Scott Williams, Director of Clarke Williams Ltd
Scott Williams and Henry Clarke set up Clarke Williams Insurance Brokers in 2017. A specialist commercial insurance broker based in Tonbridge, Kent, their typical clients are primarily professionals and the construction industry. Within three years, they had grown to a team of 12 with a gross written premium of around £4 million.
Custodian Insurance was one of the first insurers they worked with. Scott explained: “I met Zahid Naqvi of Custodian Insurance some years ago at a trade event when I was researching letting agents. He was the only other insurance person there! It was certainly a unique way of meeting.”
At the time, Scott worked for another broker. He encouraged them to open an agency with Custodian Insurance, which they did. It worked well. Then, after establishing Clarke Williams, Scott got in touch with Custodian again, knowing how well they worked together.
Situation One
One of Clarke Williams’ plumbing contractor clients wanted a Professional Indemnity cover of £5m. Scott knew that few insurance companies would be happy about that.
The Solution
Investigating further into their client’s requirements, Custodian Insurance found that they only really needed a £1m limit on certain areas of cover, such as consequential loss.
The Result
Being underwriters, we have the adaptability over the terms so that everyone mutually benefits. Scott told us, “Thanks to your flexibility, the client got their limit, we were happy, and so were Custodian Insurance.”
Situation Two
Another example of our flexibility was when we solved a prospective client’s insurance concerns. An accountant was uncomfortable about the stability of their offshore market insurer, so approached Clarke Williams.
The Solution
They, in turn, asked us for help. We investigated the situation and found an insurance product that was right for the accountant. Scott said, “You weren’t the cheapest, but through negotiation we met the client halfway. He ended up paying more and had a higher excess than the offshore insurer, but the client felt secure with Custodian Insurance and even signed up to a long-term deal.”
The Result
Scott explained, “In this case as with many others, what sold it to the accountant was the fact that Custodian Insurance are AXA backed, offer increased benefits and provide access to their lawyer partners, providing that extra reassurance. This meant that we won a new client, thanks to Custodian Insurance’s flexibility and blue-chip backing.”
Flexible, Personal Service
Scott told us, “I like the fact that I can negotiate and hash out a deal that we’re both comfortable with. If Custodian Insurance hesitate over a particular risk, we delve into the detail and usually find a way that works. They help to ensure that our clients are covered and that we’re all happy with the agreement.”
