It's our 20th birthday, we can't quite believe it - Happy Birthday to us! Can you remember what you were doing in 1996?! This post is a light-hearted look back across the last 20 years and how Event Insurance Services has grown into the market leading provider of Event Insurance
The start of 1996 would mean the end for some. In February ‘96, thousands upon thousands of teenage girls were left sobbing into their sticker books whilst playing 'Everything Changes' on repeat as the pop sensation Take That announced their separation. They'd only just got over the fact that Robbie Williams had left the previous year and after 7 years together, 1996 would be the year young girls and their mothers mourned, as the 4 became no more. Little did they know, the band would re-form in 2005, 'relighting' everyone’s fire!
Whilst Take That were splitting up the Spice girls were making their breakthrough, signing with the Virgin record label and releasing their debut single 'Wannabe', which went on to reach number 1 in over 37 countries. They would go on to establish themselves as a global phenomenon.
On the big screen Wes Craven had us all shouting 'Don't go upstairs'! as his hit movie Scream aired in cinemas all over the world, it's iconic mask becoming the new face of Halloween.
In the world of politics 1996 would mark the penultimate year of power for John Major, soon to be succeeded by Tony Blair who would go on to be the Prime Minster for another 10 years.
It was in the same year that divorce papers were signed by 2 high profile couples in the Royal family. 1996 would mark the end for the Duke and Duchess of York after 10 years of marriage, and also for the Prince & Princess of Wales, ending their 15 year marriage.
1996 was a momentous year for many reasons and while we could talk about all the unravelling events all day long, there's one event in particular we'd like to celebrate. It may not have made headline news at the time but it was set to shake up the Event industry, changing the face of insurance as we know it.
Every company, regardless of the type of business comes from an idea. But its only when that idea is combined with the passion, vision and motivation of an entrepreneurial spirit that the initial spark of an idea can really come alight.
In the Summer of '96', something was stirring on an Industrial Estate in the middle of Ringwood, Hampshire. In that moment, Event Insurance Services grew from a spark in the mind of successful local businessman Peter Jones, into a reality.
Armed with just a telephone and a pen, Peter Jones worked to establish Event Insurance as, initially, the UK’s leading provider of wedding insurance, adding to the product range as the business grew. His vision was clear – keeping the customer at the heart of everything. Relationships were built and sales were driven from personal contact and although there was always the drive for a successful business, keeping it customer focused with a sense of family amongst the ever growing team was just as important as business success.
Over the past 20 years, the company has grown and evolved their own individual business approach, developing integral relationships with clients and brokers whilst building a bridge between underwriter and customer, something that other event insurers have strived to emulate.
Believing in a personal approach has kept the company at the top of it's game and it continues to stay at the forefront of the event insurance industry. Over the past 20 years the Company has built up the support of over 2,500 insurance brokers throughout Great Britain, Northern Ireland & the Channel Islands. These relationships have helped the company gain recurring custom and enabled economic growth, with many of the relationships growing into more than just a business partnership.
As one of the first providers of wedding insurance in the UK, this particular policy type has always been particularly special to Event Insurance. With this in mind, Peter and the team developed their Introducer Scheme. By building on relationships with some of the most prestigious wedding venues in the UK, this cemented Event Insurance’s commitment by offering venues total peace of mind that users of their venues would be adequately protected. As the company and its products have developed, so to has the wedding policy – with the introducer scheme being expanded into Europe and the rest of the world during 2017.
Of course, there have been dramatic changes across the last 20 years – not just the basic changes of insurance needs, but technological developments and the rise of online sales. Event Insurance started out as a small unit, and although the amount of staff members has increased, the feel is still very much that of a family run business; it still upholds the intimate values which can easily be lost through growth. There is a real sense of common ground when it comes to the staff and their vision for the company. Of course, success is important, but the journey along the way and the relationships which are built are fundamentally the overall goal.
Peter is still very actively involved in Event Insurance Services 20 years after he sold his first policy, but he has also empowered his team to move the company forward and prepare it for the next 20 years. Headed by Dan Rose, the ethos of team work and consistency is still the bedrock of the business and this is what continues to set Event Insurance apart from other companies in this market.
2016 marks a milestone for Event Insurance Services and as people all across the country pay homage and celebrate the Queen in her 90th year, the team at EIS will be throwing their own party, marking 20 years of successful business. The years have taught the company a thing or two about staying at the forefront of an ever evolving industry, about taking inspiration and learning from other companies but most importantly, understanding the need to stay true to their own unique values.