Stubben Edge Group growth continues in London and St Peter Port, Guernsey

Announcing acquisition of Genesis Special Risks and incorporating 1Edge Insurance 

Stubben Edge is pleased to announce two exciting developments, expanding its capabilities for IFAs and brokers.  

Firstly, Stubben Edge has acquired the specialist international insurance firm Genesis Special Risks Ltd (GSR), along with its experienced team, led by MD Nick Howard. GSR is a Lloyd’s broker and has a longstanding track record in the provision of bespoke warranty and related insurance products.  

Founded in 2002, GSR provides wholesale insurance and reinsurance cover across a wide range of specialist products, notably Guaranteed Asset Protection, Assistance and Extended Warranties. Their expert team ably support Stubben Edge’s current growth ambition to have over 1m live policies by the end of 022. Having worked successfully together for several years providing products for Stubben Edge’s platform, the acquisition of GSR represents the melding of a well-respected broking firm with a dynamic FinTech company.  

Nick Howard, Managing Director and founder of GSR, comments, “We are very excited to be a part of the onward journey with Stubben Edge, bringing the knowledge and expertise of the team, combined with GSR’s broking heritage, into one of the UK’s most exciting FinTech businesses.” 

Secondly, Stubben Edge has recently incorporated 1Edge Insurance PCC Ltd, a Guernsey-based company which will offer our clients international access and integrated services, including Protected Cell Management.  

By integrating the latest in data and technology, 1Edge will offer brokers and affinity partners insurance products specifically tailored to their needs, drastically cutting down the time it usually takes to get to market.  

1Edge also will be able to set up captive propositions and offer Protected Cell Management, giving customers further options in their financial risk management. With much of the insurance industry remaining manual, 1Edge offers insurance products that are bespoke and nimble, specifically developed for brokers and affinity partners.  

Gavin St Pier, Non-Executive Director of 1Edge, says, “1Edge brings the expertise of Stubben Edge Group and the opportunities of InsurTech to Guernsey. We expect to be a dynamic player in Guernsey, creating an era of new opportunities for insurance on the island.” 

Chris Kenning, CEO of Stubben Edge Group, notes, “We’re very excited to combine our strengths with GSR to provide the highest-quality insurance products, and to establish 1Edge to equip brokers and IFAs a wider selection of entry points into the market. With these developments, we will continue to build strong relationships with clients, tailoring products to their specific needs.” 

Axent Brokers joins Stubben Edge’s Appointed Representative Network

We are pleased to announce that Axent Brokers, led by Director Robin Ward, has partnered with Stubben Edge to become an Appointed Representative. This affiliation will allow Axent to utilise their considerable expertise to develop a range of insurance products in partnership with Stubben Edge. 

As a Stubben Edge Appointed Representative, Axent can access capital, compliance, Stubben Edge (Risk) Ltd, the in-house MGA (Managing General Agent), savings on admin costs and other forms of support, freeing them to focus on providing high-quality services for their clients. Stubben Edge’s AR Network is providing access to many competitive new products, enabling Axent to provide even more value to their clients. This relationship will also give Axent’s clients access to London markets to place the larger, more complex risks. 

Axent’s pioneering online platform allows brokers to obtain instant quotes, with builds underway for Property and Commercial risks, digitising typically manual processes. Axent are currently building a range of insurance products and will be integrating premium finance offers in the coming weeks.  

The platform automates tasks such as mid-term adjustments, cancellations, renewals, accounts and more, to improve service levels to brokers and reduce administration time. As the platform is cloud-based, it is agile, quick, and easy-to-use, and produces instant documentation for full policies, available to download immediately. 

Robin Ward, Director of Axent Brokers, says, “We are pleased to join Stubben Edge’s Appointed Representative Network. The team has already given us so much support in helping us provide brokers with exciting products and outstanding service. We are excited about the future for Axent because of this partnership” 

Gemma Jarrett, AR Network Director of Stubben Edge, comments, “We welcome Axent’s and Robin’s expertise into the Stubben Edge Network and are excited to support their business as it grows.” 

Interested in joining Axent’s brokerage platform? Register online here today. To learn more about becoming an Appointed Representative and about the benefits of being part of Stubben Edge’s Network, please contact Gemma Jarrett. 

The Verity Centre signs on as our first Appointed Representative partner

photo of Marianne Wither

(Pictured above: Marianne Withers, Founder of The Verity Centre)

Chris Kenning, CEO of fast-growing fintech insurance group Stubben Edge Group, has today (25th April) announced the signing of the first Appointed Representative partner The Verity Centre; less than a month since the company’s Appointed Representative Network was launched, under the leadership of Gemma Jarrett who joined Stubben Edge from Gallagher in December.

Boutique Outsource Contact Centre The Verity Centre, works with household names in diverse fields including medical, energy, financial services, insurance, charity and entertainment, providing business process outsourcing services, developing omni-channel sales & service communication and contact strategies. The Verity Centre supports clients, giving them peace of mind and allowing them to focus on their priorities; the team uses its extensive knowledge, expertise and innovation to exceed clients’ objectives.

In addition, they handle many of their clients back-office functions, empowering their management teams to focus on developing long-term customer relationships, driving business growth. Clients include companies such as the pharmaceutical company FittleworthMedical, Europe’s leading Catering Equipment Company Nisbets plc, Burn Marketing and the entertainment company Hollywood Bowl.

The Verity Centre team have extensive background in Financial Services and Insurance and have been waiting for their AR status to be able to offer their support to this sector. Some of their past clients include Stubben Edge, Zurich, AXA &Cornhill Insurance, Bank of America, Lloyds, Barclays and Prudential.

Marianne Withers, Founder and CEO brings over 30 years’ experience trouble-shooting and leading transformation projects for national and global corporations, including as an Appointed Representative or even Directly Authorised business for financial and insurance clients.

Marianne comments, “It makes business sense to be able to include that expertise and service to our existing and future financial services clients. Having worked with Chris previously, knowing the insurance industry and understanding what Stubben Edge is doing to ‘disrupt’ it, becoming a member of the group’s AR Network is an extremely exciting opportunity to work together and develop a long-term partnership.”

Chris Kenning agrees, “The team has been working hard to develop the right partnership structure for the future of the industry. We see our role as Principal as much more than providing back-office functions, FCA reporting, compliance, training, documentation, tech etc etc., those activities should be a basic requirement for any Principal / Appointed Representative arrangement.”

Gemma Jarrett elaborates, “We’re experts in helping our partners access products and services, using class-leading tech to cut costs and sharpen their competitive edge. We support them building a pipeline of new clients and developing real resilience through delivering a better service for their customers. We’re delighted to welcome The Verity Centre to our Stubben Edge network and are looking forward to working closely to support them in this exciting phase for both our companies.”

To learn more about becoming an Appointed Representative and the benefits of being part of Stubben Edge’s Network, please contact Gemma Jarrett gemmaj@stubbenedge.com

Stubben Edge Group demonstrates ambitious growth plans as it makes move into the financial sector

Stubben Edge Group demonstrates ambitious growth plans as it makes moves into the financial sector and recruits former Visa star Viraj Mistry to drive new Payments division

Insurance Technology firm Stubben Edge has signalled its intention to expand its tech offering to enable brokers to access cheaper payment processing, better client cash management and full open banking capability, with the acquisition of Akoni Hub the cash management business and launch of Stubben Edge Payments which will be led by newly recruited former Visa Senior Product Manager Viraj Mistry.

Viraj comes from a commercial background and has built up a wealth of experience across the payments and loyalty sectors, with success in delivering double-digit revenue growth across Visa’s loyalty payment products.

The recent acquisition of Akoni Hub will form key links between the company’s cash management and insurance services, offering brokers the ability to manage cash flow better and develop new products, as well as helping them reach more customers efficiently, therefore accelerating growth.

The establishment of Stubben Edge payments provides further penetration into the sector, offering Stubben Edge’s client base an efficient cost-effective payment journey, alongside providing access to an exclusive card proposition, which will offer a range of special benefits and incentives focused on driving engagement and loyalty. The ambition is to deliver a suite of products offering payment providers the ability to access enhanced analytics across the insurance and payment sector, enabling them to form bespoke, data-driven propositions to offer to their clients.

Viraj Mistry, Head of Payments at Stubben Edge, believes that “the connection between insurance and finance has never been truly maximised and these strategic initiatives will help Stubben Edge form a unique solution, which in the long term will benefit insurance brokers, card providers and importantly, the end customer.”

Currently, the company currently offers IFAs, brokers and third parties a white-label service which includes a website platform, a customer portal, call centre capability, and a GDPR-compliant database of more than 12m clients which enables advisers to market to relevant customers at a lower cost online.

The development of these initiatives will ultimately help Stubben Edge to provide its clients ‘business in a box’ technology across the cash, insurance, and investment sectors, giving them a central interface to access a variety of valuable products, including enriched analytics, empowering them to make data-driven decisions to benefit their end customers.

News round-up 32 – exclusively from Insurance Edge

`Tis the season for predictions 2022, so IE has chosen some of the pithiest observations, and yes we did say pithy. Plus, a late flurry of deals in December rounds off a true bounce-back year for insurers and brokers alike. Let’s get into it.

START: PREDICTIONS IN CYBER, PARTNERSHIPS AND REGULATION

Let’s start with an obvious one, yet deadly accurate from CyberCube’s Pascal Millaire, who sees “alternative capital providing more capacity…to alleviate the catastrophic impact of cyber-related events”.

Now that’s some black swan prediction, but we say preparing for the worst is always better than hoping for the best. Cyber, especially denial of service is going to be a hot topic in 2022, so those insurance brands who can demonstrate true expertise will prosper as the online economy continues to outpace the offline one.

Meanwhile, Rowan Bamford at Liberty GTS sees strong growth in M&A activity next year, especially in the ESG-compliant company sector. Rowan identifies the hot trend in corporate culture will be acquiring companies where there are no question marks over sustainability, social governance etc.

RUN: GENASYS BANGS THE IP DRUM

Andre Symes, Co-CEO at Genasys sees protecting your IP becoming more important next year. As he notes, it’s easy to build a very similar product to a rival in the world of insurance, so what is it that sets your offer apart? If you have some magic sauce, then protect that Intellectual Property, it could be worth a fortune.

GROW: DEALS A GO-GO

What a week it has been for deals. Davies Group snapped up companies like the hungry caterpillar in a polytunnel full of lettuce, with UK claims specialist BVS and Merlinos Associates over in the USA on the menu.

Pet brand Bought By Many bought VetBox, big hitter Zurich bought Alphachat, an AI-powered chat company in Estonia and Cover Genius pulled off a neat deal with Ryanair, which offers a kind of Build-A-Bear approach to travel insurance. So, book a flight, choose holiday extras and then choose from your insurance menu too.

Healthcare is going to be big in 2022, as companies realise that the way to retain staff is to offer wraparound, on-demand healthcare – especially rapid diagnosis. So handl’s acquisition of Robertson Cooper, a corporate specialist in wellbeing and employee support, isn’t the only bit of consolidation IE expects to see in the market over this winter.

Finally, Artesian:Duedil teamed up with TechLabs London this week and ACSO partnered up with Insurtech UK, which is one of those moves that seems perfect. When entrepreneurs are developing new insurance products, getting some words of experience from a claims association can only be a good thing.

AND FINALLY

Shall we end with a Christmas cracker joke? Alright then,

Why did Santa have his insurance claim rejected?

Too many elf ‘n’ safety breaches.

I’ll get my coat. See you in 2022.

Stubben Edge acquires fintech and wealthtech firm Akoni Hub

We are excited to announce the acquisition of the cash management platform Akoni Hub, specialising in the wealth sector

Together, our two companies will service significant participants in the distribution market, working with some of the most respected names in financial services, including Hiscox, Beazley and a number of UK and international banks.  Going forward,

  • Akoni’s cash management service will be added to Stubben Edge’s insurance and other financial services products
  • Akoni’s technological capabilities will be leveraged across Stubben Edge’s digital platform, enhancing functionality and integration within an open banking ecosystem
  • Akoni’s client relationships are highly complementary to Stubben Edge’s existing distribution. Together, the two companies will service a number of intermediaries across insurance broking and wealth management

Chris Kenning, our CEO said, “Our acquisition of Akoni is a really exciting development for Stubben Edge. We see the immediate and long-term growth opportunities here, with both cash management and the innovation that Akoni provides, as a natural next step as we continue to expand our offering to the market. Stubben Edge is a pioneering company embracing strategic innovation to support our clients’ digital transformation, and this addition to our portfolio will bring many benefits for their customers.  Importantly, the acquisition of Akoni Hub will only accelerate our commitment to financial services, bringing industry leading cash management solutions and capabilities to the market.”

We are a technology-based financial services group that enables intermediaries and their clients to make easy decisions about their risks and how to protect or save against them, making their success the focus of everything we do.

We help independent brokers do business differently in order to meet the challenges of the digital age, combining a powerful mix of technology and niche products, by providing brokers with a way to “Start, Run and Grow” their business. Our ‘business-in-a-box technology’ can have a broker up and running in 24 hours and provides a wide range of features and services for regulated businesses enabling them to run more efficiently and grow, by providing the technology and products they might otherwise struggle to develop themselves.

Our portfolio includes Lucid UX, which tailors software, data and analytics solutions for clients across multiple regulated sectors. For those clients we then leverage our relationships, actuarial and product knowledge to develop bespoke products alongside both intermediaries and financial institutions. We are excited about new opportunities to widen Akoni Hub’s service offering and grow the business.

Felicia Meyerowitz Singh, CEO/Co-founder

Felicia Meyerowitz Singh, CEO and co-founder of Akoni stated “We are thrilled with the sale of Akoni to Stubben Edge and delighted that Chris and his team will take growth to the next stage of development, leveraging their distribution and market partnerships. Our team has been on an incredible journey, building a best-in-class solution, driving unique innovation in the financial markets, and working with our amazing team, clients and partners. I wish Akoni and the business all the success going forward and with the support of Stubben Edge, the business will continue to have even greater impact for the customers and the market.”

Panos Savvas, CTO/Co-founder

I and the entire team look forward to working with Stubben Edge, whose industry knowledge and products will be crucial in developing the Akoni proposition, not only to the wealth sector but a wider audience. This support will allow us to drive our vision forward and increase the impact we can have across the wealth and other sectors. With Stubben Edge’s investment in the team and technology, we have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the U.K. cash management sector,” Savvas said. “It will enable us to achieve our goal of being the go-to cash management provider in the UK providing the highest level of service and products to our partners.”

Akoni Hub and Stubben Edge are committed to long term success for clients and partners, continued innovation and ambitious growth plans.  The acquisition remains subject to FCA approval.

About Akoni Hub

Akoni is a multi-currency cash deposit management platform, providing specialist white-label portal and API solutions to the wealth sector and small and medium businesses, as well as marketplace cash solutions to banks and other enterprise clients for their end customers. Akoni uses multiple data sources, including open banking and open data, to personalize financial products, provide nudges and prompts, remove barriers to transparency and create hassle-free movement of funds. The company is an award-winning and Financial Conduct Authority regulated partner with UK and international banks, wealth platforms and financial institutions, in addition to channel partners, providing a marketplace within marketplace solution for white-label API or branded portal solutions.

News round up 31 – exclusively from Insurance Edge

This week we look at empowering your customers and share our own big news

START: BEEN MIS-SOLD A PENSION?

News this week from the FCA shows that the regulator is keen on reforming the FSCS scheme which funds compensation to those who were victims of mis-selling in the past. Brokers will no doubt welcome the move as the collective levy is now over £700m per year.

Views are invited from the industry, but here’s the thing; can any private pension scheme really compete with a public sector, taxpayer-funded one? Might we get to a point in the future when almost everyone who isn’t on a public sector scheme argues that they were sold an inferior product? You only have to look at how Royal Mail bounced its pension liabilities onto the taxpayer before privatisation to see that long-term funding for labour-intensive companies is an actuarial headache like no other.

Perhaps it’s time for the insurance industry to campaign for a partnership with the UK government on pensions? That way the burden of contributions, lump sums and consumer anger might be shared in a more inclusive and socially just way.

RUN: YOUR IP IS THE ESSENCE OF YOUR BRAND

Paperwork has been filed in Germany in a case which raises an interesting topic for many insurance brands. IMS is taking action against HUK-COBURG, over the matter of smartphone app telematics tech. The wider point is that Intellectual Property is a valuable commodity in a digital world. In some cases, it is the USP or heart of the brand itself.

For brokers with an eye on the future, it’s worth thinking about how to patent a unique piece of tech that sets your company apart. They used to say knowledge was power, but it doesn’t count for much compared to a blockchain-protected piece of code.

GROW: LET’S CONSIGN MTAs TO THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY

News this week from Rnwl which suggested that about 31% of car drivers find it hard to cancel or adjust their policy. The FCA rules which come into force in January will oblige insurers to make it easier to cancel or amend a policy, so maybe the time is right to empower customers?

Not just in car insurance, but home, life, healthcare plans, and caravans customers would rather we see the end of MTA charges and brands offer the power to change details themselves.

Here’s a thought; If you build the tools within your app that allow policyholders to customise or amend their policy, then they’re more likely to stay with you, even if they click Yes to the `Add Extra Cover’ charge. What people resent is being charged for admin when there is very little admin, whereas an upgrade is something personalised for them.

DEALS

Quick round-up of deals news this week for you; Carrot signed up with CDL and will use the Strata system, Partners& bought Health Matters UK and BGL and Covea formed a joint venture, which will prove useful next year as comparison sites come under pressure to offer lower renewal prices to existing customers.

Meanwhile, classic car insurance specialist Hagerty went public on the New York Exchange with an IPO, Aston Lark bought a policy book from Choice Benefits and Davies Group bought Sionic, a consulting firm who specialise in updating legacy systems across the financial sector.

AND FINALLY

Now there was something else…oh yes, Stubben Edge bought Akoni Hub, which is obviously the big news of the week! On that bombshell, we wish you a busy week ahead.

News round-up 30 – exclusively from Insurance Edge

This week we delve into the world of ID validation, check out the latest broker sector deals and catch up with the latest cyber risks which could be a growing sector in 2022.

Start: LONGER LIFESPANS FOR PETS

The latest research from Petwise indicates that cats and dogs are living longer, which means they need specialised – and accurately priced – cover the various ailments that can affect a furry friend later in life. This is a market where you need data on typical problems by breed, or cross-breeding, as the fashion for owning various dogs changes.

Brokers can win new customers by offering app-based policies that track pet location, plus use virtual vets to resolve common problems. It’s a market driven by sentiment rather than asset values too, which means affinity marketing can be the route to success.

Run: AUTOMATED ID MEANS TIME SAVED

News from LexisNexis & Acturis this week on their ID validation for client onboarding, especially in the Commercial sector. Knowing stuff like who has significant control is on Companies House of course, but if a broker or insurer wants to know more details about an SME, or a start-up, then you might value some extra help.

That stuff matters when you’re trying to be 100% compliant on KYC and ESG rules, and IE reckons this automated, pre-approved, sort of verification before a quote is probably the way ahead when pricing Commercial products with a tight margin.

Grow: CYBER SECTOR WILL GROW – BUT WATCH YOUR REPUTATION TOO

Two items on cyber risks and ransomware this week, both act as warning signs for 2022. As Covid accelerates to rush to digitise every transaction remotely, the opportunities for hackers and data gatherers increases. In turn, that creates opportunities for brokers and insurers and IE sees the cyber market essentially splitting into many different streams of revenue next year.

A report by Veritas looks at the global trends in ransomware, or denial of service, which is a big deal for any company active in financial services too. The case study from CyberCube on the GoDaddy breach recently shows how having customer login details hacked creates massive risks. Think about it, your `policyholder’ could log in and make MTAs and it isn’t the real customer.

What we’re saying is that advising clients is a complex process that involves understanding the client’s biz risks, but then you have your reputation to think about – which means fighting cyber battles every week.

And Grow: LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS ARE GOOD

A couple of interesting deals this week, with the six-year partnership between BeMoto and Minster Law highlighting how important it is for brokers to have specialist knowledge on hand. Many insurance niche products require years of experience to understand fully and so we say signing on the dotted line for several years is a smart move.

In other broker news, Xenia is buying Peter Hill Credit in Northampton, which is Xenia’s seventh acquisition in the last two and a half years. More here.

And Finally: BIG NEWS FOR INSURTECH START-UPS

If you’re in insurtech or an insurance start-up, the Seedrs Deal is one to watch. Republic and Seedrs announced today that they have entered into an agreement for Republic, the U.S.-based private investment platform, to acquire Seedrs, Europe’s leading online private investment platform, in a deal that values Seedrs at approximately 0 million (~ £75 million). This deal will create the first global private investment marketplace with offerings across North America and Europe.

On that note, see you next week.

News round-up 29 – exclusively from Insurance Edge

This week we ponder on opportunities for 2022, think about building a team spirit at your insurance brand and learn the lesson of two-tier van recovery from the RAC. Sometimes, people want a 24/7 wraparound service and they’re willing to pay for that back-up.

Let’s get busy.

 

START: DEALS UPDATE

Kinda quiet on the broker deals front this week, with one announced by GRP/Alan & Thomas, who are buying Aquilla Insurance in London. More details here.

 

RUN: TWO TIER COVER CAN BE A WINNER

News from the RAC this week who are introducing two types of van recovery for customers. Commercial van owner/drivers can get Van Total, a kind of super-rescue package, with replacement vans, overnight accommodation, unlimited call-outs etc., as part of truly wraparound care.

Van Lite offers three call-outs a year and is more suitable for someone who doesn’t traverse the length of Britain on a daily basis, but might run a more localised small biz perhaps.

The concept can be applied to all kinds of other insurance of course; Contents, Garden furniture, outbuildings and sheds, bicycles, watches and jewellery and so on. Some people want replacements, or an agreed value cash settlement, other consumers will be happy with some basic settlement which reflects the used value of the lost item. Worth thinking about selling basic cover and then offering upgrades by smartphone app too, a refreshing change from MTA charges mid-term.

 

GROW: SURVEY REVEALS HOME OFFICE OPPORTUNITY

A survey this week from Europ Assistance revealed that on average some 47% of those who responded now work from home. Physical and mental wellbeing were their top concerns regarding this fundamental shift in working patterns that have existed since the late 19th century.

For insurers and brokers the opportunity in 2022 lies in reaching out to those home/office workers, or self-employed people running a small biz, and find out what they need in terms of cover. It could be equipment, stock, data storage, illness cover or directors’ liability. The opportunity is there, it just needs the right approach.

 

AND GROW: BUILDING TEAMS

Talking of home working, how do you build a team spirit when your staff are scattered around the country and may only meet a few times a month? Well, a light bulb popped on in our heads at IE mag as we read about the Zegons. Who? You ask, no not a hip new band from London town, but a Zegon is someone who works at Zego, the insurtech that specialises in courier/delivery cover.

Thing is, feeling like you are part of a movement, or a group, has a real appeal to many people. This is why corporate culture matters now as much for the employees as it does for the customers. So, we say, smart move Zegons and let us know when your first album is streaming.

 

AND FINALLY..

Our most read story this week by a huge margin was the tale of a dodgy invoice from a physiotherapy company. The PI claim was rejected, and the physio company ended up with a judgement against them for 35K in costs. That’s gotta hurt.

 

See you next week.

News round-up 28 – exclusively from Insurance Edge

NEWS ITEM ROUND-UP 19.11.21

More deals and expansion news this week, IE’s feature on innovation receives some useful tips, plus a rather clever idea emails its way in; integrate your flood mapping data into your ESG/Sustainability reporting.

Let’s get busy.

DEALS ETC.

OK, it wouldn’t be a week in insurance without another Aston Lark/Howden acquisition and this week it was Philip Williams and Co. Elsewhere, Ascend Broking bought SMP Healthcare, Legal & General continued its social housing investment with the green light given on a project in Kent, and fast-growing employee wellness brand YuLife signed up the UK Institute of Directors to its service.

Vehicle storage and parts specialist Copart announced a new site in Suffolk, as demand for green parts rises in the claims sector too. RSA also announced it was setting up a global Specialty unit and this is interesting because it’s very much broker-focused. Setting up bespoke cover on various assets and risks, especially in niche markets can be time-consuming, so any support from a big-name insurer has to be good news.

INNOVATION MAGIC

A special feature on Innovation brought forward some excellent tips and advice this week. When it comes to teamwork the challenge is to bring talented people together online and then, as Andre at Genasys noted, `the magic happens.’

Over at Wrapper Insure, CEO John Garrard noted how useful Live Chat has been to a start-up brand; `No call centre offices to rent, and you get a written record of every question and answer.’ He also noted how wide the age range was on motorhome chat queries, which demolishes the notion that the over 55s aren’t that great at using online services.

THE MORE DATA YOU AUTOMATE, THE BETTER

Sometimes ideas are really simple solutions, like the one we got from When Fresh, who are integrating Ambiental’s Climate target/emissions data into When Fresh flood mapping. So you have the flood risk, but you also have the ESG reporting stuff covered at the same time. Saving hours on admin is stuff we dream about here at IE mag when we’re not watching cat videos on YouTube…

CONFERENCES CAN WORK FOR YOU

As anyone knows who has visited BIBA or Broker Expo, conferences can really inspire you to think laterally, learn new stuff and forge crucial new partnerships. It’s all good, except for the machine-made coffee. One update from the HSE this week highlights this as the govt agency offered tips on fleet driver safety. It’s well worth reminding clients that the Directors of the company can be held liable if things go wrong on the road, which is why training and duty of care has to be an integral part of any policy wording.

Here’s a slightly scary factoid for you; The HSE noted that almost half of all vans failed their MoT on the first attempt. Vehicle history and driver history are both part of the risk of being insured.

PANDEMIC START-UP BOOM

There are lots of opportunities on the horizon for 2022 and small business/sole trader could be where many UK brokers find new clients. According to comparison site Quotezone, the latest ONS data shows a 24% rise in start-ups in the last quarter of 2020.

Yes, some may have been partly funded by furlough cash or bounceback loans, but there is a mood of optimism out there, for one simple reason; the old commute to the office Mon-Fri is over. Hybrid working offers entrepreneurs more time to get a new biz off the ground and if you have already set up a home office, delivery company or beauty treatment services etc. then you’ll need insurance.

The market for hybrid home contents/business cover has never looked so bright.