Paul Moors: Something old, something new

I awoke this morning, had my fruit and fibre and got into my shiny car. I turned on Radio 2 and was told it was 7 September 2011, and I suddenly realised the significance of the date. It was exactly 30 years since my first day at work. My first day at Sun Alliance, 30 years after I started what I thought would be a brief dalliance with the world of insurance.

Obviously in those days I didn’t have a shiny car. I had a 10-year-old Austin 1100cc van, bought for £150. But as I couldn’t afford petrol or insurance, I had to run for the 210 bus to get from Hyde into the centre of Manchester, before arriving at the 8th Floor of Pall Mall Court on King Street, Manchester. Here, I started work as a professional trainee along with another boy, Dominic Leach (who is, incidentally, another 30-year veteran with his own insurance business in Altrincham).

As Radio 2 droned on, and Moira Stewart morphed into Chris Evans, I started to reflect on the changes in those 30 years. First, what had happened to all the insurance companies? General Accident, Commercial Union, National Motor, National Vulcan, Eagle Star, Iron Trades, Minster, Orion?

What had happened to computer record sheets, punch card operators, tea breaks, carbon copies of hand-written endorsements?

What had happened to punk rock, new wave, new romantics?

What had happened to Liverpool FC and Bob Gratton’s hair?

I remembered the ‘old lags’ working at Sun Alliance, who were probably younger than I am now! I remembered the lunchtime beers in the Town Hall Tavern. And I remembered thinking: ‘I’ll give it 12 months and then I’m off to University’.

I didn’t go. I enjoyed the company, the work, the career, the exams, the cut and thrust … and the company car! I was an underwriter, an inspector and then a broker, and then started my own insurance broking business.

I reflected again back to 1981 and realised that there is such a thing as déjà vu, or at least proof that everything is cyclical. England had a great cricket summer against the Aussies, we had riots in London, and we had a Royal Wedding to cheer us up!

But there have undoubtedly been changes and I would say mostly for the good. Fax machines, mobile phones, emails, were not even thought about. Men don’t have to drink bitter and wear a suit, tie and black brogues. You can be promoted and paid for effort and talent, not just age. We are more tolerant in matters of race and religion, and despite the current economic position over 30 years, we probably have a better lot.

And although different in size and nature to 1981, the insurance market can still accommodate people from all walks of life providing opportunities for those who wish to have a great career, to work hard, to be innovative and be rewarded accordingly.

Paul Moors is chairman of Bollington.