Insurance Times Advent Calendar: James Nicholson

For the festive period and continuing every day until Christmas Eve, Insurance Times speaks to a selection of industry personalities about what they’d like to find under the tree for 2024.  

What was your insurance industry highlight of 2023?

On a personal level, having started at Zurich 26 years ago on the graduate programme, my highlight of 2023 has been being appointed as Zurich UK’s chief claims officer, I have worked towards a role on the executive committee since the day I started.

Besides this, it’s the feedback that we’ve had from our broking community.

For example, during customer week where we showcased some of our digital tools, which has been fantastic.

To receive such great feedback about the qualities of the individuals we have in our organisation has been a real treat.

What is your Christmas message for your insurance colleagues?

To my Zurich colleagues, I want to say thank you all for a great first year in post, it truly has been amazing. I look forward to working with many of you in 2024 and seeing what else we can achieve together.

To the industry, I would say there are so many opportunities that will present themselves to us in 2024.

There will be chances for us to join up as an industry when it comes to certain legislation that may be in the pipeline and there are definitely more opportunities to collaborate more around our sustainability principles.

There are so many opportunities – and we can do much more collectively.

What do you hope to find under the industry’s Christmas tree for 2024?

What do I hope to find under the tree? I hope to find a reduction in inflation and interest rates to support our market stabilisation, our customers and suppliers who have been impacted by the cost of living crisis.

I would also hope to find further positive progress across the industry on how we continue to tackle challenges around our sustainability ambitions – whether that be for the planet, or our people.

I’d also like to find well-mannered and considerate teenagers who don’t believe coming home at 3am without prior notice is acceptable – oh and socks please!