Ashwin Mistry, Brokerbility

Professionalism is key to customer confidence in the current trading environment and I have signalled Brokerbility’s commitment to achieving the accolade of chartered status throughout the group by 2013.

We are delighted by the enthusiastic response. Twelve of our brokers are already confirmed as chartered, with a further eight now very close.

According to the latest available data from the Chartered Insurance Institute, we constitute 15% of UK’s chartered brokers. With that CII ratio set to rise, I challenge anyone to doubt our resolve and commitment to professionalism in our sector.

Our brokers come from an era when professional qualifications were compulsory and engagement in local CII and Biba committees were positively encouraged; but that does not mean we see examination qualifications as the sole standard for professionalism. I believe you never stop learning and accumulating experience in:

• putting clients at the heart of insurance broking;
• delivering practical insurance solutions, with unrivalled personalised, local service;
• identifying, nurturing and developing talented individuals as the life blood of any business; and
• doing business profitably for all our stakeholders.

Raising the quality of engagement and demonstrating professionalism has never been so important”

I am a staunch supporter of professional qualifications and team development, and very much an advocate of experience, knowledge, skill, attitude and enthusiasm - ingredients which the Brokerbility Group has in abundance.

We all recognise the exceptional current trading conditions, in which keeping close to our clients and retaining their trust and confidence is vital.

The values of insurable risks are under pressure, the lack of available credit is a threat to the heartland of UK business, so it’s inevitable that our clients’ buying behaviours are changing.

Raising the quality of engagement and demonstrating professionalism in all we do has never been so important and is key to the future success of the broking profession.

Chartered status reinforces our credentials as a well-informed community of general insurance brokers, able to shape a modern, forward-thinking - but proportional, risk-based - approach to regulation with the Financial Conduct Authority.

For further information, visit: charteredinsurancebroker.com

Ashwin Mistry is chairman of Brokerbility