Carole Nash

Carole Nash is an insurance intermediary based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, specialising in providing motorcycle insurance to customers in the UK and Ireland. The company is one of the largest providers of motorcycle insurance in the British Isles, with more than 300,000 policy holders. Carole Nash also covers classic car insurance, performance cars, camper vans and classic minis among other vehicles.^[1] The company employs around 330 staff across locations in Altrincham and Dublin.^[2]

History

Carole Nash Insurance Consultants Ltd was founded by Carole Nash in 1985 from her home in Timperley, Greater Manchester, with a redundancy cheque of £2,500. Turnover in the first month of the company's formation totaled £834.^[2]

By 1995, the company had 30,000 policy holders, predominantly insuring classic and vintage motorcycles. By 1997, the company was one of the leaders in the UK motorcycle insurance market. The company had grown through close association with motorcycle clubs such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) and attendance at grassroots events and shows such as the Classic Motorcycle Show. In 1994 Carole Nash became the first female president of the VMCC.^[3]

In 1999, the company moved into the Irish motorcycle insurance market. Boyzone front man Ronan Keating opened the company's new office in Dublin.

In 2004, the company acquired the motorcycle insurance arm of the Automobile Association, helping the company to increase their customer base to 230,000 policyholders.^[4]

In December 2006, the company was sold by its founder to French insurance group Groupama for an undisclosed sum.^[5]

In 2011, as part of a theft reduction scheme, Carole Nash decided to provide a sophisticated combination of microdot and Digital Nanoparticle Authentification (DNA) technologies free to any biker who takes out or renews a Carole Nash policy.^[6]

In 2012 Carole Nash was awarded an OBE for charitable services in the North West of England.^[7]

In September 2012, Ageas acquired Groupama’s UK insurance operations, boosting its presence in the automobile and home sectors. However, Carole Nash was excluded from the sale.^[8]

Awards

Carole Nash has been awarded a number of awards, including:

• RiDE Magazine, RiDER Power Survey:
  • Britain's Most Used Motorcycle Insurance Broker – 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.^[9]

• Insurance Age Awards:
  • Claims Initiative of the Year – 2004

• British Insurance Awards:
  • Personal Lines Broker of the Year – 2003, The Training Award – 2003

Sponsorship

Carole Nash is the title sponsor of the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show, called Motorcycle Live from 2010, which is held annually from late November to early December at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

The company maintains a strong partnership with the British Motorcyclists Federation, and is regularly present at a number of key events in the British motorcycle community calendar. These include:

• The BMF Motorcycle Show, held in Peterborough.
• The Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show, held in Staffordshire.
• The Carole Nash Irish Motorcycle & Scooter Show, held in Dublin.
• The Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show, held at the ExCeL Centre in London.
• The Carole Nash MCN Scottish Motorcycle Show, held in Edinburgh.

Since 2007, Carole Nash has worked in partnership with Motorcycle News to run Britain's Got Biking Talent; a competition aimed at custom motorcycle designers and builders. The competition attracts around 1,500 entries annually.

Jonathan Rea, the motorcycle racer who has 12 world superbike race victories to his name,^[10] is an ambassador^[11] for Carole Nash.

Fuzz Townshend, who is a British drummer, TV Presenter of National Geographic Channel's 'Car SOS' and a motoring journalist, is a Cherished and Classic Cars Ambassador for Carole Nash Insurance Consultants Ltd.^[12]

Insidebikes

The company operates its own motorcycle news, guide and advice site, entitled Insidebikes. The site provides motorcycle-related news covering industry news, consumer issues and sport news from the MotoGP, Superbike World Championship and British Superbike Championship. A number of guides on new products, models and owning and riding advice are also featured.

References

External links

• The Carole Nash Website (UK)
• The Carole Nash Website (Republic of Ireland)
• Insidebikes
• The Carole Nash International Motorcycle and Scooter Show