In Person: David Martin, head of retail management, Zurich UK

Zurich's David Martin explains why he made the move from Allianz to Zurich and how brokers helped him take the leap.

Martin’s arrival at Zurich coincided with the rollout of its Zurich Online platform in April 2019.

Focused on SME and speciality business, Zurich hopes the platform will create a faster and more intuitive digital experience for brokers in these sectors.

Zurich Online is a key part of Naidu’s strategy to make the insurer a more digital business, expanding its use of technology across both life and general insurance.

How did Martin feel about joining Zurich just as a major project was launching?

“I think it’s fantastic. The products have been built in a way that has future-proofed them and enables us to build on that solid foundation of wide products and wide technical exposures.”

He adds: “It’s a very modular, catch-all product that is able to serve customers both in the lower end of SME and in the mid-market space.”

We need to get better at delivering more quickly, and we’re working on that through some of the operational work streams

Martin describes the feedback from brokers as similarly “fantastic” and adds that a “continual feedback loop” with its broker partners will see the insurer introduce regular improvements to Zurich Online.

“We need to get better at delivering more quickly, and we’re working on that through some of the operational work streams,” he states.

“We recognise that this is a journey but it has been so successful. That success has led to us needing to invest and grow our centres more quickly than we were envisaging, which is fantastic news for everybody.”

Zurich Online is supported by underwriters at Zurich’s ‘centres of excellence’ in Leeds and Cardiff. The offices form a core part of Martin’s growth strategy for the business.

“Building out in our SME business is vitally important to us, both in Leeds and Cardiff, as well as expanding the technology we’re using, particularly around the data enrichment fields,” he outlines.

It’s clear that Martin’s focus on innovation and utilising advances in technology mirrors the approach of Naidu.

When asked about how Zurich Online is making a wider impact on the business, Martin frames its development and launch as an example of Zurich’s wider commitment to brokers.

He explains: “It’s important that we demonstrate that coming to Zurich means you will get risk management solutions, underwriting solutions, and a service from us that delivers absolutely what the broker expects.

“It’s also important that we continue to evolve that with our broker partners, taking feedback from our brokers as time goes on.”

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