From the
Robin Wood Chairman
Chairman
There were some really important goings on this month and worthy of comment .
I think my first “ award ” goes to Gareth Hemming of Aviva who , in being interviewed by Insurance Age about his views on professionalism made the simple but stunning observation ( I paraphrase slightly to save space ) that a professional broker is competent at managing his customer ’ s demands and needs and at the same time managing a relationship with insurers such that all stakeholders feel they have benefited from the relationship .
After a year of hype , sales puff and soap box oration , it seems to me that it is Mr Hemming that deserves the RWA “ I am a sensible business person and not a member of a Cult ” award .
Talking of which I see that Ashwin Mistry has been proposed as Deputy President of the CII . Ashwin is a passionate insurance broker with a strong desire to strengthen the position and status of all insurance brokers who want to be professional and not just those with Chartered status . As a Chartered Insurance Practitioner myself he has my vote but I will be disappointed if he loses sight of the fact that the CII is an educational body that really does need some guidance on what a reasonably competent insurance broker is expected to do and to what standard .
Personally I am getting a bit tired of those employees of insurers who jump up and down claiming they know what is best for insurance brokers and that they have the holy grail of professionalism in their hands . From a professional insurer ’ s perspective , Gareth Hemming ’ s definition seems spot on .
Certainly with Steve White and Graeme Trudgill seeking to define insurance broking professional standards at BIBA ( and supported by Brendan McManus who is also a CII Vice President ) it does make one think that a few years down the line the insurance broking profession might be up there in the public eye with the best of them .
RWA has recently completed a video on insurance broker ’ s duties for the CII Faculties based on the RWA “ Fundamentals of an Insurance Broker ’ s Duties ” and this is now available . The text will be published on the RWA Blog site and is just being launched as part of a series of training courses on the Aviva OBELISK and Learning & Development Zone .
As part of our contribution to professionalism we are also launching a new insurance broker specific qualification on international trade with the Institute of Export . The objective is to raise knowledge and understanding of the subject and with a formal qualification ( CITIB ), Insurance brokers will be better placed to act for clients who import or export goods and services . There are also strong reasons for the qualification in the claims settlement arena . Ultimately , BIBA may help define standards in the form of a code and once we all know what those standards are , the CII will drive forward with the Chartered Initiative and I am sure start the process of auditing Chartered Insurance Brokers ’ files and procedures to ensure that they meet the standards that the profession itself helps define . My friend Watham Pitglow has copyrighted what probably is the best slogan for Chartered status to date : You don ’ t have to be Chartered to be professional but you do have to be professional to be Chartered . Nice one Waltham . Perhaps Ashwin can drive that aphorism to reality .
Two lovely comments from supposedly professional Chartered Insurance Brokers this month : “ If I don ’ t get more commission from insurers soon I am leaving this club ” and “ The free trip to Bordeaux was quite an incentive ”! RWA supports the Chartered Insurance Broker Initiative but let ’ s not get carried away . The bar is really rather low at the moment and until there are some standards to measure performance by , it is probably best not to make too many exhorbitant claims . Professionalism is about doing something to the best of your ability and seeking never to let a client down . It takes far more than being FCA compliant , a BIBA member or a Chartered Insurance Broker . It takes something far deeper than that and often only a professional person will understand what it is .
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