Insurance Times Awards 2024: McCarron Coates highlights ‘unique’ RTC Crisis Line service

1. Why did you put yourselves forward for the Commercial Lines Broker of the Year category?

We entered this award because we believe our support for commercial fleet customers in 2023/4 was beyond the norm and a true example of our ability to identify new and less obvious risks in the macro-environment and then better protect clients against them.

Rather than just warning about such risks, our strategy is to actively develop solutions for clients and take the pain points away. In this instance, we found our warnings of the liability issues emanating from the 2022 Highway Code fully warranted, when the new motoring law of Causing Serious Injury by Careless or Inconsiderate Driving was introduced.

2. What do you think makes your entry stand out and why should you win the award?

Our standout activity involved proactively creating a unique, free ‘RTC Crisis Line’ service, offering all clients face-to-face legal representation for commercial drivers involved in police-investigated incidents.

From first interview, to any prosecution’s conclusion, they can access support, defend allegations and have a professional presentation of mitigating factors. Additionally, we analysed scenarios emanating from both the Highway Code’s Hierarchy of Road Users and the new law and devised an innovative ‘Road Hierarchy’ board game, to engage customers and underline risk messages.

We also commissioned consumer research to support a Fatal Distraction campaign, throwing the spotlight on motoring law lack of awareness.

3. What would winning this award mean to you and your firm?

The team would love its innovative customer-focused broking approach to gain this top award recognition, as we have been bold in our approach and truly concerned about our customers’ significant new risks.

We have worked hard to find unique ways to both mitigate and communicate the dangers. Beyond this, it would also be recognition of our brokerage’s achievements – far exceeding acquisition targets and enjoying significant growth, as well as becoming the insurance partner for two separate trade associations.

Quite simply, an Insurance Times award Is a huge accolade and one that would clearly brand us a game-changing risk manager.