Martyn Ingram, Village halls, Norris & Fisher Insurance Brokers

Martyn Ingram has just been recognized in the 2018 Top Specialist Brokers report by Insurance Business UK

Martyn Ingram, Village halls, Norris & Fisher Insurance Brokers
https://www.norrisandfisher.com/

VILLAGE HALLS

Managing director
Norris & Fisher Insurance Brokers

Martyn Ingram’s insurance broking career has spanned more than 40 years. When he joined the industry in 1974, he did so as a cover note clerk, and he stayed with that original company for 23 years. In 1999, he took over the business of Norris & Fisher.

IBUK: How did Norris & Fisher get into village hall insurance?
Martyn Ingram: 
Norris & Fisher’s entry into the world of village hall insurance came around 15 years ago when we took over another firm of brokers. They held a small number of village halls, and we identified an opportunity to develop a scheme for those cases.

The cover has developed considerably over the period, and we are always looking to extend it further. Last year we added cover to pay for clear-up costs after trespassers camped on the hall grounds. We also provide our clients with quality risk management information, and we offer a free rebuilding cost valuation. Our policy is available on a sub-broked basis, so other brokers can offer their clients a tailored village hall policy at competitive rates. The scheme has been a huge success, and we now insure thousands of village halls from the Shetlands to the Isle of Wight.

IBUK: What are the biggest risks for village halls?
MI:
The biggest risk facing village halls today is the issue of funding. Whilst many well run halls are in the fortunate position of having a large number of regular hirers, some struggle to pay the bills. They are often based in older buildings such as former schools, and the costs of maintaining the structure can be high. Their other major problem is finding new blood to serve on the committee. Hall committees are predominantly composed of retired people, who sometimes find it hard to step down owing to a dearth of younger, keener replacements.

IBUK: Do you face any particular challenges in this sector?
MI:
In regard to the challenges in insuring village halls, there aren’t really very many.  Persuading them to set sensible sums insured can sometimes be an issue, particularly with regard to buildings cover. This is one of the reasons we established a facility to provide them with a free valuation of the rebuilding cost from a firm of surveyors. Village hall insurance is a very rewarding area to work in. We are dealing with charities, which are a valuable resource in their local community.

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