Following the Coversure Expo 2023, we wanted to recognise some of the people who’d made an extra special contribution to what had been another extraordinary year for Coversure. To do this, we hosted the Coversure Expo Awards.
The Coversure franchise network is now home to just under 100 UK offices. These range from general commercial and property brokers to more specialist ones serving niche sectors.
What unites them is their desire to provide a top-flight insurance service to their clients and to grow their businesses. It’s a combination that has seen Coversure achieve consistent organic growth, and which will see us achieve even more in the future.
Franchise of the Year
The offices that were nominated in this category were:
- Crewe
- Newcastle
- Islington
- London East
And the winner was Coversure Islington.
John Harley, Coversure Islington’s franchisee, was presented with the award by our Retail Managing Director, Rob Organ.
Operating any Coversure franchise can be extremely busy at times with all the elements that come with running a successful brokerage. John and the Coversure Islington team not only navigated these challenges but also succeeded in progressing into our ‘High-Growth’ franchise category. This is no mean feat and is a testament to the team’s determination to succeed and willingness to maximise every single opportunity that came their way.
Coversure Islington achieved an amazing 21% growth and 89% client retention rate over the previous 12 months. They did this by consistently going the extra mile in the claims process when clients really needed them. The Islington office opened in 1996 and has become a pillar of the local business community.
Enterprise Award
In this category, the judges were looking for examples of growth through innovation, overcoming challenges to improve performance, and expanding their product proposition and knowledge. The nominees were:
- Coversure Hull
- Coversure York/Batley
- Coversure Leamington Spa
- Coversure Haverhill
And the winner was Coversure Haverhill.
Phil Harrison franchisee at Coversure Haverhill, had an amazing year that saw his franchise grow by 235%. Having only opened in 2021, Coversure Haverhill is a shining beacon of what can be achieved with the Coversure franchise model and the right franchise team in a short space of time.
Star Award
In this category the judges were looking for an individual who had excelled in their training and development, who had inspired others and who had helped to deliver superior service for their team. The nominees for the Star Award were:
- Ellie Ward – Coversure Keighley
- Luke Clemmit – Coversure York
- Deane Michael – Coversure Bromsgrove
- Aurelia Travers-Ayre – Coversure Castle Donington
And the winner was Luke Clemmit.
Luke’s knowledge of office software systems helped others to develop their skills and win business opportunities. By observing existing processes, Luke put forward new ideas and helped to implement them, which streamlined operations and ultimately helped to improve client service. Luke was presented with his award by Mel Richards (Director – Coversure York Group) and received a £500 hotel voucher.
Team Award
In this category, the judges were looking for examples of teamwork that delivered positive outcomes for clients, a consistent willingness to support colleagues alongside demonstrating a culture of professionalism. The winner of this award delivered all these things and more.
And the winner was Coversure London East.
The team has maintained a positive culture since bringing its multiple offices into one location and everyone involved has embraced change. Coversure London East is built on a solid and high-quality team that has consistently delivered first-class service for clients. The team is well aware of how important it is to support colleagues with work and that support extends to their personal lives.
Congratulations to the whole team who have won a complimentary meal at a restaurant of their choice.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Although the title of this award is self-explanatory, it highlights the lifecycle of the Coversure franchise model and how people can successfully grow their business while having a built-in exit strategy.
Trading through challenging markets, UK economic ups and downs, changing insurer appetites and everything else that comes with running a successful brokerage takes resilience and drive. This award acknowledged the relentless ambition of a franchisee to deliver the Coversure insurance proposition over many years.
The winner of the Life-Time Achievement Award was Frazer Lewis.
Frazer opened his business in Kidderminster in December 2001, and it has gone from strength to strength. The office has gone on to become a multi-award winner, become one of the group’s largest and has achieved consistent levels of growth.
Upon receiving his award, Frazer said: “I’ve spent my entire working life working in insurance. Coversure had an ethos that fitted well with my own at the time, and I’ve never looked back.”
Congratulations to all our award winners and we look forward to recognising more Coversure champions at the next Coversure Expo in 2024.
