Simply Business attacks insurance as ‘necessary evil’ in national TV advertising debut

Simply Business is targeting the UK’s 5 million small businesses with its first national TV advertising campaign.

The campaign show its customers talking about what they’d rather be doing instead of buying insurance.

In the first advert, Rachael Halstead, who owns Rachael’s Kitchen, says: “I’d rather deliver my cupcakes and get stuck in a lift with a moody fire eating goblin, fight him, befriend him, dance with him, than even think about insurance or policies.

“And that’s how I feel about insurance.”

The online business insurance broker then promises it will give customers up to seven quotes online in under six minutes.

The slogan is “compare it, buy it, forget it”.

The broker is spending £500,000 on the campaign, which will start on Monday and run for four weeks. More than half the adverts will air during peak hours on channels including ITV3, ITV4, E4, Dave, Sky Sports, Sky 1, and Sky Atlantic.

Simply Business Chief executive Jason Stockwood said: “Business insurance is a necessary evil – something you need as a business owner despite hoping you never actually have to use it.

“Simply Business understands that it can often be a pain and this advertising reflects our ethos that customers should compare their options, buy their insurance and then ultimately forget about it, safe in the knowledge that they are sufficiently covered.”

Simply Business’ panel comprises Zurich, AXA, Hiscox, Maltings Insurance, Finsbury Insurance Group, Ageas and UK General.

It has 250,000 customers and covers 1,000 trades. Its brokerage grew 17% to £22.9m in 2012, the most recent financial results available.

In July 2013 the company completed a management buy out from Brit Insurance, which sold its 37% stake in a deal backed by private equity firm AnaCap.