Professional Indemnity Insurance for Solicitors FINEX Law Division
The Willis Approach Experience We believe in providing clear, timely and practical advice and services to our clients. We are sensitive to our clients needs and the importance of providing commercial solutions. Willis is one of the world s leading risk management and insurance intermediaries. We are in the business of identifying, analysing and managing risk. We deliver professional risk transfer, risk and loss management and actuarial services to companies, as well as financial and employee benefits consulting. Our clients are medium-to-large professional firms who require individually designed insurance placements. This means we do not handle substantial volumes of law firms and are not obligated to support specific lineslips and facilities. We will listen to you and spend time understanding your business and individual culture and will then plan and jointly agree an account management strategy. With a common renewal date of 1st October for the overwhelming majority of firms, it is usual practice for both insurers and some of our competitors to employ temporary staff. Willis do not engage in this practice we believe your firm should have a dedicated named service team, from Account Directors and Claims Executives to policy production and accounting specialists. We would propose to undertake a strategic review in order to understand the options available and to maximise the leverage of your firm in the market. This review includes: Analysis of underwriting information Understanding your firm Pricing Security of insurers Creating competition Alternative Risk Transfer including captive overview and recommendations FINEX Law Division Professional Indemnity for Solicitors Professionals appreciate the need to deliver a high level of service to their clients and as established Professional Indemnity Insurance specialists we aim to meet the same standards. Willis is well aware of the dilemmas that confront professionals today. The financial consequences of an increasingly litigious environment continue to grow while simultaneously there is a need to keep the cost of risk transfer and premiums down. Willis aims to provide clients with cost effective solutions to risk. Market Leverage As one of the largest global brokers and Professional Indemnity specialists, Willis is a key trading partner for major insurers and reinsurers worldwide, and has access to the markets and the necessary capacity to meet the demanding needs of our clients. The marketing of our clients risks follows the same philosophy leveraging global resources to deliver products and services locally. With insurance marketers in every office, we are close to our clients; we understand their needs and can develop bespoke solutions, drawing upon our relationships with insurers.
Innovation Willis prides itself on the innovation of its services and products. For instance, we were one of the first brokers to place asset protection liability cover for a professional services firm, and have designed unique programmes combining alternative risk financing/transfer, Captive and Protected Cell Company solutions and finite risk management/transfer arrangements. Willis is the second largest captive manager in Europe and manages over 230 captives worldwide with a premium spend of US$2.7 billion. We are experienced in advising on and managing the use of captives in respect of Professional Indemnity risks. We also arrange finite insurance programmes for professional firms when the commercial insurance market proves too expensive, restrictive or cannot provide the required breadth of cover. Service We believe that superior service and ease of doing business are cornerstones of every successful client relationship. As such, each client is assigned a dedicated Account Director and Account Executive. This front line account servicing is strengthened by a large service team who have been with Willis for many years. We are client driven, not just product focused, with a client base representing a wide range of professions and industries, all of which require individually designed insurance placements. This means that our team only handles medium and large risks and we are not obliged to support specific schemes and facilities, which means we are truly independent. We tailor cover to meet the most demanding and sophisticated risks. Our expertise, our ability to utilise worldwide insurance capacity and our responsiveness to your needs combine to make us a valuable partner. We work hard to understand your business, your priorities, and your world of risk. The FINEX Law Division is growing, winning and retaining more clients and attracting the best talent, because our clients trust our people to perform for them. When you need our advice on professional liability, when you entrust to us the mandate to get the best possible deal in the market, you can be confident that we understand your business and that we know the profession. You can be sure we have broad experience of dealing with your peers and yet we can differentiate you from them. Our team has a culture which is centred around: 1. Transparency A great deal has been written in the insurance national and international press concerning commissions earned by brokers. Willis has stated that our policy is to disclose all such income to clients. Our outstanding commitment to clients is set out in our Client Bill of Rights. 2. Confidentiality We recognise the importance of keeping clients affairs confidential. We are also aware that the insurance market does not always adhere to this and our team is experienced in safeguarding clients confidentiality. 3. Removing insurance jargon Willis endeavours to avoid the use of insurance jargon in our dealings with clients. An important example of this can be seen in our compliance procedures where clear terms and conditions must be provided to all our clients before binding cover. FINEX Law Division Professional Indemnity for Solicitors
The Willis Client Bill of Rights Our Client Bill of Rights is our commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity in our industry and explains how we deliver the Willis Value Experience. At Willis, our culture and our actions are guided by the following principles: 1. Willis represents the client s best interests through our client advocacy model. Willis global resources and services are committed to understanding the client s company, its industry and its individual needs. Willis customized recommendations and solutions will be driven by what is in the client s best interests. This is the centerpiece of the value Willis provides its clients. Claims Our claims service is integrated within our client service team reinforcing our joined-up approach to delivering client service and value for money throughout the insurance policy period. With our claims personnel physically located within our servicing team, we provide complete account servicing capabilities under one roof. Our claims management experts play an active role in designing claim procedures, establishing policy liability, and negotiating quantum with insurers leading to settlement. Our claims advisors have responsibility for specific accounts, which ensures that the member of the Willis Claims Team that you speak to understands the nature of your company and the precise status of a claim. Financial Security of Insurers We have strong relationships with all key Professional Indemnity insurers. Owing to the profile of our business, we regularly deal with insurers in London as well as internationally. Just as importantly, our job is to match the resources of the insurance market to your needs and to ensure the involvement of the most appropriate insurers throughout your insurance programme. We have a dedicated market security department of over 30 professionals who independently monitor the financial position of insurers worldwide reviewing insurer ratings, reinsurance contracts and monitoring their ability to meet their claims obligations. Willis was one of the first to establish such a team and consistently maintain this service for clients throughout all phases of the insurance cycle. 2. At the commencement of every new engagement and at renewal thereafter Willis will describe the service and value it provides and how it is compensated for it in plain and simple language as part of our Terms of Business Agreement and our Willis Client Service model. 3. Willis will listen before it acts. Its partnerships with clients will be typified by clear, complete and candid communication. 4. Clients will have a toll-free number to give Willis feedback on the quality of its services. Clients can comment, critique and suggest areas for improvement. Willis values client input. 5. Willis will require that the training its Associates receive includes enhanced emphasis on their duty of care and full disclosure to clients. 6. Willis Associates are prohibited from accepting any gifts, entertainment or trips from insurers that could create the appearance of a conflict of interest with its clients. 7. Willis will not accept contingency compensation from insurers. 8. Willis will conduct its business in accordance with its best practices guidelines, which are incorporated in our Willis Excellence Model. 9. Willis clients will receive the benefits of our glocal approach to service: our global resources delivered locally to help clients realize their highest risk management and business objectives regardless of geography. 10. Adherence to these principles will be enforced by a series of enhanced internal controls, including regular compliance reviews, audits and review by the Audit Committee of the Willis Board of Directors. FINEX Law Division Professional Indemnity for Solicitors 3
Global Resources, Local Delivery We have over 15,000 professionals working in a network that spans over 100 countries. We serve 30% of the UK s FTSE 100 companies, 30% of Fortune 500 companies and 30% of Global 500 companies. Through our Client Advocate model, clients access our major global network of resources while always receiving a customised service from a dedicated local team. What Makes Us Different? Willis is a global insurance broker; and broking is all we do. As we are not distracted by involvement in other areas, we channel all our energies into being the world s finest insurance broker for our clients. This single-minded approach is matched by a culture that encourages teamwork and a commitment to excellence. Every day our Client Advocates work with Associates around the world to identify solutions for our clients, created from shared expertise. Wherever our clients are, and whatever they do, we provide exceptional skill to meet their requirements. To maximise the value we deliver, we develop a deep knowledge of our clients and their needs. Through careful analysis we come to understand their strategic and financial objectives and how they intend to meet them, enabling us to highlight the potential risks they face. We then advise on potential solutions in order that they can avoid, or mitigate, those risks. Solutions involve our drawing upon a wide range of specialist knowledge, developing innovative products, accessing global underwriting markets or alternative capital sources, and delivering a range of tailored services. In recognition of Willis ongoing professionalism, innovation and commitment to transparency, Willis has won: Willis voted Reactions magazine s 2006 Broker of the Year and Most Innovative Broker of the Year. Willis voted Strategic RISK magazine s 2006 European Commercial Broker of the Year. Willis voted Insurance Times National Broker of the Year Award 2006. FINEX Law Division Professional Indemnity for Solicitors 4
Willis Limited FINEX Law Division One Camomile Street London EC3A 7LA Telephone: +44 (0)20 7488 8111 www.willis.com FIN/3839/07/07 Willis Limited, Registered number: 181116 England and Wales. Registered address: Ten Trinity Square, London EC3P 3AX. A Lloyd s Broker. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.