Insurance Times Advent Calendar: David Haynes

Open your advent calendar below!

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1. What was your insurance industry highlight of 2025?

As an insurer covering mainly small losses, the way the industry responds to catastrophic events like the Los Angeles wildfires is truly impressive.

As climate change deepens the industry will need to continue flexing and rising to such challenges.

Closer to home, bringing all of our Bristol-based people together under one roof, at Trinity Quay in central Bristol, was a real highlight for Arag UK.

Integrating two big businesses inevitably takes time, but moving into our new HQ was a major milestone on that journey and has helped us to focus on our vision for the future.

2. What is your Christmas message for your insurance colleagues?

Go home, rest, enjoy the festive period with friends and family and come back recharged to complete the transformation of Arag UK.

People throughout the company have worked incredibly hard this year, as we continue to harmonise our businesses.

I’m very proud of the progress that we’ve made and what we’ve all achieved together and confident that 2026 will see us unlock even more of the value that Arag now offers.

3. What do you hope to find under the industry’s Christmas tree for 2026?

I think some magical new artificial intelligence (AI) tool will be on a lot of Christmas lists, but I’m not sure it’s the sort of thing Santa can squeeze down the chimney, ready-wrapped for use next year.

We were early adopters and have already seen return on that investment, winning a global LegalTech Breakthrough award this year, for a digital assistant we built in-house to support our legal advisors.

Helping customers engage with us in their preferred medium has to be a target, but AI isn’t a magic wand.

It’s going to take time, testing and a lot of hard work, so I’ll settle for a nice jumper and a Boxing Day win for Bristol City, under the tree.

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