Why every insurance broker should have a claims team

Clarke Dove's in-house claims team offers expert advice and support to every client. “Handling claims is a crucial part of the insurance process and our service to all our clients,” says Andy

Clarke of Clarke

IFP rebrands to NIRAS

NIRAS has announced that its UK-based food and beverage capital investment expert, Integrated Food Projects (IFP), will rebrand and operate as NIRAS – creating the UK’s largest food and beverage manufacturing consultancy.

Dove.

“When a client experiences a loss covered by their insurance policy, they will file a claim with the broker, who will provide initial advice and then work with the insurance company to assess the claim and determine the appropriate course of action In some cases, insurance brokers no longer provide this service to their clients, expecting clients to go directly to the insurer or outsourcing the service to a third-party provider In our experience this seldom works and often leads to dissatisfied clients, so we don’t do it Having a dedicated claims department allows us to handle claims efficiently and effectively on behalf of our clients It also helps to ensure that our clients receive prompt advice and fair settlements when they experience a loss Our claims team maintains strong relationships with our clients, supporting them through some of the most stressful and emotional events By providing an excellent claims service, we prove our commitment to our client's needs and satisfaction ”

Meet the Clarke Dove claims team

Kevin Dean Cert CII

Claims Manager, Kevin has over 15 years of experience in claims management, working in all areas of claims management across the insurance sector About his role, Kevin says "Our clients know we’re here to help them when they need to make a claim, and we’ll be there at every stage of the claim In serious circumstances, this could be the worst day of their lives and we need to be on hand to provide advice straight away and to help smooth the claims process balancing the situation with making sure we have the information we need to present the claim to the insurer in the best possible light ”

Katie Ritchie

Claims Handler, Katie has worked for the company since 2005 having various roles since her time at Clarke Dove Katie looks after a portfolio of claims, making sure they are progressing, keeping the diary up-to-date, and updating clients on developments Kevin and Katie work together on making sure the team is up-to-date on claims trends, updates from insurers, and any regulatory changes that could affect claims handling Sharing information with their colleagues regularly For example, a recent trend we continue to see is delays in the car repair sector, this is due to a shortage of parts as well as the shortage of vehicles We will work with insurers to ensure all options are explored to make sure the client has their vehicle repaired and returned to them as soon as possible

For further information: https://clarkedove co uk enquiry@clarkedove co uk

Integrated Food Projects, which was acquired by NIRAS in 2020, is located in Kegworth, East Midlands, and has achieved substantial growth over the last five yearsdelivering projects for the world’s biggest food and beverage brands IFP will now fully integrate with NIRAS’s current food and beverage business operating from four locations throughout England (Ascot, Kegworth, Greater Manchester and Leeds)

NIRAS will be the UK’s largest food and beverage manufacturing consultancy, with a 150+ strong team of consultants, engineers and project managers currently working for clients around the world with a focus on helping drive change in the value chain and optimising their clients’ competitive position As part of the rebrand, Matthew Carr will be promoted to Business Unit Director The senior leadership team will also include Nick Hickman, given the responsibility of VP Projects, and Phil Mason will take on the role of VP Operations.

For further information:

News from the Brewing, Food & Beverage Industr y Suppliers Association

VOL 5

ISSUE 1 Spring 2023

Bayliss BFBi National Chair

Welcome to the March 2023 edition of Your Voice and it’s hard to believe that we are into the third month of the year already. The world we live in remains volatile, with energy prices continuing to affect businesses and homes alike, fuelling the most discussed ‘cost of living crisis’ and causing a spike in the rate of inflation Our industry is certainly being affected as consumers rein in their spending whilst at the same time the cost of running our businesses increases Certainly in my “day job” with Christeyns Food Hygiene we are constantly reviewing our prices, seeking new raw materials, and endeavouring to work with our customers to mitigate these cost increases wherever possible. There is some good news, however, with the wholesale cost of energy decreasing and an increasing supply of many raw materials,so I am hopeful that, as this year progresses, we will see a return to confidence in our sector

There’s certainly much to look forward to with the (hopefully) improving weather as we enter Spring and the upcoming Bank Holidays in May including the coronation of Kings Charles III which will potentially see the sort of boost to our sector that we experienced during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Then, of course, we will be into the Summer months with the long evenings and with a fair wind we will see that consumer confidence continue and flourish into Autumn.

As I near the end of my term as National Chair of the BFBi, I reflect on the turmoil that has affected our industry throughout my tenure – from the Covid-19 pandemic, to the shortage of personnel and more recently the cost of living –and it has certainly been a turbulent time although I hope that the last few months will be calming down as I prepare to hand over to my successor But more of that in my next editorial, so in the meantime may I wish you success in your businesses, a warm Spring and a successful May Bank Holiday season

Best Regards

Chris Bayliss