Firstly, and most importantly, I hope you are all well, both physically and mentally.
Welcome to our autumn newsletter, our periodical designed to keep you abreast of our news and activity in the UK insurance industry.
Most of you will know that in February this year, after 40 successful and happy years, Bruce Stevenson agreed to be acquired by the very well-respected broker, Aston Lark Limited, one of the top five Chartered Insurance Brokers in the UK. This decision was certainly not taken lightly, but we think it is the right one. Integration meetings are ongoing, and the emphasis is on ‘innovation not revolution’.
The Bruce Stevenson name and brand will remain and will continue to operate as a separate legal entity. Importantly, we are now the Scottish division of a larger organisation in Aston Lark. All our hardworking staff, including our management team and myself, remain with the business and your relationship with our staff will not change. All our offices will remain open, with our Glasgow office welcoming the Aston Lark team who are already operating in the city. In our newsletter, I speak to Aston Lark CEO, Peter Blanc, about our shared vision and ambitions.
We are currently experiencing the trials and tribulations of a hard insurance market and even large experienced and established brokers must navigate the market shrewdly to acquire sensible premiums and terms for clients.
Current trading conditions have resulted in some renewals proving very challenging. We have sought to start the renewal process early and, where possible, place pressure on insurers to release terms earlier, especially if large rating increases are being applied.
In January, the business interruption test case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) against insurers on behalf of policyholders reached a milestone. The supreme court threw out appeals from six insurance companies and largely supported the arguments made by the FCA and a policyholder action group. At the time of writing, settlement to those affected is still ongoing. We will continue to monitor the situation and give guidance on how we can progress matters and continue to support our clients.
Throughout successive lockdowns, I have been extremely proud of the way the business has pulled together in such extraordinary circumstances. Our team is largely still working from home, with the flexibility to work in the office for those in need of working space and for team in-person collaboration. As the situation remains fluid, we continue to follow the Scottish Government’s safety advice and hope to start a phased return to our offices in the coming months.
Please rest assured we are fully open for business and keen to engage with you by all means of communication, including in-person meetings and surveys of your business premises and domestic properties. We have taken the appropriate risk management advice and we are comfortable with this approach, but we totally appreciate some people would prefer to avoid face-to-face meetings.
In December of last year, we chose to continue supporting SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) as our Charity of Choice. SAMH has been a great charity to partner with during our successive lockdowns and I have been very impressed with the useful tips and guides they have been sharing with us.
Bruce Stevenson is firmly committed to maintaining a mentally healthy workplace, and SAMH has helped us to do that.
Following my accident and spine fracture last year I’m pleased to share with you that I am almost back to full fitness.
While my cycling days remain on hold for the moment I’m still following the sport and I was very proud to see Team GB topping the cycling medals table at the Tokyo Olympics.
Bruce Stevenson takes your opinions and comments incredibly seriously and I hope that if you have any observations, you will share them with me. My personal email address is [email protected]
A flipbook is also available which will be more suited to desktop users.
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Before he...
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Derek Skinner
Renewable Energy Divisional Director
Following another very successful year with record growth, I’m delighted to announce changes within the Bruce Stevenson Renewable Energy team.
These...
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Hamilton College is a co-educational independent school located in Hamilton, Scotland.
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In collaboration with a leading insurer, we've proudly launched a specialist jewellery insurance product.
To support the launch of this product we've added -
An...
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By Gary Young, Founder of The Mindful Enterprise
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Last February, Bruce Stevenson announced SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) had been selected as our Charity of Choice for 2020. We’re delighted to...
Today we wish to announce some exciting news on the evolution of Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers.
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While...
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Rare whisky, like all things collectable which are of repute, scarcity and exclusivity, cannot easily be replaced.
In the unfortunate event of you suffering loss...
It might seem simple. You’ve just bought or have been given a lovely piece of jewellery. You need to insure it.
How do you...
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The national awards programme which promotes and celebrates Scotch Whisky has announced its winners as part of its second annual competition.
The Scottish Whisky Awards...
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The following...
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Groves-Raines Architects Ltd. is an Edinburgh-based practice dedicated to the conservation and sustainable reuse of historic buildings.
For almost 50 years, the practice has been...
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Insurance...
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In Kentucky, where I live, there are whisky...
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In aid of the Scotland Boat Show this weekend, I've rounded up my top 5 Scottish sailing tips...
1. No. 1 tip is to get Antares...
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Currently there...
In my role as Private Client and Hospitality Executive at Bruce Stevenson I am in the very fortunate position to be able to travel...
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If you're fortunate enough to have a sizeable distinguished private whisky collection, you should consider insuring it.
The valuation of premium whisky has been on...
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Alexandra Richards, Private Clients Development Executive at Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers looks at why it is so important to ensure that your collection, whether...
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the jobs that need doing before the season starts, so we thought it might be useful to...
If you are fortunate enough to have a sizeable distinguished private whisky collection, you may want to consider insuring your investment.
The valuation of...
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Two days within the Renewable Energy Team at Bruce Stevenson are very rarely the same. Whilst we are insurance brokers at heart, our team is...
This month we found out a little more about one of our clients who have been specialising in Goat meat.
Maxine Tarry and her partner,...
Home insurers are often unable to accept the risk of insuring a home if it is undergoing works in excess of £50,000.
Insurers identify...
Earlier this year, industry-wide figures revealed that alongside its title of being the Scottish nation’s capital city and seat of power, Edinburgh also is...
Scotch Whisky is vital to the entire Scottish and UK economies. According to the Scotch Whisky Association the industry generated £5 billion in value...
There has been an unprecedented focus on cyber-crime and digital security following several high profile incidents. TalkTalk, Tesco and Yahoo have all suffered financial...
If your vehicle is stolen or written off due to an accident it is likely that your motor insurer will only pay the current...
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A peaking power plant is an electricity generating power station designed to help balance the fluctuating power requirements of the electricity grid. These plants...
At Bruce Stevenson, we provide useful advice on the best ways to protect what is valuable to you.
Evident physical security measures in a home are a must, but...
As cities across Scotland ready themselves for the forthcoming influx of tourists and students, recent surveys have shown that there is a growing concern...
Rural Theft – Scrap metal
We have recently received reports of the theft of Scrap Metal from farms.
It seems that although the thieves may be...
Survey Manager Andrew Davies of AXA ART Insurance explains AXA ART’s commitment to not let private clients be ‘left short’ in the event of...
It's a concern amongst many holiday homeowners that they may not have appropriate insurance cover. We're delighted to unveil a bespoke insurance package for...
We're delighted to annouce our income rose during a highly successful year which also saw the firm increase its headcount.
The total income for the...
With the shooting and stalking season well upon us, it's a good time to offers these Top Ten Tips to landowners and estate factors:
If...
What is a delegated authority scheme? Well, for a start, these schemes are rare and don't happen very often.
Trusted Relationships
Delegated authority schemes are set...
Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT) is a Scottish based charity whose mission is to assist organisations to achieve their potential within Scottish hospitality.
Since...
The remake of Whisky Galore is set to put the spirits industry firmly in the spotlight this year but for those with their nose...
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Learning to drive is one of life’s great milestones. If you're parent, you'll inevitably be involved in your childs first steps in driving. They...
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