Zurich invests in broker relations with 15 new hires

Zurich has hired 15 account executives, tasked with building bridges with 1,000 medium and small-sized brokers.

Commercial head Dave Smith said: “They are hungry and ambitious. Their job is to go to 1,000 brokers and make sure they are getting the right level of service from us.”

Smith said the industry as a whole was “holding back” from servicing community brokers.

The account executives will make up to four visits a day and will be on the road four days a week.

Asked if it was cost-effective, Smith said: “We believe it will be. While they may have small GWP books, if you can provide the service and love, I’m sure Zurich will reap the rewards.”

Smith was speaking a day after Ataraxia chief executive Stuart Randall hit out at broker service levels to small and medium-sized brokers, complaining that insurers have dismantled their branch structures and visits from account executives were rare.

Meanwhile, at the higher corporate end, Zurich has refreshed its real estate proposition, which has been running for 10 years. The proposition will now be split into five segments: residential estates; residential (other); commercial and mixture portfolios; international; and developers.

The segmentations have a number of offerings to help corporates, such as legal help, carbon certification and validation services.