APC launches first broker product in Ireland

8 July, 2010

Commercial insurance underwriting agency APC has begun writing business in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) with the launch of its first product aimed at shopkeepers.

The move, which brings to fruition its ambition to expand into Europe as announced last summer, is led by APC’s European Business Development Director, Graham Young, who joined from Heritage Underwriting.

APC has entered the market working with a select number of brokers, some with multiple offices. The MGA intends to keep the facility exclusive to selected brokers that want a build a long term trading relationship.

Although similar to APC’s popular UK shopkeeper product, the policy wording has been tailored to take in to account the country’s own regulatory environment and additional requirements. It is designed both for independent shopkeepers and franchised retailers with single shops and portfolio’s. In addition to an extensive range of standard cover there is a wide variety of optional extensions available including theft by employees and specified all risks.

As in the UK, all business will be transacted via APC’s own trading platform, QuoteMac. The product, which is based on a streamlined statement of fact proposal form, is issued with a comprehensive, easy to read policy wording and policy summary.

The creation of a European template that can deliver the same levels of service and system efficiency as experienced by our partners in the UK is also a very worthwhile investment for the business. As a result APC is now in ideal position to roll out its proposition in other European countries when suitable opportunities are identified.

Graham Young explained: “Our new Shopkeepers product for the Republic of Ireland has been in development for over 6 months and I am delighted to bring it to the market. By combining a high level of standard cover with competitive rates and the availability of a large no claims bonus we expect the product to be a great success with our new Irish broker partners and their clients. We also look forward to launching other products in the very near future.”