Open letter to STA regarding BGi.uk Insurance for swim teachers and schools
Mr Jason Watkins
STA
Anchor House
Birch Street
Walsall
WS2 8HZ
Our Reference: STA00-1/NE
Date: 18 November 2016
Dear Mr Watkins
Re: Insurance
I understand that you look after the various insurance for the STA. You will probably know that we insure many swim teachers and swim schools of various sizes. BGi.uk have a suite of policies that can be used to accommodate single swim tutors to million pound businesses.
Our introduction to swim insurance was through our connection with Birthlight; for whom we have worked for many years. Indeed, I was hoping for the opportunity to meet Dave Chandler at the Birthlight “Light In Water” conference in September. Unfortunately he was unable to attend so that meeting is yet to take place.
I would like to think that we have a reasonable reputation amongst your members and the Birthlight members. I am sure that Francoise Freedman will be happy to speak well of us as will many of your members for whom we already provide insurance.
The purpose of this letter though, is to bring your attention to some misinformation issued by your office to a Birthlight member. There are various legal issues regarding provision of advice on insurance which I am sure you will be aware of so you will appreciate that I was both surprised and concerned that someone from your office advised one of our clients that her policy was not fit for purpose and that she had to take out a commercial policy through your connected agents.
Whilst I understand that it is true to say that your policy for single tutors specifically excludes any business activity other than as a sole trader/contractor, our policy is not so restricted and indeed offers numerous additional benefits. We will happily issue a policy in the name of the individual and the business – in whatever legal format they might choose to adopt. Further-more, the cost of insuring both is the same as it is for the individual.
When the business has been trading for a little while and as it starts increasing in size (and profitability) we can provide alternative insurance to match the businesses’s developing needs.
I think it is quite wrong that small ad fledgling businesses should be forced into buying expensive insurance: especially when it is neither necessary nor appropriate.
If your team are offering advice on insurance, it is important that they have the appropriate approval from the Financial Conduct Authority. Of course, it is equally important that they provide correct advice.
Yours sincerely,
Nick Elwell
Managing Director
Cc: Mr D Chandler
