STOCKTON-ON-TEES
We shall be – Erimus MD Lee Elgie , right , and CEO Paul Davison .
PICTURE : TOM BANKS
INSURANCE WITH A
PERSONAL TOUCH Broker says knowing its clients is key to ongoing success
Erimus , based at Preston Farm in Stockton , is the largest insurance broker with a North-East head office . Competing on a national and international level of the insurance industry , but with its heart in the Tees Valley , the firm is dedicated to providing local expertise and giving back to its home region .
That local touch has been vitally important over the past two years , particularly with the impact of Covid and lockdown . For while some sectors , including within the insurance industry , struggled to get staff back , the Erimus team was always available to help clients and give them the quality service the firm believes it consistently delivers .
Managing director Lee Elgie commented : “ During the pandemic , there was , generally , a real drop in service standards . More often than not , people would find themselves ‘ on hold ’ a significant amount of time while trying to engage with providers .
“ What we felt proud about , and believe , is that we knew our customers would call our number , or email their usual contact , and that their call would be answered by a member of staff . Their reason for calling or emailing would therefore be dealt with by a member of staff who understood their business and needs .”
Dealing in commercial and corporate insurance , Erimus – it ’ s Latin for “ we shall be ” - was established in 1986 and has grown steadily to gain a place in the top 50 insurance brokers in the UK .
It serves clients from owner-managed SMEs to multi-million pound turnover companies in industries as diverse as haulage to solicitors and contractors . The firm has a strong client base in the Tees region and around the north , as well as nationally and internationally .
During the pandemic , Erimus was able to focus on existing clients but also target new business . As such , it is now responsible for placing insurance for £ 26m of insurance premium .
However , Erimus continues to expand and is continually looking for the right people to join the business .
Lee said : “ We have more than doubled in size in the past 10 years . We create longterm relationships and those clients love the fact that they can deal with someone , at the end of the phone , with whom they have built up a relationship .”
Lee is also really keen to continue to promote insurance as a profession locally , with Erimus currently working alongside an insurer to provide an apprenticeship scheme .
But he doesn ’ t want to stop there and would encourage more people to consider insurance as a viable career .
He said : “ I never wanted to work in insurance , to be fair . I didn ’ t really know what it was when I left school , but as a career it has given me everything I could have wished for and more .
“ I see the great existing knowledge base that we have in the office here and I want to pass that knowledge and expertise onto the next generation on Teesside .”
Erimus CEO Paul Davison said : “ We want to continue to take the business forward .
“ We want to retain the personal service for our clients that they are used to , and this is driven by our fantastic servicing team .
“ In terms of scale and expertise , we feel that these are really positive times for us and our growth aspirations .”
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