Liverpool-based specialist in dog breeder legal expense cover is gearing up a marketing campaign aimed at trebling its user base
COMPANY NAME: Breedline Insurance Agency
ADDRESS: 114 Town Row, Liverpool L12 8SN
TELEPHONE: 0151 281 6196
FAX: 0151 2201364
EMAIL: markduffy@creamer.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.breedline.co.uk (under development)
Lines of business: Breedline is a single-product enterprise selling specialist legal expense cover for dog breeders
FINANCIAL STATISTICS:Breedline is part of the Creamer Liverpool group which has premium income of £2m and net profit before tax of about £56,000
KEY CONTACTS:For brokers and insurers: Managing director Mark Duffy
General inquiries: Hayley Styles or Dennise Lether
All are contactable via the company's main switchboard on 0151 2816196
UK OFFICES: 1
NUMBER OF STAFF: 7
COMPANY HISTORY:
Breedline is part of the Creamer Liverpool group, which sells insurance to clients including SMEs' property owners, builders and specialises in commercial property and residential let property.Breedline was formed five years ago when a dog breeder friend of managing director Mark Duffy and co-director Shirley Walmsley asked for protection from compensation claims from dissatisfied customers. Duffy first of all arranged cover through Commercial Union but through a number of sales the scheme ended up underwritten by Capita Assistance.The product is aimed squarely at Britain's 50,000 registered dog breeders who, between them sell quarter of a million puppies a year.Breedline is gearing up to revamp its marketing techniques and become a largely internet-based operation. The company is launching an email marketing campaign aimed at trebling the customer base.Duffy explained: "There's not enough awareness of the product but our success rate when we pitch to someone is nearly 100%. The phone calls we get are along the lines of 'how come I've never heard of you before?'"Breedline's basic product, sold to breeders who sell up to 20 puppies a year, costs clients close to £5 a month, for which they get £5,000 of legal expense protection per claim with access to a legal helpline, cover for up to £1,000 compensation per claim, defence against criminal proceedings under the Dangerous Dogs Act and help defending against Kennel Club disciplinary hearings. Dog breeders frequently sell puppies without a contract so clients also get a sales contract to help protect themselves.Duffy also plans to increase Breedline's cross-selling activities, targeting home insurance and puppy insurance to customers of the broker's clients."House insurance is important because most breeders are operating a business from home and most of their insurers don't realise that. We're looking for insurers to give an extension on this."
SURPRISING FACT:Breedline saw the fruits of its labours when one breeder faced a major blow to her income. Having sold a puppy that was mistakenly pronounced fit by a vet, the breeder faced action by the Kennel Club which brought in trading standards officers to investigate.Had she lost, she would have been prevented from selling puppies as a registered breeder causing severe damage to her breeding business. The case went to appeal but the breeder was eventually victorious."It just shows you may do nothing wrong yourself but still get sued," Duffy said.
