Interview
Motor MGA widens distribution after targeting £125m GWP with Zurich capacity
Managing general agent Freedom Services is aiming to more than double the business it writes to £125m gross written premium through a capacity deal it struck with Zurich in 2024, Insurance Age can reveal.
Interview: Nick Harris – listening and helping on the Gallagher Way
Nick Harris tells Insurance Age about returning to the UK market after a 14-year stint in Australia, why a transitioning market is “when really good brokers stand out”, and shares his key questions to staff after becoming UK and Ireland retail CEO at…
ZPC extends high net worth wordings and reaffirms growth appetite
Kevin Morton, head of Zurich Private Clients, has committed to brokers that the business is in the high net worth market for the long-term as he unveiled a raft of policy enhancements in motor and home wordings.
SSP Broker adds 10 insurer schemes in 2024 with 10 more planned this year
Managing director Martyn Mathews has targeted adding 10 insurer schemes onto SSP Broker this year, matching the achievement last year.
Open GI continues investment in technology and AI
Simon Badley, CEO of Open GI, is looking for the business to become a “technology partner”, as it makes continued investment in technology and AI to give its brokers a competitive advantage.
New Ripe CEO eyes up deals and four product launches in 2025
“The challenge that I’ve taken on, and I’ve mapped out, is both organic growth maintained in double digits and a healthy amount of growth coming through new products,” Ripe CEO Alan Thomas has told Insurance Age.
Broking Success: Growing regional presence
Financial Affairs CEO Laurence O’Connor looks to grow the business ten fold three years ahead of schedule, after making four acquisitions in 18 months.
Organ plans to triple Jensten’s GWP over 3–4 years as refinancing gathers pace
Rob Organ, CEO of Jensten Group, is targeting £1.5bn in gross written premium within three to four years, more than triple what it has now, with a refinancing on the horizon.
Young broker looks to grow skills on Aviva’s Rising Stars programme
Aviva Rising Stars participant Poppy Keys, commercial broker executive at ABA Insurance Commercial, confirms she is already seeing changes to her role thanks to the programme.
Newbie News: Podium Insurance Brokers
James Blair, CEO of Podium Insurance Brokers, tells Insurance Age how he started the business and how he aims to grow the specialist motorsport broker through word of mouth.
Axa Commercial boss Walker targets turnaround time for brokers
Axa Commercial is two thirds of the way through a technology transformation programme, and Commercial CEO Jon Walker is looking to shorten turnaround times in terms of risk appetite.
Broking Success: Bletchley’s Angela Irvine
Angela Irvine, sales director of Bletchley, outlines how the Birmingham-based broker is looking to build on its solid foundations whilst its independent status is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Interview: Nikki Lidster, Zurich
Nikki Lidster sets out her promises to brokers having taken up the post of head of SME and trading at Zurich earlier this year.
Sompo priortising regional hires and MGAs over expanding broker panel
Sompo remains “open minded” to further UK regional expansion, but is happy to build on its existing locations in Birmingham and Manchester for now.
Broking Success: Insight in niche areas
Tim Sydenham, managing director of County Insurance Services, looks to grow policy count in niche areas, as the business celebrates 40 years.
Mid-market boss Lyons wants Zurich to become a “nuisance” to rivals
Morgan Lyons, head of mid-market at Zurich, is looking to grow in the smaller mid-market space and become a “nuisance” to its competitors.
Broking Success: Service is key
Jamie Coyne, managing director of Fenchurch Insurance Brokers, and Carol Bridgland, associate director, look to hit the £20m GWP milestone in 2025, with the broker having grown quickly in the past two and a half years.
Interview: Hiscox UK COO Cath Frost on delivering operational excellence for brokers
Having joined Hiscox this April UK COO Cath Frost has already seen operational improvements but there is more to come from the insurer she promises brokers.
Interview: JMG’s Nick Houghton – Painting the broking picture
JMG boss Nick Houghton prefers lists over spaghetti structures. He shares his passion for art, his approach to building the lauded Leeds-headquartered business and his route into insurance as well as the broad strokes of what comes next.
Q&A: Aviva’s Jason Storah
One year into the role, Jason Storah, UK and Ireland general insurance CEO at Aviva, tells Insurance Age about the goals he is happy to be challenged on in another 12 months’ time, what the Probitas deal means for regional brokers and reflects on recent…
Applied Net 24: European business expanding commercial lines panel “significantly”, says CEO Needs
Applied Systems Europe is expanding its panel “significantly” in commercial insurance according to CEO Tom Needs, adding both Zurich and Aviva.
Broking Success: Galloping forward with Harry Hall
Liz Hopper, managing director of equine specialist Harry Hall and CEO of the group holding company, aims to double gross written premiums in the next 24 months and broaden the product offer.
Interview: Coalition’s Tom Draper on doubling in cyber with brokers
Cyber specialist insurer Coalition has grown to 32 people in the UK working with over 5,000 insurance staff in brokers across the country since going live in 2022, and is looking to expand again with a network of regional underwriting hubs, according to…
“Nobody came close to AUB” – CEO Cheesbrough on Movo’s new investor
The Movo Group is looking to create larger broking hubs and kickstart its directly authorised network Fusion after AUB took an 80% equity stake, according to Lea Cheesbrough, Movo Partnership CEO.