Insurance Times partners with Empower Development to ‘support learners with market intelligence’

Insurance Times has partnered with insurance focused training consultancy Empower Development to offer the firm’s students the opportunity to sign up for a three-month free subscription as part of their learning journey.

Although registered users are currently able to access a set number of Insurance Times articles for free per day, the publication’s subscribers are able to unlock additional exclusive content and articles.

This includes, for example, access to Insurance Times’ independent research – such as the Five Star Rating Report series, Top 50 Brokers and Top 50 Insurers reports – as well as the title’s full online archive of topical news analysis and thought provoking profile interviews.

Subscribers are also able to save articles, gain early sight of events and webinars to attend and receive a print copy of Insurance Times’ monthly magazine.

Samantha Lydon, managing director at Empower Development, explains that content collaborations such as the one between her firm and Insurance Times are vital for those studying for and undertaking insurance exams – for example, the ones organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) – because trade press articles can provide “commercial understanding and awareness” that elevates a “subject matter expert” into a “business leader”.

For her, the majority of insurance qualifications today focus on “technical skills” and building “subject matter expertise” – however, “the skills and the understanding that people need to really progress in this industry and take [their career] further is a commercial understanding of how it all fits together”. This is what Insurance Times can provide to enhance students’ learning, she said.

Lydon added that this real-world context is particularly important for the CII’s Diploma in Insurance qualification because students need to demonstrate a practical understanding and application of what they have learned, beyond citing information and numbers by rote, as part of passing the course.

There is also a “real benefit” to tying education with trade press content at the Advanced Diploma in Insurance level, Lydon continued, because this stage “is all about your application of knowledge”.

She explained: “It’s down to [students] to research and understand how [they] can apply knowledge, come up with ideas and show that [they] can really think for [themselves] – not just remember the information.

“With that Advanced Diploma in Insurance level, external resources, reading around and knowing where to go to learn about stuff, that’s really valuable. If you’re studying, absolutely you should be accessing publications.”

‘Meaningful impact’ on insurance careers

Initial conversations around the content driven partnership between Insurance Times and Empower Development started at 2024’s Biba Conference, with a soft launch following on 10 December 2025.

Empower Development informed its students about their ability to gain a free Insurance Times subscription on 13 January 2026, with a formal launch to market taking place today (2 February 2026) – hot on the heels of Insurance Times’ Destination Insurance conference last month (15 January 2026), an important facet of the brand’s ongoing Destination Insurance talent campaign.

As of 28 January 2026, 32 Empower Development students have claimed their three-month free Insurance Times subscription to firepower their learning potential.

Aakash Bhikha, senior client success manager at Insurance Times, worked closely with Lydon and the Empower Development team to organise the subscription partnership. For him, the “partnership reflects a shared belief in making insurance careers more accessible, informed and rewarding”.

He continued: “With my own background in apprenticeships and talent training, I was particularly impressed by Empower Development’s commitment to nurturing industry talent – not just for young people entering insurance, but for professionals at every stage of their careers.

“We saw a real opportunity for Insurance Times content to complement Empower Development’s work. Our reports, research and market analysis provide up to date insight and context that can support learners throughout their training journey.

“By combining Empower Development’s practical, experience led training with our market intelligence, we are helping equip future insurance professionals with the knowledge they need, not just to pass exams, but to thrive in their roles and contribute positively to the industry.

“This partnership reflects a shared belief in making insurance careers more accessible, informed and rewarding and we’re excited about the meaningful impact it will continue to have across the market.”