Author: Steve Wright

The insurance challenges facing care operators

Care operators are facing continued pressures and rising costs including insurance premiums, potential litigation, recruitment issues and a reduction in self-funded admissions. With certain insurance premiums rising, as potential risk increases and appetite for the sector diminishes, it’s more important than ever to work with an insurance broker that understands the sector.  

Specialist health and care insurance broker, TL Dallas & Co Ltd (TL Dallas), works with many independent and corporate care home groups and domiciliary care providers across the UK and is offering an all-encompassing service, including access to a wide range of insurance packages, risk management and business advice, to help care providers reduce costs and plan for the future.

Headed up by two brokers, Rico Young and James Bright, who have almost 25 years’ combined health and care industry experience, TL Dallas understands the issues care providers face and can arrange tailored insurance packages, designed to meet individual client needs, covering all aspects of insurance and risk management, as well as cyber security and management liability. TL Dallas can also provide advice to providers that require CQC assistance and guidance, ranging from CQC applications to inspections and interventions.

James Bright said: “We understand that care providers have a lot on their plates! Often insurance is only something they think about at renewal time, or when they need to make a claim. However, partnering with an independent broker like TL Dallas, that takes the time to understand your business throughout the year, will ultimately help mitigate future risks.

“Over the years we have heard horror stories of care providers falling foul to incidents, such as personally being sued over employee claims, as they have the wrong level of directors’ and owners’ liability cover, only getting a percentage of re-build costs paid out as they were under-insured or falling victim to fraud with no compensation. The key to making sure that care providers are insured correctly, is taking the time to thoroughly understand the business.”

Rico Young added: “We can offer care providers a review of what policies they have in place at any point during their policy period, to ensure they have the right cover, not just at renewal, and can advise care operators that want a second opinion. A policy can appear cost effective, however, if it’s not addressing real issues in the business, it’s worthless.

“As a broker TL Dallas is not tied to a specific panel of insurers, which means we can approach a wider range of insurance companies. As such we are providing an unbiased solution, by placing business with the right insurers.

“We also work with a specialist risk management consultancy that can review a care providers business, helping identify what they can do if for example, the CQC has put them into special measures. We know of providers, where in extreme circumstances, insurance cover has been pulled overnight after a poor CQC rating, so having access to consultants who understand this process before that happens, is hugely valuable.”

TL Dallas works with care providers that are just starting out in the industry, as well as long standing industry leaders and everything in between. James added: “All clients need to feel reassured that their broker cares about them and their business. As times change, new risks emerge, such as cyber insurance, which care providers can’t afford to ignore. As care plans become digital, sensitive information is held on devices or in the cloud. What happens if the technology fails? We heard about one provider who held everything on a USB stick – the implications for the business if that was lost or stolen are vast! 

“We work with key insurance providers that can offer a free review of IT systems to identify where the issues are through expert IT software analysis. Any problems can be addressed and certified, so an insurance company can see that the care operator has rigorous processes in place.

“If a provider is expanding their business, we can help plan for this. If they are struggling with recruitment and want to offer employees a package of benefits that will help attract people to their team, our sister company, TL Dallas Independent Financial Services can provide advice regarding this.

“It’s not just about the annual renewal for us, we do everything we can to protect clients as well as helping them grow and thrive. We discuss long-term agreements with insurers and negotiate rebates where there are low levels of claims.

“Insurance is a complex business, but we are here to make it as straightforward and as valuable as possible.”  

TL Dallas appoints experienced Cumbrian insurance broker

The Cumbrian office of TL Dallas, which launched just five months ago, has expanded with the appointment of Philip Jackson.

Philip is Cumbrian born and bred and has been in the insurance industry for 40 years this August. He joins TL Dallas from Marsh Commercial.

Philip started his career in insurance at CH Jeffries in 1983, which went onto become one of the largest independent brokers in England, before being sold multiple times. Philip said: “Having experienced first-hand what can happen when an independent firm is sold to bigger, corporate businesses, with local teams stripped out and the hiving off of certain types of businesses to central hubs, I was keen to join another truly independent business like TL Dallas.

“I take great pride in my work and wanted to be part of a business with values, purpose, accountability, and integrity and can offer a local service. Making a move after so many years was a big decision, but when I met the team at TL Dallas there was a palpable sense of calm, professional assuredness, a friendly and warm welcome and a feeling that I’d met a group of very professional and capable people.”

During the first 20 years of Philip’s carer, he mainly insured traditional Cumbrian industries including farms, haulage firms, contracting businesses, as well as clients in the motor trade, manufacturing and charity sectors. Philip added: “As well as advising and arranging insurance cover, I was also responsible for handling any claims. I’m very passionate about providing a hands on, personal claims service, and being allowed to do this was a key driver in joining TL Dallas, but I also benefit from an in-house claims team.”

In the past two decades Philip developed an interest in specific sectors including theatres both touring and venues, along with commercial laundries, manufacturing, all aspects of the charity sector, whilst maintaining and growing his farming client base. Philip said: “My previous client base took me from Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, through England to London and across to the Isle of Man, but I’ve never lost the original love of farming insurance and related Cumbrian businesses, which I’m looking forward to building on at TL Dallas.”

Philip joins two former colleagues at TL Dallas’s Cumbrian office, Lynne Taylor and Emma Irving, who have 60 years combined industry experience. Lynne said: “We are really pleased to have Philip join our team. We’re working with commercial, corporate, and agricultural clients and believe that Philip’s appointment will appeal to clients old and new.”

Polly Staveley, managing director at TL Dallas, said: “It’s an exciting proposition for clients to have Emma, Lynne and now Philip based in the heart of Cumbria. Their combined experience is extraordinary and their expert knowledge and dedication to a first-class service to clients is admirable. We plan to continue investing and growing in Cumbria and are committed to providing clients with access to our wider network of insurance and financial services through this team.”

We are hiring!

To support our continued growth, we are looking for new team members to join our group.

Business (SME) Broker – Bradford

Corporate Broker – Bradford

Property Owner Scheme Underwriter – Bradford

Corporate Executive – London

Private Client team members

If you are interested in working for a stable, independent broker with opportunities across the UK, that values its people highly, please email: careers@tldallas.com

More healthy growth for independent insurance broker

TL Dallas is expanding after appointing two insurance brokers that specialise in the health and care industry.

Account executives, Rico Young and James Bright have joined TL Dallas from Marsh Commercial. They have almost 25 years’ combined industry experience and will be spearheading the firm’s health and care specialism.

Rico said: “After completing my business and economic degree, I started my career in general commercial insurance at SME Insurance Services Limited, before being headhunted by Bluefin Insurance, who were later acquired by Marsh Commercial. Gaining a promotion to account executive in 2018, I managed and grew a book worth £1.5m of gross written premium, with a diverse client portfolio. Experienced at insuring care homes, domiciliary care providers, doctors and dental surgeries, I also advise clients on ancillary policies including motor-fleet, property, management liability and cyber insurance to ensure any potential gaps in cover are addressed. I was keen to join an independent broker again and TL Dallas’s reputation for personal client service and caring for their people really stood out for me, as their values align with my own.”

James said: “I started my insurance career in personal lines insurance in 2005. I then moved to the commercial sector in 2013, working for Bluefin Insurance, which later becoming Marsh Commercial, taking on a new business role for care sector clients. In 2016 I started a management role focussed on growing the care department, looking after a team of account executives and brokers, while still liaising with key clients. In 2019, I went onto replicate the successes of the care division, setting up a new business department for the SME team, whilst also dealing with most types of commercial business, before returning to head up the health and care department in 2021.

“I really enjoy the work mitigating the risks that businesses face in the health and care sector, including medical malpractice and professional indemnity. I also work with clients to provide them with other vital cover, including management liability, cyber, engineering and property insurance. I’m thrilled to be joining TL Dallas. The firm is renowned in the industry for supporting its people and has an excellent team of talented brokers working across 12 UK offices.”

Polly Staveley, managing director at TL Dallas, said: “‘James and Rico are professional, technical brokers who have been working in the health and care sector for over 20 years. They understand the challenges faced by the sector and have access to specialist insurers that cover a wide range of insurance options for our clients.

“They will help us grow our market share in the health and care sector working with individual and large-scale multi-site care homes, children’s homes, foster care agencies, hospices, retirement homes, domiciliary care and supported living providers, charities, dental practices and GP surgeries, as well as with providers of complementary and alternative therapies.”

Head of commercial at TL Dallas, Tim Mortimer, added: “Our commercial division is going from strength to strength with a 15% uplift in business over the last financial year. Welcoming Rico and James to the team is a real highlight for us. Both are dedicated professional brokers who put clients first and have the technical knowledge and expertise to get the best policies in place for clients.”

Contact James Bright on 07984 143885 / James.Bright@tldallas.com or Rico Young on 07984 143758 / Rico.Young@tldallas.com, or contact the office on 01274 465 500 / care@tldallas.com

TL Dallas tells the same story as figures reveal a rise in independent bookshops

The Booksellers Association (BA) has reported that the number of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland has grown for the sixth consecutive year, and the rise is something insurance broker, TL Dallas is also seeing, as enquires increase for book related insurance products. 

TL Dallas provides a suite of specialist insurance policies to hundreds of bookshops throughout the UK. It has worked with bookshop owners, book dealers, book binders and private collectors for over 30 years, and also specialises in insuring unusual collectable items, including gaming cards.

The figures from the BA reveal that the number of independent bookshop members at the end of 2022 grew to 1,072 shops, up from 1,027 in 2021, and the lowest point of 867 in 2016. This marks a decade of growth, following 20 years of decline.

TL Dallas is reporting an increase in the number of new policies it has provided to independent bookshops, in particular. Molly Jones, from TL Dallas in London, said: “We feel privileged to have protected hundreds of bookshop owners, book dealers, book binders and private collectors for so many years, and it’s an area that we feel very passionate about.

“We have seen a steady increase in the number of new bookshop owning clients taking out policies with our firm over the last few years, which is great news, and many are independently owned.

“We find that independent bookshop owners want to work with an insurance broker who understands how important their business is and the unique challenges they face. Our bespoke approach, as well as our knowledgeable and experienced team, alongside an in-house claims team, is proving very popular amongst independent bookshop owners.”

Polices typically bought by bookshop owners include cover for buildings, stock, contents, goods in transit, book fairs, other locations, business interruption, public liability, employers liability and money.

TL Dallas is the approved insurance provider of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association (PBFA), a national organisation that organises second-hand and antique book fairs in the UK, with over 400 members offering rare books, prints, manuscripts, maps and more.

Contact TL Dallas in London on 020 7426 5330, email molly.jones@tldallas.com or visit https://www.tldallas.com/ for more details.

Bird flu drives demand for specialist insurance products

As the ongoing crisis in the wild bird population continues, and with the conventional “high risk” season upon us, a specialist agricultural insurance broker, says it’s more important than ever that businesses have contingency plans in place.

Despite the nationwide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), which has been in place across Great Britain since 3 November 2021, being lifted in August, new outbreaks are still being confirmed and restriction zones remain in force where the disease remains prevalent. Bird keepers are also urged to remain vigilant and still follow enhanced biosecurity measures to prevent future outbreaks.

Dallas Scott Davey, which is part of national insurance broker and risk management specialist, TL Dallas Group, allied with a forward-thinking Lloyds underwriting capacity, is currently arranging insurance cover for clients against bird flu, as well as handling claims, on behalf of businesses throughout the industry.

Ed Davey, a director at Dallas Scott Davey, explained: “Growers, egg producers and businesses that are ancillary to the primary farming and food production industries, are increasingly concerned about the exposure their businesses face due to AI. Record numbers of wild birds, particularly fledglings, sea birds and waterfowl, are being lost across the country due to the disease in the wild.

“Numerous poultry units have faced restrictions throughout the summer, despite this being the traditional low season and now, given the starting position, we will be much further down the road than normal, and businesses are understandably concerned that incidents could soar.

“The situation is compounded by agri-inflation and the increased financial risk the poultry and ancillary industries now face. For poultry farmers, accommodating rising chick, feed, power, logistics and other ancillary costs, means increasing sale prices to offset them, or clinging to ever thinner margins if contracts are non-negotiable. Either way, risk management is ever more important.

“With the extent of AI claims in 2022, a number of insurers are looking at re-rating their books. Plus, producers, suffering from agri-inflation, remain unclear as to whether existing policy wordings can accommodate every scenario. Indeed, some producers are unaware of their responsibility to organise secondary cleaning and disinfection. It is their responsibility to draw up an appropriate plan and obtain approval from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Restocking of birds may well be delayed if an agreement can’t be reached resulting in further consequential losses.”

Ed continued: “These are unprecedented times in the poultry and ancillary sectors. Understanding the financials, the production process and the standards of existing biosecurity are key. However, it’s crucial to adopt a mindset around contingency planning. In many cases biosecurity isn’t as well managed as it states on paper and having advisers on board that understand what’s at stake is key. 

“With a combination of up-front financial planning upon which the underwriting hinges, and a clear understanding of the level of biosecurity measures adopted, individually tailored insurance cover is available. Most importantly it must measure the true consequential loss to the business as a result of disruption caused by an outbreak, rather than basing cover around traditional material damage market valuations.

“Once you understand what protection the cover delivers to the business, it really makes you think not just about an outbreak at your own holding, but the implications the lockdown of neighbouring units can have within any 3km prevention zone or the 10km surveillance zone. It isn’t just about the scenario where you have dead birds on the holding; just being a suspect premises can have serious implications too.  

“Furthermore, should you have multiple businesses operating from a location where the poultry unit is based, such as holiday homes, farm shops or retail units, you need to think about possible interruption to each of those income streams as well. The cover available is very relevant to businesses today that have a combination of exposure to disease outbreak as well as multiple business interests.”

Dallas Scott Davey launched in Lincolnshire last year and is part of TL Dallas. The business offers specialist agricultural and business insurance and has now relocated to Plowright House, which is the University of Lincoln’s former agricultural campus within its Riseholme Estate. Today Plowright House is a Barclays Eagle Labs office hub with a focus on cutting-edge AgriTech research and related businesses. Dallas Scott Davey now has a team of five in Lincoln and plans to double in size over the next 18 months, recruiting five new account handlers and brokers.

Ed added: “In a short space of time we’ve quickly established a strong client base across a wide area, with our core business being in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Farming is experiencing significant challenges across all sectors, not least due to agri-inflation. Steering a course for these businesses and building the right insurance strategy needs more careful attention than ever before.”

For further information, call Dallas Scott Davey on 01522 449711 or email ed.davey@tldallas.com

TL Dallas expands in Glasgow following flurry of contract wins

TL Dallas is expanding in Glasgow following a flurry of contract wins, including clients in the renewables, technology and life science sectors. As a result, TL Dallas has appointed Iwona Siwik, who has a first-class honours degree in risk management from Glasgow University and several years industry experience as a corporate broker. She will support the commercial team, which includes Douglas Lapsley and Fiona Parker. There will be further team expansion this summer with another senior appointment.

Bernard Dunn, from TL Dallas in Glasgow, said: “As well as providing commercial insurance services to clients in the manufacturing, property, construction, food and drink sectors, we have developed a niche service specifically for the renewables sector and now have a significant number of hydro scheme clients.

“Glasgow is a real powerhouse for early stage high-growth technology and life science companies, and we have been privileged to guide a number of new businesses starting up in these sectors with specialist insurance advice, through our close working relationships with major Scottish Universities.

“In addition to commercial insurance, our due diligence consultancy service, which provides an insurance health check review to investment firms acquiring equity stakes in businesses, is continuing to grow, and we plan to recruit further this year, as we continue to work with our valued clients and win new ones.”

TL Dallas is a fourth-generation family business with 11 offices across the UK, included its Glasgow office on St Vincent Street. The team of 10 in Glasgow are led by experienced insurance brokers Bernard Dunn and Tim Mackenzie, who have more than 70 years combined industry experience.

The TL Dallas Glasgow and Edinburgh teams are all active in their local business communities. Douglas is on the board of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and a director of the Merchants House of Glasgow. Tim, Bernard and Fiona are board members of various charities and not for profit organisations. TL Dallas is a member of Family Business United (FBU) Scotland, and proud sponsors of The Glasgow Accies Rugby Club in Glasgow.

TL Dallas gears up for growth with hat-trick of office moves

TL Dallas, is expanding after relocating three of its offices to new premises, which follows the successful launch of two new businesses within the group last year. 

TL Dallas, which has 11 UK offices, expanded into Lincolnshire at the end of 2021, launching Dallas Scott Davey with experienced insurance professionals, Ed Davey, and Darren Scott, who have 45 years combined industry experience.

Dallas Scott Davey offers specialist agricultural and business insurance and has now relocated to Plowright House, which is the University of Lincoln’s former agricultural campus within its Riseholme Estate. Today Plowright House is a Barclays Eagle Labs office hub with a focus on cutting-edge AgriTech research and related businesses.

The company now has a team of three in Lincoln and plans to triple in size over the next 18 months, recruiting six new account handlers and brokers.

In April 2021, TL Dallas also opened an office in the Craven district of North Yorkshire. Known as Dallas Wilding Drew, the office is headed up by Simon Drew and Mark Wilding and offers general commercial insurance to privately owned businesses across all sectors. Simon and Mark have a combined total of more than 50 years of corporate insurance, personal insurance, and risk management experience between them.

Originally located in Settle, Dallas Wilding Drew has already grown to a team of four people, following the recent appointment of Shirley Walters from Marsh Commercial, and has now expanded into larger offices at Asquith Business Park in Gargrave near Skipton.

In addition, the London office of TL Dallas has relocated to 14 Devonshire Square, in the City of London, close to Liverpool Street Station. The office has recently recruited three new people and now has a 16-strong team supplying commercial insurance products to businesses across all industries, SMEs and hotels. In addition, the London office offers a variety of specialist products, including books, collectables and demolition insurance.

Polly Staveley, managing director at TL Dallas, said: “Simon, Mark, Ed, and Darren are all very experienced and genuinely strive to offer their clients the best products and advice possible and will negotiate hard on their behalf, so we knew they’d be a great fit for TL Dallas.

“Putting their names over the door and launching these businesses is a great way for us to bolster our business and service offerings in new areas, whilst giving experienced industry stalwarts the opportunity to be shareholders in the business.

“Our London office is also going from strength to strength and relocating to prestigious new premises in the heart of the City is an exciting prospect as we continue to grow our client base in the South of England.”

Ed Davey, director at Dallas Scott Davey, said: “In a short space of time we’ve quickly established a strong client base across a wide area, with our core business being in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Farming is experiencing significant challenges across all sectors, not least due to agri-inflation. Steering a course for the business and building the right strategy needs more careful attention than ever before. Ultimately farms and associated businesses are having to balance cost versus risk and our specialist industry knowledge and ability to provide a bespoke service is proving very popular.

“Expanding into new premises within the University of Lincoln’s former agricultural campus, which is now home to a wide range of businesses at the forefront of the farming industry, is the perfect address for a specialist agricultural insurance broker.”

Simon Drew, from Dallas Wilding Drew, said: “We set out with the aim of being trusted advisers and delivering the best value for money for our clients across general commercial and corporate insurance. In just over 12 months, we’ve doubled the size of our team and plan to create more jobs this year, as the number of clients we work with continually increases. This new office gives us the ideal platform to continue growing.”

Left to right is Darren Scott and Ed Davey