The CII is required by Royal Charter "to secure and justify the confidence of the public". Its 112,000 members are committed to maintaining the highest standards of technical competence and ethical conduct. Part of his role as a regional president is therefore to promote education within the local insurance industry, which ultimately helps to ensure our customers receive sound advice and insurance cover that will provide the protection they expect when they need it most.
Insurance is a vitally important industry which in 2012 paid out £6 million in claims across the UK every day. It is also one of the UK’s most resilient industries and, according to research by the Association of British Insurers in 2013, the UK insurance industry is the largest in Europe. It is therefore an essential contributor to the UK’s economic strength, annually paying over £10 billion in taxes and employing around 320,000 people in the UK alone. The UK also has a very mature insurance market with a history spanning over 325 years and is therefore able to offer a diverse range of careers.
While the industry as a whole is a significant employer and contributor to UK GDP, at a local level, training, developing and retaining staff remains difficult, particularly for smaller regional brokers. This is where being part of the CII, which provides training courses, advice and mentoring services is particularly beneficial. In his day job as Branch Director - Chelmsford Commercial at national insurance broker Bluefin, Brett sees the training, mentoring and networking opportunities provided by the CII greatly benefitting our staff and in turn, our clients.
Our previous local CII president, Terri Driscoll Cooper, Branch Manager at Allianz Chelmsford, created a group to provide a network of support for young professionals in Chelmsford and South Essex. Brett will oversee the continuation of Terri’s work to ensure our young people receive the support they need to provide the services their customers expect, and that those currently considering their career options are aware of the opportunities that insurance,supported by professional bodies like the CII, has to offer.
