Specialist sports and leisure MGA unveils new name

Specialist sports and leisure MGA JRW Group has rebranded as Ripe.

The company has also revealed new offices at its headquarters in Manchester to house its 50-strong team.

The MGA, headed by chief executive Colin Whitehead, managing director John Woosey and executive chairman Paul Williams (pictured left to right), is perhaps best known for the drone product, Insure4Drones, underwritten by ArgoGlobal.

Former Thistle and Brightside chief executive Williams joined the company last October.

Woosey said the time was right to rebrand the technology-enabled MGA, which now has ten products and more than 180,000 policyholders.

He said: “The business has deliberately stayed off the insurance market radar until now, quietly growing its size and capabilities, but the launch of Ripe will see us hit the turbo button. We have huge plans to grow Ripe into new markets in the UK and new territories globally.”

Ripe now plans to invest further in digital channels and use of technology in the latter half of 2017. This includes the use of advanced pricing algorithms and expanding its existing use of robotics.

Williams said: “Our robotics, analytical tools and pricing algorithms are integral to us when it comes to researching the markets we enter.

“This technology enables us to thoroughly understand exactly what type of product and cover options consumers need and build a tailored offering based on those needs. This means that with us, consumers can pick the parts of the policy that are relevant to them and avoid paying for bundled cover that includes options they won’t use.”