Be Wiser Insurance

Be Wiser Insurance is an independently owned insurance broker based in the south of England. The company is approved and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and is a member of the British Insurance Brokers' Associate (BIBA).[1]

History

The company was founded in 2007 by Mark Bower-Dyke and 7 Directors. The current number of employees totals over 650 staff in five offices across Andover, Hampshire.[2]

The business is a major employer in Andover,[3] with new headquarters opened in September 2014 by Sir George Young, 6th Baronet.[4][5]

Growth

The company's growth can be seen through consistent rankings in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for privately owned companies, sponsored by the Virgin Group. In 2011 it had 80,000 policy holders,[6] in 2012 that number increased to 100,000 resulting in a press comment "the Andover company has had to triple its staff since 2010, adding 100 in the past year alone",[7] and 32,000 new customers in 2013 brought the total to more than 140,000.[8] The current customer base is over 200,000 with a premium income of over £110 million and is one of the Top 10 Personal Lines Brokers in the UK.

Training and development

Be Wiser currently has 280 Apprentices and is one of the UK's Top 100 Apprenticeship Providers.[9][10][11] In 2014 the organisation was rewarded nationally for their apprenticeship programmes: HeadStart, FreshStart, SureStart and KickStart.[12][13][14][15] Be Wiser also trains and develops external candidates from across the insurance sector through its Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) training centre.[16][17]

Sponsorship

Be Wiser Insurance sponsor several sports teams and events. Their British Superbike racing team for 2015 - Be Wiser Kawasaki – was managed by Tommy Hill, a previous British Superbike Champion from 2011.[18]

The 2015 team consisted of veteran rider Chris Walker and Danny Buchan,[19][20] who rode Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in a distinctive yellow and black livery.[21]

Team manager Hill left in August, 2015,[22] and the team folded in September, leaving Walker without a ride for the final two race meetings of the season.[23] Be Wiser entered into arrangements with another team, Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM), applying their branding to the PBM livery for the remainder of the season.[24] PBM also provided one of the two bikeless riders, Danny Buchan, with a machine for the two remaining races.[25]

Other Sponsorship:

References

  1. ↑ Be Wiser Insurance joins BIBA – 15th September 2014
  2. ↑ Andover Town. "Be Wiser Insurance Announces 20% Growth".
  3. ↑ "Be wiser posts drop in profit as turnover increases by £4m Insurance Age". www.insuranceage.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Latest news-Insurance People-News-Market Talk". insurancepeople.uk.com. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Sir George Young". sirgeorgeyoung.org.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "2011 The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 Rank: 13 Be Wiser Insurance". fasttrack.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "2012 The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 Rank: 45 Be Wiser Insurance". fasttrack.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "2013 The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 Rank: 78 Be Wiser Insurance". fasttrack.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Congratulations to the National Apprenticeship Award winners and the Top 100 apprenticeship employers". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Andover Insurance broker seeks apprentices". ITV News. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Andover Town. "National Apprenticeship Awards Win for Be Wiser". Andover Town. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Winners 2013 - INSPIRE BUSINESS AWARDSINSPIRE BUSINESS AWARDS". INSPIRE BUSINESS AWARDS. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Growing insurance firm prepares for the future". Daily Echo. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "The Business Magazine - Solent 250 Awards from The Business Magazine". The Business Magazine. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  15. ↑ Andover Town. "Andover Apprentice Helps Win National Award". Andover Town. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Introducing the Wiser Academy – 12 Day CII Certification Training To Change the Insurance Industry". Be Wiser Insurance. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "Career development & CSR: Be Wiser launches training academy". www.postonline.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "BSB: Tommy Hill to manage Kawasaki BSB team". 1 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "APKawasaki - British Superbikes Race Team". bewiserkawasaki.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  20. ↑ "Be Wiser Kawasaki 2015 Rider Line-Up – Chris Walker and Danny Buchan - Chris Walker the Stalker". walkerthestalker.com. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  21. ↑ "AP Kawasaki - Gallary". bewiserkawasaki.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  22. ↑ Hill leaves Be Wiser Kawasaki after ‘differing ideas’ Bike Sport News, 25 August 2015, Retrieved 10 October 2015
  23. ↑ Be Wiser Kawasaki withdraw from BSB Motor Cycle News, 28 August 2015, Retrieved 10 October 2015
  24. ↑ British Superbike, British Superbike.com, Teams]. Retrieved 12 October 2015
  25. ↑ Danny Buchan to finish 2015 at PBM Kawasaki, Motor Cycle News, 29 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015
  26. ↑ "Be Wiser Insurance Celebrates 5th Birthday with a Day at the Races". Be Wiser Insurance. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  27. ↑ "Royals announce Be Wiser deal". readingfc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  28. ↑ "Partners". readingfc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  29. ↑ "Be Wiser Kawasaki Team Launched". Be Wiser Insurance. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  30. ↑ Be Wiser Kawasaki set for 2015 MCE British Superbike Championship – 1st October 2014
  31. ↑ "Be Wiser Insurance moves onto the racetrack". Wiltshire Business Online. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  32. ↑ Hampshire PGA 2015 Fixtures Diary - 5th March 2015
  33. ↑ "PBM announce Be Wiser, Ducati and Irwin for 2016". Retrieved 24 November 2015.

External links

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