Ecclesiastical launches new schemes portal for brokers

Ecclesiastical has launched a new digital portal to help brokers manage their schemes.

Called Schemes+, the new tool automatically generates pricing and documentation for quotes, allows brokers to compare different limits and gives them access to policy information.

It also contains several automated flags, which highlight to brokers the areas that require more information or need a referral to an underwriter.

The launch comes after Ecclesiastical ran a pilot with Pound Gates, a specialist insurance broker based in Suffolk, as part of the development process.

Chris Withers, schemes and partnerships director at Ecclesiastical, said: “I’m really pleased to launch our new Schemes+ offer to brokers and to help them and their customers grow their schemes business. 

“We’ve worked closely with brokers, such as Pound Gates, to shape the portal to meet their needs and believe it will really make a difference.”

Processes

Ecclesiastical said it developed Schemes+ after noticing that several brokers still rely on a manual process when bringing new schemes customers on board.

Del Sharman, director at Pound Gates, said the “tool has definite potential to help us make efficiencies, potentially allowing up to a third of renewals to go through an automated renewal process”.

“It’s been fantastic working on the pilot for Schemes+ with Ecclesiastical,” he said.

“By getting us involved, it shows us they’re serious about supporting schemes brokers to achieve their goals.”

Withers added that launching the portal builds on the growth of Ecclesiastical’s schemes book in recent times.

For example, in April 2024 the insurer reforged its schemes partnership with specialist finance and insurance broker Shire Insurance.

It also partnered with Petcover Group’s Brooks Braithwaite to deliver a new scheme aimed at pet professionals in January 2024.

“This is a really exciting time for us as at Ecclesiastical,” Withers said.

“We’ve made some fantastic steps towards growing our schemes book and have ambitious plans to do even more going forward.

“We believe there is a great opportunity for us to achieve those ambitions by working closely with brokers to help them solve some of their current challenges and this new digital platform can go a long way to achieving that.”