She is also involved in a number of other D&I and networking initiatives, notably as a member of the Inclusion@Lloyd’s Group and as a founder member of The Insurance Supper Club. For Merry, diversity and inclusion are business imperatives as it is crucial from a competitive perspective that businesses respect and understand cultural and intellectual differences, to ensure better-quality decision-making and better understanding of their customer base. Merry served for 12 years as CEO of Hardy Underwriting Group, which manages Syndicate 382 at Lloyd’s, having previously been MD of the
realised that this was a fantastic business sector to work with,” she says. “The owners and managers of nurseries were interested in ensuring their cover was right as they appreciated they were carrying a considerable risk as they were looking after children. I also loved the fact I was working predominantly with female business owners, so when the opportunity came to move away from the other supplier, I decided we were more than capable of launching our own product that would enable us to bring our own ideas and solutions to the market.” The GWP for the scheme has grown from £100,000 in 2003 to £2m in 2016. Currently, dot2dot insures over 1,570 nurseries nationally, 70,000 children and £1.5bn for material damage. Praising her dedication to the industry, one of her peers says: “Jackie believes that insurance is the backbone of any successful company; it needs to be sold right but, more importantly, the detail has to be meticulous in order to provide the highest level of service and greatest protection possible for her client base, and her enduring aim is to exceed customer expectation.”
INDEPENDENT WOMEN IN INSURANCE NETWORK (iWIN) Established by the Worshipful Company of Insurers in 2014, iWIN is a forum for networking, mentoring and targeting learning and development for all women within the insurance industry. “The objective of iWIN is to bring together people who have aspirations to have a career in the insurance industry and who have a common interest in the industry. We want to provide a learning and development framework for the young women that are trying to make their way in the industry by giving them the education they need to help them take control of their own career progression,” says Barbara Merry, chair of iWIN. Omega Group and with the corporation of Lloyd’s for 14 years.
KATE MARKHAM Managing director Hiscox UK Direct
Coming from an eclectic background in management consultancy and telecommunications, Kate Markham has only been in the insurance industry for four years and her influence is already making a splash. Two years ago, Markham was an original steering group member for the Women in Leadership programme created by Hiscox’s global HR director. “Women in leadership is something that I think everyone in every industry is focusing on at the moment,” she says. “The steering group focuses on strategy and setting what we want to achieve, but the way we have delivered a lot of [the initiatives] over the years is through local working groups, and I lead the UK local working group on behalf of the global Women in Leadership initiative.” The Women in Leadership programme holds networking events and monthly lunch and learn sessions and leads a variety of other initiatives aimed at developing women in business.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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AMANDA BLANC Group CEO AXA UK
An IBUK Industry Icon and Woman of Influence, Amanda Blanc is at the helm of one of the world’s largest insurance companies. With a career spanning 28 years, Blanc has worked in both the broker and insurer side of the business. Since rejoining AXA in 2011, Blanc has focused on promoting professionalism within AXA and was instrumental in the company achieving chartered status in 2012 – the same year she was appointed president of the CII. Throughout her tenure at AXA, Blanc has delivered consistent year-over-year growth with a focus on transforming AXA into an innovative and digitally driven insurance company, while encouraging greater transparency throughout the industry. At AXA, she has spearheaded several initiatives to offer its customers greater insight into their insurance policies. In addition to her role as group CEO, Blanc is also the current chair of the Insurance Fraud Bureau and is an active
SIAN FISHER CEO The Chartered Insurance Institute
Last February, the CII appointed Sian Fisher as CEO. Since her appointment, she has helped initiate (and chair) the Insuring Women’s Futures programme, to challenge accepted convention and drive education and innovation to industry products, helping them respond fully to the risks faced by women in all walks of life. In the past, Fisher has held senior roles with a Lloyd’s syndicate, a UK and European insurance company, a start-up intermediate, an MGA and more. She was a founder and original board director of the Managing General Agents’ Association and has held senior positions with the CII and the Chartered Insurance Institute.
JENNIFER MARTIN Managing director, financial lines Pen Underwriting
member of the GIC within the Association of British Insurers. As one industry colleague puts it: “Amanda gives as much of her time to wider industry initiatives and programmes as she does to AXA, as she believes that without a healthy industry, her own organisation cannot flourish.”
INSURING WOMEN’S FUTURES Established by the Chartered Insurance Institute, Insuring Women’s Futures (IWF) is programme dedicated to promoting and enhancing the insurance sector’s roles in relation to women and risk. With the objective of reinventing women within the industry and insurance for women, IWF is focused on three goals: women in risk – understanding the personal and professional risks women face across society; women as risk – identifying new and improved valuable insurance solutions for women’s risks; and women in risk – improving the profile of women in the sector.
As the leader of a newly created division at Pen Underwriting, Jennifer Martin was promoted to managing director of financial lines earlier this year. “Throughout my career I have been fortunate enough to manage and lead a variety of different teams and I always enjoy being involved in their training, as well as their personal and professional development,” Martin says. The financial lines capability is expected to provide one-stop access to facilities for professional indemnity, D&O, personal accident and travel and cyber risks. Prior to joining Pen Underwriting, Martin served as director of underwriting, Europe, for Dual International, after a post as divisional director at Brit Insurance. For the next generation of female insurance leaders, Martin offers this advice: “My first piece of advice is to know your products thoroughly and build a reputation based on your technical knowledge – you want to be the go-to on a particular topic, class, product, etc. My second is to always be professional, both in the way you dress and in the way you interact with others. Embrace feminine individuality and strengths, lead by example, focus on finding solutions and, ultimately, enjoy what you are doing.”
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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FEATURES
COVER STORY: WOMEN OF INFLUENCE SUE LANGLEY, OBE Non-executive chairman Arthur J Gallagher
With a passion for mentoring other women to help them fill their own potential, Sue Langley is a champion of gender diversity in business. Her insurance career spans over 15 years, and she has held a number of leadership positions in major brokerages: COO and board member at Hiscox, director of market operations and a member of the executive team at Lloyd’s of London, director of Lloyd’s Asia and chair of Lloyd’s Japan. In 2015, she was appointed as non-executive chairman of AJG. She is also a vice president of the Insurance Institute of London and a recipient of its President’s Award in 2009. Langley is also the financial services representative on the Women’s Business
Council, and has received accolades for her contributions to the diversity cause, including an OBE in 2015 for services to women in business. An outstanding female leader, she frequently speaks on key issues, such as
the gender pay gap and women’s mentoring needs. In one of her recent talks, she advised women to capitalise on their differences and use them to propel themselves to leadership positions, and to remain resilient and confident while working towards the top.
JANICE DEAKIN
VYVIENNE WADE
DONNA SCULLY
CEO, insurance broking
International commercial director
Partner
Towergate Insurance
Arthur J Gallagher
Carpenters Law
Janice Deakin joined Towergate last year as CEO of insurance broking and director of its new retail broking division. Her work in the industry started at Aviva, where she stayed for 13 years and worked through various roles in the general insurance business, including leading the broker and partnership business of Aviva UK and Ireland from 2009 to 2013. In 2014, she moved to Arthur J Gallagher and became CEO of UK retail, managing a business of over 2,000 people, with more than £1bn of GWP placed for commercial insurance, and over 200,000 clients. As part of her commitment to the HeForShe movement as adopted by Insuring Women’s Futures, Deakin hopes to be an example to other women in the industry by setting boundaries and keeping true while reaching for success.
A barrister turned insurance industry veteran, Vyvienne Wade has over 25 years of insurance broking experience with two of the world’s most recognisable insurance companies. Now responsible for driving AJG’s international growth by identifying and developing acquisition opportunities outside the UK and US, Wade has helped lead AJG into successful investments worldwide. Prior to AJG, Wade held a variety of positions at JLT, including CEO of Latin America, chairman of the captive and insurance management business and chairman of JLT’s European investments. In the three years since she joined AJG, Wade has directed acquisitions in Norway, Peru and Canada, while overseeing the group’s operations in those regions and more widely throughout South America, Scandinavia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia.
An advocate for the rights of accident victims, Donna Scully has spent her career fighting against policies that have negatively impacted victims. Scully joined Carpenters in 1997, and helped form the firm’s specialised personal injury department. As a result, the firm is one of the top road traffic accident law firms, and a provider of claims services to the personal lines insurance industry in the UK. In 2010, Scully was elected chairman of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society’s (MASS) management committee. In that capacity, she led the campaign against the government’s reforms to the civil justice funding system, which threatened to reduce access to justice for victims. Scully also formed the Fraud Forum at MASS and has been an ambassador on the I Love Claims advisory board since its inception in 2010.
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www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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STEPHANIE SMITH COO Allianz UK
Stephanie Smith came to this industry later than most, in 2010, but she stepped into a key leadership position straight away, serving as director of operations for Allianz’s retail division, overlooking everything from sales to claims in all channels (direct, broker and corporate partner). This year, Smith was promoted to the role of COO. She was also included in City AM’s most recent Power 100 Women list, featuring leading women from various business sectors in London. As an engineer with experience in various industries and different roles, Smith embraces continual changes in the nature of her work as opportunities to bring fresh perspectives and insights. For her, the challenge in this industry is helping the public recognise its value and tap into the resources it provides. Recently, Smith spoke at the Dive In Festival on the need to debunk myths concerning disability and the company’s investment in the Paralympics in support of the cause.
CATHERINE BELL Chairman inet3
Co-founder of the Suffolk-based property underwriting agency inet3, Catherine Bell has helped grow the business over the past two decades by providing specialty underwriting solutions to insurance professionals throughout the UK. Highly active within her area of the industry, Bell also serves as a board member and chair of the Membership and Benefits Committee of the Managing General Agents’ Association.
KAREN BEALES Managing director UK General Insurance
Initially set on a career in radiology, Karen Beales soon realised a job at a hospital was not a fit for her – and then she found insurance. She started her career at General Accident as a trainee commercial underwriter before moving into a brokering role at Wilby Insurance. Whilst at Wilby, Beales helped set up the firm’s scheme business Caravan Guard, which she led before moving to what
DENISE GARLAND Group COO Tokio Marine Kiln
Denise Garland’s work in a variety of operational roles over the past 15 years made her the prime candidate for Tokio Marine Kiln’s COO post, which she took on in late 2012. In line with the company’s need for effective operational strategy amid drastic changes in
is today UK General Insurance. Less than a decade after joining UK General, Beales was appointed to managing director of schemes, assuming responsibility for all personal lines products and niche schemes for the specialist MGA. Under her leadership, UK General has grown over the last few years and has also recently developed its own IT platform in order to offer wider services to clients. As an individual who benefitted from having two mentors of her own, Beales encourages women who aspire to join the insurance industry to seek out a mentor to help build professional confidence and gain new perspectives. the industry, Garland has had extensive experience in leading major projects in financial services, including the integration of several broking firms into the Willis Group, each with a 100-day target. She also served as COO of product and client operations at Zurich London in 2010. Garland speaks at industry events, sharing key insights on the data/digital revolution and its impact on the industry.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
CLASSIC CARS
Time for bed? Classic car cover wrapped up for winter Although the prime season for classic car events is almost over, brokers can still play a valuable role in supporting their customers THE PASSION for classic cars appears to be as fervent as ever, with £5m worth of vehicles recently sold at auction, including a Peugeot 305 GTi that went for £31,000. Good news for brokers servicing this specialist sector of the motor market. Although the prime season for classic car events is almost over, brokers can still play a valuable role in supporting their customers as they prepare to wrap up their classic beauties for the winter months. Whether classic car owners plan to undertake some renovations with the occasional outing during the w inter months, or intend a full-on seasonal hibernation, insurance cover should remain f irmly in place and measures need to be taken to protect the vehicle both against the risk of theft and the risk of depreciation as a direct result of poor winter preparation. It’s not just a case of putting a cover on the vehicle, sticking it in the garage and hoping it will be in the same condition when spring arrives.
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Moisture and freezing conditions can take their toll, so some simple steps should be taken to reduce the risk of damage. We consulted with classic car restoration specialists Motorline Engineering, in East Sussex, to share top tips for wrapping up classics for winter: To avoid the battery draining, it should be connected to a battery conditioner. Where possible, the car should be started up and allowed to run up to temperature once a month. The car should be topped up with antifreeze to prevent damage if temperatures plummet. Anti-freeze is essential as it also stops core plugs from rusting out due to its anti-corrosive properties. For cars being stored longer than a few months, it’s recommended that oil is put into the cylinders so they don’t rust.
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AGEAS’ OPTIMA CLASSIC CAR COVER BENEFITS BENEFIT
OPTIMA CLASSIC CAR
Agreed value
Available at no extra cost and simple to arrange. Brokers or owners’ club valuation acceptable, subject to our agreement. Downloadable agreed value request form available.
Limited mileage
Customers can select required mileage up to 5,000 miles at increments of 500 miles. Pricing will reflect usage.
Buy cover needed
Comprehensive, third-party fire and theft or laid-up (accidental damage, fire and theft) cover available that can be flexed up or down during policy term.
Total loss Accident and glass repair
Customer will be offered vehicle salvage (if safe to do so) after a total loss and will be able to reinsure with Ageas once the classic car repair is evidenced. A repairer option or cash settlements give policyholders flexibility to repair the car in the most appropriate way.
Heritage number plate cover
Value of historically important registration numbers included in agreed value of classic car.
Discounts
Available for owners’ clubs.
Extended uses
Cover can be extended to include use such as occasional wedding hire, on a film set or at a photo shoot, subject to referral.
Toolbox and tool cover
Recognising classic cars may need to be repaired on the move, toolboxes and tools will be covered while in or on the classic car.
Accessories and spare parts
Accessories and spare parts will be included.
Restoration/repair
Insurance extends to provide cover on commercial premises while being restored or repaired if not covered by garage’s own insurance.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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Storage in a dry room is ideal. It is worth a classic car owner whose vehicle is of a particularly high value considering investing in a dehumidifying pod, as this will help to reduce any moisture due to condensation. The car should be put on axle stands so the weight of the car is not resting on the tyres. If the owner doesn’t have axle stands, tyres should be overinf lated by roughly 10psi. However, it is important to remember to reset the tyre pressures before the fi rst drive after winter. Plastic car covers should be avoided as they can cause the build up of moisture – owners should use breathable
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covers instead. Leather interiors will benefit from a clean with a good interior cleaner. This will help prevent mould or fungi growing from dirt particles left on the interior. Before the car is put away for winter, the oil should be changed as this will absorb moisture. Filling the fuel tank before storage w ill help prevent condensation corroding the inside of the tank; however owners should be sure not to overfi ll their car’s tank. Even when a car is out of sight, thieves can still strike. Installing sensor lights near the garage will draw attention to any unwanted visitors, and
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gates or a removable security post within a locked garage should make it more difficult for the car to be stolen. While ensuring the car has a mechanical immobiliser will help, the use of passive security such as tagging equipment is also strongly advised – it can reduce the value of parts and help identify a complete vehicle when recovered. By ma k ing these necessar y preparations, classic car owners can relax over the winter months knowing that their prized possessions are protected. Rob Clark, niche/schemes underwriting manager at Ageas; and Andrew Melville at Motorline Engineering.
www.insurancebusiness.co.uk
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FEATURES
BROKER PROFILE
Stepping away with style After close to 30 years at Reid Hamilton, Duncan Woodcock reflects on a life in insurance and prepares for a bright future with no regrets
AFTER CLOSE to 30 years at Reid Hamilton, you might think that its chairman Duncan Woodcock would find it hard to walk away. Yet, as he prepares for his retirement on his 65th birthday in February 2018, nothing could be further from the truth. When asked if he will find it difficult to move on, he says, “I don’t think I will.” “In 2005 I went to Lancaster University and did a masters degree in strategic change management and evaluation. That two-year course informed my methodology in how to implement strategic change – and you can’t have more of a strategic change than handing your business over to other people. “From that point on, I have been working towards retirement. We’ve gone about it in a structured and methodical way.” Woodcock, a keen singer and motor sport enthusiast, is looking forward to having more free time to spend on his hobbies and with his family, having already reduced his schedule to two days a week. Yet he reflects on his time in insurance without regrets.
Taking a risk While working for Legal & General in
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Manchester, he was moved to cover the surrounding areas of Blackpool and Preston. It was then that he met up with Bill Entwistle, one of the brokers on his patch and the director of a company called Reid Hamilton. “Bill had had some bad luck and some ill health and the company wasn’t on a particularly sound financial footing, and he asked me if I wanted to take it off his hands – and I did,” Woodcock says. “We had to borrow money to do it … scary in one sense, but quite fun in the other.” Shortly afterwards, Woodcock was joined at Reid Hamilton by his wife, Jane, and set about turning the business around, making inroads into the local Lancaster community by placing the emphasis on service. “I was a stranger to the area – I’d only lived
here for just over a year,” he says. “It was a bit of a gamble. However, the clients I inherited took to me and we grew from there. “We live in a very nice city – and with the university on the doorstep it’s a busy, vibrant place. We have our own landlords’ scheme, so that has allowed us to build a connection with the students. That has been a bonus for our business. “But, overall, we have a clientele of people who appreciate service. As a consequence, we look after people very closely. On no level are we a fast-food broker – we drill into things, explain things to people and give them as good a deal as we can.”
Eye for detail Commitment to service has paid off, with Reid
A NEED FOR SPEED Woodcock has plenty to look forward to when retirement comes. He sings and plays guitar in places in and around Lancaster and also has a lifelong interest in motor sport. In his 20s, he was a rally driver and he recently returned to the sport. Currently, he holds a hill record on the local hill climb and last year he won both the Blackpool TVR Car Club championship and the road-going class of the North West Car Clubs championship.
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FAST FACTS Company name: Reid Hamilton Year founded: 1983 Location: Lancaster Offices: One Employees: 13 TYPES OF COVER Motor fleet Commercial combined Motor trade Property owners Household Combined liability Residential property
“We have a clientele of people who appreciate service. As a consequence, we look after people very closely” Hamilton retaining 95% of its book of business – an eye-catching level of loyalty, particularly for a broker that boasts 50% of its volume in personal lines. However, while he may be too modest to admit it himself, it is Woodcock’s own attention to detail that has also driven the company’s success. For he is absolutely meticulous in his record-keeping. “I analyse everything,” he says. “For example, I have always kept a log of how much incoming
post we have. In the year 2004, we received 19,392 items of incoming post – but only 3,779 last year. That is the impact of renewals being emailed, the use of emails instead of letters. It’s a massive difference. “If you were a broker in 1987, you’d be sending a dozen submissions to a dozen different insurance companies by post – now you pick a panel and email them and they get there instantly. It’s a completely different platform in terms of the way we do business,
Private car/commercial vehicle
and it enables you to spend much more time doing the things that matter. It can only be considered an improvement.” His record-keeping paid off again during the recent SSP outage, with Woodcock’s extensive paper files providing the necessary fallback to keep business on track during what he admits was, along with last year’s floods, possibly the most challenging time of his three decades at the firm. It’s that level of dedication that will be sorely missed when Woodcock moves on. The insurance industry can only hope that the next generation aspires to his example.
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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
OUTSOURCING
It’s not unpatriotic, it’s better business
Sometimes the statistics speak for themselves – and when it comes to the cost savings of outsourcing you’d be foolish not to listen NO MATTER what your opinions on the Brexit vote may have been, the shock decision seemed to serve as a reminder of just how patriotic the British can be. While the implementation of Article 50 and its repercussions remain to be seen, the dramatic slump of the pound in early October, dropping as much as 6.1% and slipping below the value of a euro, would seem to indicate, however, that sometimes national pride can come before a great fall. Certainly that may be true if you’re not at least considering the outsourcing option for
BOTTOM-LINE BENEFITS Significant cost savings were achieved by GoSkippy Insurance through outsourcing:
26%
Average cost per head fell by 26%
£3.5m
Annual savings exceeding £3.5m were made on consolidation of management and team leader roles, staffing, recruitment costs and fixed overheads
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your insurance business – for while there is nothing wrong with being patriotic, being blind to the advantages of having a more open, global approach may be hurting your bottom line.
The business case GoSkippy is one of insurance’s modern-day success stories. Not only is its founder Arron Banks a household name, but the company has enjoyed headline-grabbing growth since its inception back in 2012. Within two years it had racked up 150,000 live policyholders for motor insurance alone, along with a 62% retention rate and average compliance scores across sales renewals of 97%. Its team grew rapidly from around 50 to circa 300 – and this expansion meant thinking outside the box. “When GoSkippy started to grow, Arron wanted to outsource some of it to South Africa,” said Alan Ball, business development director of Outworx Contact Centre and former managing director of GoSkippy Insurance. “I moved
out there to set it up, and now GoSkippy’s entire sales/service and renewals functions are handled by the teams in South Africa.” In GoSkippy there was a burgeoning UK insurance business, so why would such a success story choose to relocate? According to Ball, who oversaw the outsourcing, it was a step-by-step process and it quickly became clear there were great rewards to be gained. “The primary reason to move was cost savings, of course,” he said. “We initially chose Outworx to assist with basic admin-type work for checking customers’ driving licences and no-claims bonus proof that they had submitted, as well as setting up a small sales team in South Africa just to test it while we still had all the other sales functions back in the UK. That was 2013. “It then became apparent through competition between the two sales teams that, while Bristol was initially better, as things moved on South Africa far outstripped the UK, and the results we were getting were amazing. So we decided to move more functions, then more of sales … and eventually we moved all of sales. We always thought we won’t move renewals or customer service because they are key functions – but it was so successful that we moved all functions in their entirety.”
Reputation at risk Ball admits that making the leap to South Africa, no matter the potential cost savings, was one that put the company’s reputation at risk – or so he thought. “I didn’t want to destroy the reputation we had by moving abroad and everyone thinking ‘oh, it’s another India’,” he explained. “However, I needn’t have worried. “The accent is neutral and customers rarely notice – indeed those that do seem to enjoy it as a talking point. On top of that, the staff in Durban are very loyal; they like call centre work and insurance work in particular. The offices are state of the art and the data security associated with it far outstrips anything else.
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the company added confidence. What’s more, it’s even possible to check on staff remotely. “The offices are incredibly secure,” Ball said. “Even though there may be several companies there, they are completely separate – only the people for that company can get into its specified area. I’d even say it’s more secure than in the UK. All the staff have their backgrounds checked, but in addition access to the building is reliant on fingerprint and swipe technology with 24/7 cameras. Clients have access to their particular area, so they can always look at what their staff are doing.”
Making life easier
We have just been awarded the ISO 9001 and we are still going for other accreditations because it’s good for the business.” To help ease the transition, Ball took trainers with him from the UK, as well as
Questions turn into answers All the doubts Ball had about outsourcing began to disappear. His worries about telephony were addressed because Outworx offers the ability to extend UK telephony to South Africa or to take
“South Africa far outstripped the UK and the results we were getting were amazing” Alan Ball, business development director, Outworx some key people from the Bristol office. The UK staff, he says, taught the staff in Durban “everything they know”. Ball soon realised just how talented and eager his new staff were, describing them as “hungry for the sale” and wanting to “get everything right”. He also believed it helped create friendly competition between the two sales bases – even though they had 7,000 miles between them, they both wanted to “win”.
advantage of its own Genesys Business Edition system, which addresses the specific needs of growth-oriented contact centres that want to be able to deliver an industry-level customer service experience without the complexity. Worries over regulation were also addressed because the company was able to follow all UK insurance regulation and hold all its data in the UK – GoSkippy’s South African staff simply logged into a server based in Bristol, offering
So impressed was Ball with his experience of the South African set-up that he made the switch to become business development director at Outworx in May this year. The company boasts the largest South Africa-owned international contact centre and is currently being used by several high-profile insurance brokers. “It’s easy to see why people are making the move,” Ball said. “The call statistics and answer rates that everyone looks at are second to none here. At Outworx, with every client, we have goals that we have to deliver – and if we don’t, there are penalties. But we do deliver. “Then there are the obvious cost savings. If an insurer or broker is looking to expand their business or they feel they’re running out of space, why not move over some of the more menial tasks to South Africa to test the waters? It can be set up relatively quickly and the cost savings combined with the conversion rates make it a win-win.” With 24/7 call handling, internal quality audits and all staff hiring and training taken care of, Outworx believes it has a winning proposition for insurers and brokers alike. So perhaps it’s time for some firms to re-evaluate and conclude that offering customers a better service while building a stronger British business through outsourcing is not so much unpatriotic as it is common sense.
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FEATURES
NEGOTIATION
How to be a better negotiator Contrary to what many people think, negotiation is not about winning at all costs. Josh Masters explains that if you take the approach that negotiation is a process in which all parties achieve the best outcome, you may well find more success in your dealings with others
THE ART of negotiation is one that is truly underestimated in the corporate and small business world. Many professionals are fixated on playing either good cop or bad cop when it comes to sealing a deal. This turns what is actually a science into a gambling game in which the high stakes don’t always pay. The basic premise of negotiation is to work together with another party to achieve an outcome that works for you both – and rather than come from a traditional stance, where there’s a winner and a loser, it’s best to think flexibly. In closing hundreds of deals throughout my career as a professional property buyer, I’ve learned a number of techniques to master negotiation that will have you
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getting what you need without damaging any relationships along the way. Create a third position It’s important to remember that a negotiation is an exchange of energy. Place two people face-to-face, and they will feel confronted. Pride, stubbornness and ego can get in the way because each person feels they’re being threatened personally. Creating a third position, in which both people turn to face the problem, diverts the intense energy of each person away from confrontation and focuses their attention on solving the issue. Separating the problem from the person avoids any personality clashes and reduces the chance of offending the other person.
Rather than reacting harshly to the other party not wanting to budge from their original offer because they’re ‘stubborn and unreasonable’, you can instead focus attention on the problem. Take personality out of the equation and focus on finding a solution rather than becoming defensive and equally unreasonable.
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third party may communicate your every word to the person you are trying to settle a deal with. So keep it polite and remember that you’re trying to get them to cooperate. Playing the blame game or reacting negatively will work against your goals. Even when something doesn’t go your way, stay calm and be respectful, and remember that you may lose in the short term, but as long as your eye is on the prize, your longterm goals should come to fruition. You also need to avoid thinking the worst of the other party. For example, just because they request that you make an upfront payment before receiving the goods does not mean that they’re going to steal your money. This can be difficult, as you don’t necessarily know the background of the person you’re dealing with in a negotiation. However, assuming the worst of the other person will rarely be productive – and remember, they may actually be thinking the same about you! Be flexible The more flexible you can be towards the other party, the more likely they will be willing to give you what you want. If you can decide what you want before you go into the negotiation, such as your best offer and what terms you can and can’t waver on, you often can give the other party what they want without having to sacrifice your position.
Look for the ‘why’ Most people will make a decision based on reason. Finding out what that reason is can be an invaluable strategy, as it gives you the opportunity to create a solution, often in return for what you want. For example, if a colleague has asked for a three-month extended vacation during the business’s
busiest time, you can negotiate whether they can work remotely via email during some of this period. Avoid getting personal No one likes to be attacked personally. Even when you’re negotiating through a third party, you have to assume that this
Think of the other person At the end of the day, a negotiation – however brief – is a relationship. If you fail to consider the other person’s feelings or what they want, then it’s unlikely you will have much success. If they are resolute about particular terms of the negotiation, it can be beneficial to withhold your judgment and put yourself in their shoes. Is there a
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FEATURES
NEGOTIATION
reason why they’re being so firm? Is there something important to them that you haven’t considered? After all, you might very well do the same thing if you were in their position. Having some empathy for the other person will often ease the pressure in a negotiation – enough to get them across the line on the other things that are important to you. Using ‘if’ One of the secrets to a successful negotiation is to never give anything up without asking for something in return, even if it’s small. Using ‘if ’ in your negotiation is a good way to handle this. • If I give you … then I would like … • I’m happy to give you … if … • If you can … then I’d be more than happy to... Use silence One of the most effective ways to negotiate is to stay quiet. This may not be appropriate in situations where there are five other parties all trying to win over your potential customer, but it can be invaluable when you’re negotiating with another party who wants to achieve a favourable outcome quickly. When you remain silent, you automatically get the ball in your court, so to speak, which leaves you with the power to make the next call. In the meantime, the other party waits in anticipation, hoping that they may achieve their outcome. This can create the impression for the other party that the negotiation process may soon end with a good result and they can walk away happy. When you do come back to the table with a counter-offer, their anticipation
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of closing the deal immediately will make them more willing to sacrifice items that they may have fought hard to get earlier, all because they’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Silence can be useful for difficult negotiations, as it can give the time needed for both parties to ‘cool off ’. Sitting back can give you the perspective you need to get a better understanding of the situation and provide you with a long-term view.
be approaching a negotiation lacking in confidence and presence. Harvard’s Amy Cuddy has a wonderful presentation on conveying ‘presence’ in front of peers, which shows that it can be as simple as the way you hold your posture before you enter the room. Two minutes with your head up, shoulders back and your hands on your hips can provide the confidence you need to stand your ground and muster the courage to ask for what you want.
“Creating a third position, in which both people turn to face the problem, diverts the intense energy of each person away from confrontation and focuses their attention on solving the issue” Avoid any confusion Sometimes it can be difficult to draw the line between offering help and asking for business, especially with people you have developed a relationship with in a casual setting. If you believe you’re approaching a level of information that you feel you should be charging for, it can be handy to say things like, “Call me if you would like to work together on something”, or “This is the sort of information I often provide to my client base”. That way you’re being clear on your expectations for the future, without severing the lines of communication altogether. Strike a pose While some of us may come across as overbearing tyrants trying to win power by force, an equally destructive force can
The biggest misunderstanding associated with the art of negotiation is in its actual definition. It’s important to remember that negotiation is not used to get the best deal possible or get the most out of someone for the least amount of budget; it’s about coming to the most positive outcome for all parties involved. The origin of the word ‘negotiation’ is in the Latin term negotiates, meaning ‘to carry on business’, and with the right techniques you will carry on closing deals, securing clients and building relationships.
With more than 15 years of experience in the industry and hundreds of property purchases under his belt, Josh Masters is one of Australia’s most respected buyers’ agents. Learn more at www.joshmasters.com.au.
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PEOPLE
CAREER PATH
ALWAYS ON THE MOVE So far Laura High’s career has been a steady climb, and it’s only getting better
Laura went straight to work from school, starting with Norwich Union as a client services representative, a role in which she primarily administered life and pension policies. It was a job that Laura credits with helping her learn the industry’s ropes. “I was keen to get into the workforce at the age of 18; I wanted to get into the workplace and make my way from there.”
1995
1999
STARTS CAREER WITH NORWICH UNION
2002 PROMOTED TO REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Laura snagged a rare and sought-after role as regional account manager – managing larger relationships, face-to-face, between Norwich Union and its larger regional brokers. It was a position that was not only a promotion from her previous position, but necessitated moving away from home for the first time, in the company of her future husband. “It was a step up into a grown-up sales job, with a company car and a laptop.”
2004 MOVES INTO BROKING Laura switched into broking when she joined the Davis Group, a large independent insurance broker. The position involved developing a wholesale business with face-to-face relationship management, which had not been done before within that company “I decided I wanted to get some experience broking, and so I moved to the Davis Group. I wanted to broaden my horizons. It was a good time to make the switch for me and to get some experience.”
2009 PROMOTED AGAIN Davis Group, an independent local broker, is bought by Bluefin in 2007, which was owned by AXA, and Laura landed a senior job with the acquiring company, managing relationships between key broker partners and Bluefin. “It was a big transition. They made me responsible for the whole company’s broker relationships. I gained some valuable experience in that role.”
2016 STRIKES MILESTONE DEAL Yutree announced a new product backed by a Lloyd’s syndicate, the biggest deal the young business has done since its launch. “Four years ago, Lloyd’s would never have given us cover holder status to get binding authority agreements, but we’ve proved ourselves now and have several of these agreements in place. “Background means nothing when you’re starting a new business – you have to go out there and work really hard to build that up. It’s all paying off now.”
PROMOTED TO TELEPHONE ACCOUNT MANAGER Keen to get into general insurance, Laura took up the position of telephone account manager and developed trading relationships with Norwich Union’s smaller brokers. “I loved it. I’d gone from an admin job to having a panel of brokers that were my responsibility. It was a great opportunity and a dynamic team. I met a lot of people that I’m still in contact with today from that job. It was a real step up and a lot of fun.”
2012 STARTS YUTREE INSURANCE Laura and three colleagues – including the former CEO and the former MD of the Davis Group – decided that four years with a big company was enough. “We wanted to go back to being a broker, to managing our own business and to growing a business and dealing with customers again. We decided in 2011 that we were going to start again, and Yutree was born.”
We decided in 2011 that we were going to start again …
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PEOPLE
OTHER LIFE
MASTER OF MARTIAL ARTS Dee Myhill is using her medal-winning passion for martial arts to give back DEE MYHILL of the Alan Boswell Group was six years old when she first tried her hand at martial arts, and the fourth-dan karate black belt has not stopped training in the 24 years since. The training has gone hand in hand with a
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR OTHER LIFE editor@insurancebusiness.co.uk
dedication to competing, which has taken Myhill to the World Martial Arts Games several times. Apart from “the buzz” she gets from competing, Myhill’s greatest joy might come from the lessons she now gives to others starting, as she did, from scratch. Teaching is nothing new for Dee, who qualified as an instructor at the age of 17 – the year before getting her black belt – “which is unusual, but I’m quite good at teaching”. Last year she opened her club, Streetwise, where she teaches several lessons a week to classes of beginners, who range in age from seven to nearly 60. It’s the ‘giving back’ that attracts Myhill to teaching. “Seeing the students’ progress. It gives me a sense of achievement.”
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Tournaments in which Dee has competed
550
Number of medals Dee has won in competition
9,500
Number of lessons Dee has given
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Ever considered saving costs via outsourcing? Andy Newman Head of Personal Finance Debenhams
Lance Testa Managing Director, GoSkippy Insurance
‘Outworx provides a first class solution for our thriving Car Insurance business. Their approach to recruitment, learning and development ensures the workforce is always motivated and, more importantly, engaged with the brand. We have seen positive results both in terms of performance and customer satisfaction.’
‘The decision to outsource the call centre operations to Outworx achieved our aim of becoming more efficient and automated. South Africa was chosen due to its time zone and our research showed that cultural differences would not create barriers for our customers. For the last three years Outworx has been a forward-thinking partner who is meeting and exceeding all of our KPI’s. Savings have exceeded £3.5 million a year.’
★★★★★
★★★★★
Servicing over 15,000 customers on a daily basis: • 3,685 inbound calls
• 7,150 outbound calls
• 4,390 welcome calls
…enough said Contact info Call Alan Ball, Business Development Director, for an informal introduction or visit outworx.co.uk w | 0117 906 6428 e | alan@outworx.co.za m | 0755 723 8799
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