Wednesday 24 Conference Day
Welcome
It was an early start for Partner Insurers and Suppliers as they need to set their stands ready for Network Members to come and talk to them before the conference started and in readiness for the Networking during the day. We were joined by 26 Partners, giving Network Members a fantastic opportunity to talk to who they wanted.
Sara Fardon, Networks Managing Director, welcomed everyone to Network 2021, including the 17 New Network Members who have joined us.
Mark Cobham John Read and Sara Fardon detailed the progress being made with the Focus on Growth programme. Launched at the Staycation Forum in July, Focus on Growth had an initial target of moving £10m GWP into Network Markets. Five months later and we are close to achieving three quarters of this this target with committed opportunities.
If any Partner Insurer would like to discuss more about the opportunities in Focus on Growth, please contact your Networks Business Partner.
Staying ahead in Sales
Focus on Growth was followed by Willis Towers Watson GB Head of Sales and Client Management, Adrian Wilmott, Networks own Head of Sales Lynne Norledge and Regional Managing Director, John Read relating their experiences in winning business in the SME market and how to stay ahead of the competition.
Our first networking marketplace saw Network Members and Partners getting together over coffee and in the exhibition area to discuss individual needs.
The Insurance Marketplace 2022
The second session was a panel discussion with Willis Towers Watson’s Head of Broking, Clyde Bernstein and Managing Director, Pricing Product Claims and Underwriting, David Ovenden joining Charlie Jones and Sara Fardon to discuss current and future trends that will have a direct impact on brokers. Their insights showed how Network Members can position themselves to take advantage of future needs. Data and how to use it was a big part of the discussion as was the future of e-trading. What was very clear was the pace of change remains unrelenting.
Lunch and Networking then brought the morning session to a close. Several partners commented on the quality of conversations they were able to have with Network Members and were taking away a number of opportunities to follow-up on.
Threats, Hacks and Market Cracks
The afternoon session began with host Paul Mills and Network Member, John Pennick from Berkeley Insurance, taking the audience through an aptly named panel discussion of Cyber Threats, Hacks and Market Cracks all designed to arm Network Members with more skills to inform their clients about the growing cyber threat and the cover they can obtain. This was a very well received session.
What have Solicitors ever done for us?
Paul’s second session was with the legal experts from Fenchurch Law who are always bring a depth of expertise and experience in the ways case law and legal language can have a profound effect on clients claims if not handled correctly.
The mantra was always read the wording as that is the basis of all claim disputes. If there is ambiguity in the wordings, then that is when claims difficulties arise as personal interpretation comes to the fore.
Joanna Grant, Partner at Fenchurch Law, then took us through how personal interpretation can just be that but hold no legal standing! A fascinating insight into what often we accept as true, is in fact wrong and detrimental to a claim and why it can be effective to ask an expert.
Celebrations
Sara Fardon came back to the stage to present several awards to Network Members for their achievements. It is pleasing to note in times of consolidation that Networks have several successful Network Members in the Insurance Age Top 100 Brokers.
Closing and Forum 2022
Sara closed the Network 2021 conference by handing over to our Governance Committee for their closed session.
The venue of Forum 2022 was announced to be in Edinburgh, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel from 23 to 25 June 2022. Watch out for your invitation and your participation in Forum will be welcomed.
If you want to discuss Forum 2022 at any point please contact Graham Goodman or of course, Sara Fardon.
