Fee and commission income (2004): £483m.
Pre-tax profit (2004): £13.9m
Address: Folgate House
26-28 Pembroke Road
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 1XR
Tel: 0870 908 3200
Fax: 0870 908 3201
Email: enquiries@folgate.co.uk
Year established: 2002
History: Almost six years ago Peter Cullum left Hiscox to create the market-leading underwriting agency in specialist and niche products, Towergate Underwriting Group. In 2002, The Folgate Partnership was formed, based on the same principles but focused on the general insurance market.
Core to both businesses is the proposition that the client must be satisfied that he is the recipient of an excellent value proposition, and insurers must secure targeted underwriting results.
The Folgate Partnership's acquisition activity and organisational development over the past two years have been intense, with 33 acquisitions by April 2004 controlling in excess of £420m GWP. The business now includes a number of underwriting agencies that provide Folgate and other brokers with access to market leading products backed by first class capacity in the company market and Lloyd's.
Folgate's broker partnership includes the 27 commercial broker acquisitions based on a "hub and spoke" model, with smaller brokers integrating into larger regional centres. This acquisition experience has also been instrumental in the development of a flexible network proposition for provincial brokers. Members can select from a menu of benefits ranging from access to product, markets and compliance support, through to selling a part share of their business to Folgate or a guaranteed exit plan.
Major shareholders: RBSM (Investments) Ltd; Peter Cullum; Andy Homer; Kenny Maciver.
Main lines of business: Personal lines, commercial lines
Number of UK branches: 52
Subsidiary companies: Folgate Masterplan; Folgate Underwriting Agency Personal Lines; SMg Risk Solutions, incorporating RBR Insurance Brokers Ltd; Duncan Pocock Risk Solutions; Bervale Mead Risk Solutions; Willett & Ross Risk Solutions; Folgate Risk Solutions, incorporating Clarke Cooper Insurance Brokers and Canterbury Insurance Practice; Seymour Pope Risk Solutions; Pallett & Collins Risk Solutions; DPR Risk Solutions; Folgate Underwriting Agency Personal Accident & Travel; Byas Mosley Risk Solutions; Folgate Sharp Risk Solutions; Folgate Underwriting Agency Commercial Lines; Folgate London Market Lloyd's Brokers.
Number of UK employees (2003): 810
Chief officer: Andy Homer
Biography: Andy Homer started his career with Commercial Union (CU) as a management trainee in 1971, qualifying as a chartered insurer in 1976.
He held various positions within the CU before becoming the company's youngest UK general manager in 1996.
Upon the merger of CU and General Accident to form CGU plc in 1998, he was appointed general manager, corporate and London markets. He left CGU to become chief executive of AXA Provincial in August 1998 and then chief executive of AXA Insurance plc, following the acquisition of the GRE Group in 1999.
He was also an executive director of Sun Life and Provincial Holdings plc between 1998 and 2000 (when Sun Life and Provincial Holdings delisted).
While at AXA he was non-executive director of its global reinsurance company AXA Cessions (France) and AXA Assistance (UK). He was chairman of the Motor Insurers' Bureau from 1998 to 2001. In 1998 he was appointed a trustee of the Insurance Ombudsman Pension Fund.
He was appointed chief executive of The Folgate Partnership on 1 March 2002. Homer was president of the CII, 2002-2003.
