I was recently reminded of the importance of resilience when preparing for the BIBA Conference 2021, being held virtually on 12th and 13th May. The theme for this year’s conference is “Strengthening Resilience”—something we have needed in our personal lives since the start of 2020 and no doubt something you require professionally from your industry partners.
Resilience however, is not just about responding to a onetime event. It is about continuously anticipating, planning, and adjusting in a way that offers enough strength and flexibility to enable sustainability—something I feel describes our long-term strategy. I believe what makes us resilient is our responsive mindset, longstanding relationships, and technical expertise.
Last year, we joined H.W. Kaufman Group, a global insurance organisation founded more than 50 years ago, as Burns & Wilcox. Already we have seen investment into the business allowing us to further strengthen and become an even more valuable partner to our clients.
Now more than ever, we are prepared to help you navigate the challenges faced within this difficult insurance market.
Our lines of business remain strong with capacity available.
Despite the challenges associated with a hardening market on top of the pandemic, our lines of business have demonstrated a strong and consistent response to client needs enabling us to develop and grow in these uncertain times.
Property
- We continue to develop a strong specialty in supporting the Leisure and Hospitality industries, with emphasis on businesses with more foot traffic and requiring specialised risk management and claims handling support.
- We have grown our business in the London and Manchester markets with the help of our Property Underwriting Managers, James John, in London, and Martyn Bleakley, in Manchester.
- We expect new product launches to be announced in the months ahead based on demand from our broker partners to support a wide variety of industries from Manufacturing to Real Estate.
Casualty
- We offer direct access to casualty lines underwriters.
- Expansion has been achieved in the non-conventional risk managed and captive reinsurance space.
- We have gained capacity for additional coverage in Manufacturing and Excess of Loss.
Professional Indemnity
- Additional capacity has also been achieved for Excess of Loss and lower risk Construction businesses.
- We offer bespoke policy wordings delivering industry-specific cover.
- We insure professionals across a broad range of sectors from accountants and IT experts to architects and engineers.
Terrorism
- Risks will increase as the UK continues to open its economy and the pandemic wanes.
- Property damage, business interruption, loss of attraction and more can be included.
- View our latest market update on Terrorism Insurance here.
We were reminded during this time that long-lasting relationships and partnerships matter.
One way to build resilience is through relationships. I have said this before, but our aim is to be the right partner for you now and into the future. Burns & Wilcox combines experience and knowledge to provide you with support and capacity for the long-term, on an exclusive basis.
We do not believe in “one size fits all.” You will receive the guidance and expertise you need from professionals you know by name. Best of all, we will listen and engage with you in a supportive manner.
Our team entered 2020 with an aggressive growth plan featuring product expansion, the opening of a new office in Birmingham, led by David Batey, Property Underwriting Manager, to support our clients, and further strengthening our emphasis on personalised service. 2021 will be no different, as serving our clients’ growing needs and expanding our capabilities will further strengthen our relationships.
We operate in a “people” business. So that is where Burns & Wilcox has invested.
It goes without saying that we have access to the latest in industry technology to help support our informed decision making. Burns & Wilcox will always invest in this technology, but we also invest in people—specifically providing you with the most qualified professionals in the industry. Every team member is a decision maker, which means every team member gets things done for you. Speed of results, customisation and transparency remain essential.
Even with the pandemic having slowed or shut down sectors of our economy since early 2020, Burns & Wilcox has continued to hire new professionals who bring longevity, knowledge, and a dedication to customer service to their roles. Among our recent new hires is Underwriting Director John Tiernan, who oversees all our underwriting teams; Property Package Underwriters Ben Harrington in London, and Mike Taylor in Manchester; and four additional Underwriting Assistants.
Our underwriting focus is vast.
Perhaps the most common definition of resiliency is: “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.” That’s what we have all been asked to do in recent months. True collaboration builds on the collective strengths of our teams and partners, delivering leading underwriting driven solutions. Value is inherent with every interaction, helping to achieve our ambitions, and build a positive legacy in our markets and around the country.
Thank you for your trust and support. With you, we truly are “Better Together.” I look forward to seeing and speaking with those attending this year’s BIBA Conference.
Sincerely,
